I have a decision to make and I wanted Telluride experts to HELP me out! I can either stay at Mary Illium or the High School Campground.
How do I decide? Any suggestions?
Please and Thank You!
Well, it really depends on what type of experience you’re after. HS doesn’t allow smoking, drinking, fires, and is much more family friendly. It’s a field where people can set up a tent, and expect a low key, quiet atmosphere. About 10 a minute walk to Town Park.
Ilium is set in a beautiful valley with a river flowing through it, and it’s much more of a party atmosphere, without ever getting rowdy. It’s the only campground where you can have a campfire, charcoal grills, and camp among the wilderness. It’s about a 20 minute shuttle ride to Town Park, though you may wait for an hour or so to get on the shuttle during the late morning.
For me, Ilium is the obvious choice, as I enjoy camping in the woods, knocking back a few beers, and not worrying about families getting upset about picking circles going into the wee hours of the morning.
:wave I, on the other hand, am a “BUTT-CRACK of DAWN” tarp runner, that likes NIGHTGRASS shows, breakfast burritos, and napping in my low-back chair. There aren’t enough hours in my FestiDay to worry about anything but some shut-eye when I get to the tent. I would stay in town. Mary I is awesome, with fires & late night pickin’, but no bus is good bus! (keep looking for TP or Warner, it could happen) :cheers
Between the two, I would say Mary E every time. The shuttles aren’t bad at all. As long as you plan things out well (packing a backpack with everything you’ll need for the day so you don’t have to make multiple trips and not waiting till 20 minutes before your favorite artist’s set to get in the shuttle line), you’d be fine.
That being said, Town Park and Warner are the two best you could hope for. You can hear the music from your camp sight. It’s great.