The Wilson Meadows Trail is an "easy" rated, 3 mile one way (6 miles round trip) trek through some of Telluride's gorgeous mountain meadows. The trail head begins at the Lizard Head Trail sign, just behind the public restrooms at the summit of Lizard Head Peak.

The trail immediately begins steadily climbing up into towering pine and aspen trees. At about 1.5 miles, there is a sign where the Wilson Meadows Trail splits away from the Lizard Head Trail. At 2 miles, there is a steep clay hill that looks pretty suspicious to be part of the trail, but on a dry day, it is easy to maneuver. There are two established campsites just before entering into the meadow, and both have fire rings.

The first view of the meadow simply took my breath away, as I had no idea how enormous it was. The elevation gain of the hike is approximately 1,000 feet, which puts the meadow at almost 11,000 feet. Wilson Creek flows through the marshy meadow with unbelievable views of Lizard Head Peak and Sunshine Mountain. Though Wilson Peak is nearby, it unfortunately can't actually be seen from Wilson Meadows.

As with any hike, I suggest taking plenty of water, and snacks are always a good idea. Wilson Meadows would also make an excellent place for a picnic. The mosquitoes can be quite bad while hiking through the trees, so it is a good idea to wear bug repellent or at least bring some along. Later in the summer I am sure the wildflowers will be spectacular on this hike.

Lisa Wilson is a local Telluride blogger and photographer. You can see more of her work at Mountains Rule & Telluride Daily Photo and follow her on Twitter @ TellurideLisa.