Photo by Peter Honeyman under CC BY-NC 2.0 This demanding hike requires a high level of... 3. Find a trail. Even if you don’t find the lake, the foliage and scenery make Tabor Creek worth the trip. The hike in is almost entirely uphill, at a fairly easy grade. At about 3 miles, you reach a beautiful aspen grove with a mellow incline, which is a good place to turn around for a shorter hike. But that’s not the sole reason to do it. The best time to view wildflowers is the last two weeks of July, according to naturalist Janis Huggins, author of Wild at Heart, a local field guide to plants and animals. Your Hikes » Buckskin Pass to Snowmass Lake, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Crowds thin less than three miles into this 16-mile round-trip. An adjunct to the Cathedral Lake Trail, Electric Pass adds a few hours but is a worthy destination that offers a look deep into the heart of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. Katie Hankinson Photography, 04/15/2019 Descending toward Technicolor-blue Lost Man Lake feels like entering a fairytale kingdom, especially when the wildflowers are in bloom. And there, below you, you’ll see (spoiler alert!) The hiking in Aspen gives the skiing a run for its money. ... you may want to stop at the scenic overlook before heading back to Aspen Grove. As... 2. The terrain flattens out before Linkins Lake, a good spot to contemplate the surrounding peaks along the Continental Divide. By The leaves turn orange and yellow in the fall, and the area feels more like the Sierra Nevada than Big Bear. So if you'd like to see the Maroon Bells for yourself, do visit my Maroon Bells page. Check out the jaw-dropping view of the Maroon Bells and ride the lift back down. For more information on nordic centers and groomed nordic trails in Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley, see our page Nordic Centers and Systems. Stroll along the boardwalk of the formerly raucous town of Ashcroft or along the abandoned streets of Independence. Difficulty: Difficult Length: 2.4 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 1700 feet Not everyone does. It seems impossible, given where you are, and it adds an interesting discovery to a pleasant hike. This circumnavigation of the famed Maroon Bells offers everything you ever wanted in a Rocky Mountain hiking experience, and probably more: four major passes above 12,000 feet, three stunning alpine lakes (Maroon, Crater, and Snowmass), idyllic camping spots, fields of wildflowers, and the dramatic backdrop of soaring peaks such as the 14,000-plus-foot Bells. If there’s a nip in the air, the SmartWool PhD Teller Jacket ($160) adds colder-weather versatility to the Marmot. It's understandable that a lot of people aren't aware that this Colorado ski town actually has really easy access to incredible hiking and backpacking trails. Provided by: Ted Mahon. If you don’t feel like hiking, take a walk around Maroon Lake. Of course, no one’s suggesting you hike naked (well, maybe just once, though please not on Smuggler), but after appropriate footwear, the only hiking gear you really need is a solid shell. A short hike will bring you to the base of a waterfall in a forested grotto. Lost Man Trail Hiking Detail - hike is near Aspen, Colorado. And while it’s not exactly a hike, it does offer a nice walk around Hallam Lake in addition to its other attractions. Be sure to download our Free Hiking Guide to help you prepare and pack smart for your dayhikes near Denver. From there, get some exercise by hiking about 1.5 miles to the top of the Elk Camp chairlift. Catherine Lutz and Todd Hartley The easy trail is 2.6 miles round trip and takes about 1.5 hours. From the heart of downtown Aspen, the Silver Queen Gondola delivers guests to the peak at 11,200 feet, where endless vistas and flower-laden hiking trails await. To prove it, we broke out our topo maps to find four types of hikes—easy, epic, classic, and unknown—within five bigger categories, from kid-friendly to overnights.Your job is simple: lace up your trail-worthy kicks, slather on some sunscreen, and start hoofing it. But what’s that? Amanda M. Faison and Olive & West Photography, 07/19/2020 The trail continues on through the forest over the top of Red Mountain to the Hunter Creek Valley, but most people like to stay in the sun. Piney River Ranch, near Vail. Bear bites hiker near Aspen Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the woman was hiking on a trail near Aspen on Memorial Day when the bear charged and bit her. If you are a serious hiker, you can cross the reservoir for a harder path.Show more A fixed rope hanging alongside the falls makes it possible to continue on only if you dare. When you’re not hiking through aspen trees, you’re looking at them. —TH, Hike time: 10–12 hours round-tripAbility level: 2, A trek that attracts backpackers from around the country, the Four-Pass Loop is actually one of the few multiday options in the Aspen area that doesn’t involve retracing steps on an out-and-back route. 14.7km 1,113m 6-8h During the Winter, there are also nordic specific trails that are groomed when the conditions are right. The valley’s hiking catalog offers such abundance that there are options within the options. Author: Amanda Kesting But we can assure you it’s worth finding, so ask around. Photography by There’s the ever-present, snowmelt-fed creek rushing down the path the glacier once did, slowing and meandering in flat spots now fashioned into beaver ponds. Piney River Ranch, near Vail. If you’re looking for panoramic vistas but don’t have the time or risk tolerance to climb a peak, it’s hard to beat one of Colorado’s hundreds of mountain passes. Red rock predominates, and at times, as you follow a tortuous creek bed into the hills, the encroaching cliffs loom so close you’ll be forced to turn sideways as you pass. —CL, Looking for great foliage and a little mystery? Click on the trail name for pictures, connections and directions. By David O. Marlow, 12/20/2019 Meadow Mountain Meadow Mountain overlooks ranges and winds through aspen groves. Jane Gendron, Cindy Hirschfeld, and Ted Katauskas, 07/14/2020 This hike starts from one of the most photogenic lakes in the entire... 02. Hiking Trails in Aspen. Summit of Ute Trail, overlooking Aspen’s Roaring Fork Valley. Silently resting under rocky, 13,943-foot Cathedral Peak, the lake changes in color and mood with the light: crystal clear, emerald green, or slate gray. —TH, Hike time: 4–6 hours round-tripAbility level: 2, It’s not every day you can say you walked from one of Colorado’s coolest ski towns to another, which is just one of the things that makes the Aspen-to-Crested Butte hike so special. Take the bus from Aspen Highlands to the Maroon Bells visitor center. A short paved trail leads to an observation deck, offering near 360-degree views of dozens of peaks in the Sawatch and Elk Mountain Ranges. Aspen Sojourner Staff, SagaCity Media | 921 SW Washington St, Suite 750 | Portland, Oregon 97205, The Pandemic Has Given Us an Oasis of Calm. , and wildflowers are abundant in the miles upon miles and offers an alternate way to the! 8.5 miles up a gorgeous Valley to eighteen designated campsites and the trail is at elevation! 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