On Golden Pond
ON GOLDEN POND
Near Telluride, CO
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Trail Difficulty - EASY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The location of this shot is an easy 20 yd walk the road (CO-45).
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
9,586 Ft. Elevation
Downloads
View In Google earth
Directions
Directions to get driving directions to On Golden Pond
From Telluride - drive west on CO-145 N for about 3 miles until you come to the traffic circle. Take the 2nd exit onto CO-145 S at the traffic circle and travel 4.3 miles. You will come to an entrance to a small parking area next to the pond.
From Ridgway - drive west on CO-62 W for 23 miles until you come to CO-145 (heading toward Telluride). Take a left at CO 145 and drive 12.7 miles until you reach the traffic circle. At the traffic, circle, take the 1st exit, and travel 4.3 miles. You will come to an entrance to a small parking area next to the pond.
From the parking area, walk back to the road and then walk 200 yds to an overview of this beautiful little pond (Cashman Lake).
IMPORTANT: the part of Cashman Lake inside the chain linked fence is private property. Please be respectful of the private property and don’t cross the fence.
Photography Tips
This location will bring out the artist in you. The scene is very nice, but the composition is up to you.
The shot was pretty straightforward; I tried to use a standard lens and didn't see what I felt! So I tried to use a longer lens to get a little more compression of the beautiful aspens and water reflection, but the lens was too long.
In the end, I did a three-shot vertical pano with a 105mm lens.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 105 mm (3 shot vertical pano)
Exposure – 60th sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Oct 1st
Time – 8:15 am
Best Time of Day to Shoot
I found the best time to shoot this location is early in the morning or on an overcast day with no wind. If the area is windy, the mirror reflection in the water will not happen. Also, the harsh late morning or mid-day sun takes away from the beautiful scenery.
Best Time of Year
The little pond is at its very best during fall colors season.
The above image was taken on October 1st.
Lens(es) Needed
You can shoot this location with a 50 mm lens. I chose to shoot the image with a 105mm equivalent lens as a three-shot vertical pano to compress the scene as much as possible.
Birds-Eye View
Permits
There are no permits required at this location. However, as noted above, the part of Cashman Lake inside the chain linked fence is private property. Please be respectful of the private property and don’t cross the fence.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the shot is east at 90°.
Equipment Needed
All you need is a sturdy tripod, a polarizing filter, and a good eye.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
This is a beautiful little pond on the side of the road, and many people will see it as they drive by. But, tripods attract more tripods - so the number of photographers could be 1 -20.
Weather
The Colorado weather is usually mild in the summer and cold (lows in the 20's) in the spring and fall.
Cell Service
I have Verizon, and the cell service at this location is spotty.
Lodging & Camping
There is a campsite (Sunshine Campground) not far from Ophir on the road back to Telluride, and lodging is abundant in Telluride.
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
Sunshine Campground – located off of CO145 on the way back to Telluride
Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review
231 West Colorado Avenue, Telluride, CO
301 West San Juan Ave, Telluride, CO
Nearby Restaurants
The closest town is Telluride – a wealthy rancher and ski/tourist town with a good variety of restaurants (for both locals and tourists). I enjoy sitting at Smugglers Brewpub after a long day of hiking and shooting.
Nearby Restaurants - click on the restaurant below for a yelp review
627 W Pacific Ave, Telluride, CO
225 S Pine St, Telluride, CO
Area Guides and Workshops
None