Find Summer Balance at the Telluride Yoga Festival
At Wallaroo Headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, it’s finally summer and we’re ready for our favorite summer activities - hiking, boating, fishing, playing golf, tennis, or pickle ball, and getting the chance to attend a concert or two. The warm weather, fresh air, and sunny skies are what we live for.
We can’t forget that summer is also Festival Season! From bluegrass under the stars and wine and food-filled weekends, to art, film, and yoga gatherings in the mountains, there’s a celebration for everyone. Each event gives us a chance to wear our favorite Wallaroo “festival-approved” summer sun hats like the Catalina Cowboy, Tahiti, Logan, or Sedona.
Telluride Yoga Festival
One of our very favorite festivals, the Telluride Yoga Festival (June 25–28), is found right here in Colorado. This four-day yoga and wellness gathering features some of the most renowned yoga teachers and experts from all over the world in an intimate, inclusive, beautiful mountain setting.
And this isn’t just any festival! The Telluride Yoga Festival is the longest running yoga festival in the United States, going 18 years strong. Set at 9,000 feet in the San Juan Mountains of Telluride, people come from all over the world to attend this festival and relax in the mountains for a few days. It’s a celebration of yoga, meditation, music, and community with over 100 offerings and hundreds of practitioners for an event that promises to feel both global and deeply personal at the same time. Wallaroo loves the festival so much that we’re sponsoring one of its events, a fun Wild-West themed yoga session!
Our founder and avid yogi, Stephanie Carter, loves the Telluride Yoga Festival! Stephanie explains: “I love this festival because it blends yoga, meditation, music, lectures and outside activities such as hiking and stand up paddleboarding during the weekend. It has a long list of well-known yoga teachers that come back to the festival year after year, including Amy Ippoliti, Kia Miller, Tommy Rosen, Gina Caputo, Ananda Das and many others. Participants choose from over 100 offerings including yoga, meditation, hiking, music, wellness workshops, outdoor adventures and more. The teachers, the classes, the activities, the town, the mountains - it's all part of what makes this festival so special."
Stephanie’s Telluride Yoga Festival Tips
Getting to the Telluride Toga Festival:
Telluride Yoga Festival sits between historic Telluride and the slopeside Mountain Village in southwest Colorado, about 8,750–9,500 feet up in the San Juan Mountains.
Closest Airports:
Telluride Regional (TEX) - about 15 minutes from town (small, limited service).
Montrose Regional (MTJ) - about 1.5 hours away, with shuttles like Telluride Express running regularly.
Durango (DRO) and Cortez (CEZ) - roughly 1.5–2.5 hours by car.
Driving to Telluride:
Telluride is roughly a 6–6.5-hour scenic mountain drive from Denver, with the last stretch winding into a dramatic box canyon ringed by majestic Colorado peaks.
Getting Around:
Telluride and Mountain Village are linked by a free gondola, and in-town shuttles plus walkable streets make it easy to move between classes, cafés, and lodging.
Hotels in Telluride:
The Madeline Hotel and Residences
The Peaks Resort and Spa
Mountain Lodge Telluride
Additional lodging information can be found on the Telluride Yoga Festival site.
Great Restaurants:
Alreds - Located at the top of the gondola offering amazing mountain and valley views.
Siam Talay - Delicious Thai food
The Butcher and the Baker- Located in Telluride Town, a very healthy option with delicious food.
Altitude Tips:
Be careful and give your body time to adjust to the thinner air and stronger sun, since the Telluride Yoga Festival takes place at roughly 9,000 feet of elevation.
Hydrate Early and Often:
Start increasing your water intake before you arrive and keep drinking while in Telluride. Hydration is key in helping your body adjust at this altitude. Speaking of hydration, remember that alcohol hits harder and dehydrates you faster at higher altitudes, so go easy on your celebratory drinks so you feel your best.
Ease into Movement:
Give yourself a gentle first 24 hours, especially if you’re coming from low elevation. Just as you do in yoga, remember to listen to your body and don’t overexert as you get used to the thinner air.
Sun Protection is Key:
The UV radiation in Telluride can be roughly 40 percent higher than at sea level, which means sun damage can happen more quickly than you expect. Don’t take any chances! In addition to applying sunscreen, be sure to wear sun protective clothing and of course bring your Wallaroo UPF 50+ sun protection hat. We’ve got styles for every yogi!
Other Yoga Festivals to Add to Your Summer List:
A three-day immersion in mantra, music, and medicine of the heart, held at the Wild Cider Garden in Longmont, Colorado, just outside of Boulder. Under the open skies and orchard trees, musicians, sound healers, and teachers lead kirtan, sound baths, and earth-honoring practices.
A beloved devotional yoga and sacred music gathering in the high desert of Joshua Tree, California, where kirtan, asana, meditation, and spiritual workshops unfold over several days of camping in the beautiful desert.
Wishing you a zen-filled, peaceful summer on and off the yoga mat.
And wherever you find yourself this season, remember…
It’s a sunny life. Wear your hat.
