Telluride v. Park City (Salt Lake City, Junction: neighborhood, buy, schools)

[AmyElise]

My husband and I are considering a move to a mountain state and have narrowed it down to either Park City, Utah or Telluride, Colorado. We're in our mid 40s and have a young child so these are our priorities:

1. Clean air.
2. Stunning scenery.
3. Excellent schools.
4. A sense of community.
5. Outdoor activities: we love to hike, run, rock climb, mountain bike, kayak, do nature photography and just be outside.
6. Must have all four seasons - with snow in the winter guaranteed, a summer that does not get too hot, and pretty autumns.
7. Local wildlife would also be nice.
8. Good restaurants / pubs / places to hang.


Which of these two mountain cities sound like they'll best suit us? Any insights are greatly appreciated!

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by AmyElise

My husband and I are considering a move to a mountain state and have narrowed it down to either Park City, Utah or Telluride, Colorado. We're in our mid 40s and have a young child so these are our priorities:

1. Clean air.
2. Stunning scenery.
3. Excellent schools.
4. A sense of community.
5. Outdoor activities: we love to hike, run, rock climb, mountain bike, kayak, do nature photography and just be outside.
6. Must have all four seasons - with snow in the winter guaranteed, a summer that does not get too hot, and pretty autumns.
7. Local wildlife would also be nice.
8. Good restaurants / pubs / places to hang.


Which of these two mountain cities sound like they'll best suit us? Any insights are greatly appreciated!

I have been to Telluride but have never lived there. As a native Salt Laker, I am, of course, more familiar with Park City. My gut feeling is that you couldn't go wrong either place. You didn't mention distance from a major airport, so maybe that's not a big deal to you. If if it, Park City is definitely closer to Salt Lake City than Telluride is to Denver.

[WyoNewk]

^^^ As above, Park City is closer to a major city. If you need a city for work income, that probably rules out Telluride. I'm not a huge fan of Park City. It used to be nice, but it looks to have grown by leaps and bounds over the past couple decades. Come to think of it, I haven't been to Telluride in a couple decades either, and I understand it's grown lots too.

*Flips coin* Telluride would be my pick.

[kletter1mann]

Telluride is certainly the more upscale of the two and far nicer IMO. It's also small, remote and hard to get to. Park City - the main st - is fun in it's way but the area has become sprawling, crowded and little more than part of the SLC suburbang sprawl, albeit in an expensive highfalootin way. Telluride seems more real, whatever that means in the context of a high end mountain resort town. The skiing at Telluride is vastly better than PC and less dominated by drunken BroBrahs.

[SWFL_Native]

If you can afford telluride then you must live there. It’s my heaven!

PC is great but not special.

https://www.colorado.com/sites/defau...?itok=fYtAvfgh

https://www.visittelluride.com/site/...9548731402.jpg

https://static1.squarespace.com/stat...g?format=2500w

Go in the fall and winter you’ll be hooked. Brown dog pizza with left hand brewing beer is the best.

[Code Stemi]

Telluride is so stunning, wow. But I agree PC has better access to what you could possibly need in a major metro. Telluride is very isolated.
Edit: Grand Junction is a sizable city within a 2 hour drive in good weather.

[Hiruko]

Telluride is very nice, but the location is absolutely ridiculous. Basic amenities like schools and hospitals are lacking in Telluride. Restaurants become predictable, and the grocery store selection in Telluride is pathetic. Telluride is a nice place to visit, maybe have a second home/investment property, but live in Telluride? No way.

[AmyElise]

It's really looking like Park City is our place. I need a major airport for both domestic and international travel for work, plus I like having amenities like grocery stores and post offices and whatnot nearby. I absolutely adore Telluride but as several people have noted, it's hard to get to. Plus, I really like the idea of a nice neighborhood where we can put down roots and possibly start our own business.

Our move is still two years away but I'm excited to start researching in more depth and buy a house. Thanks for all of your comments - they have been a tremendous help.

[Ulysses61]

I have lived in both places, so I have a reasonably good frame of reference.

Telluride is far nicer in scenery and incredible beauty. But the people there are often very ego driven and not particularly friendly. The nearest supermarket is in Cortez. Ridgway's market is small and expensive. The winters are dark and the plowing isn't great. Medical care is far away and roads in winter can be icy.

Park City I didn't like nearly as much, but it's convenient.

That sums it up.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by Ulysses61

I have lived in both places, so I have a reasonably good frame of reference.

Telluride is far nicer in scenery and incredible beauty. But the people there are often very ego driven and not particularly friendly. The nearest supermarket is in Cortez. Ridgway's market is small and expensive. The winters are dark and the plowing isn't great. Medical care is far away and roads in winter can be icy.

Park City I didn't like nearly as much, but it's convenient.

That sums it up.

Exactly. Although, I think Park City is quite lovely.