SIDETRIPS Detour to the small town of Basalt at the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Fryingpan rivers for Gold Medal fishing year-round, kayaking in a new whitewater park and paddle-boarding on Ruedi Reservoir. There’s also charming shops, galleries and cafes, and the new Arts Campus at Willits hosts concerts and shows. Down the valley in Carbondale , the new (and free!) Powers Art Center focuses on contemporary and pop art. Recently named a Certified Col-orado Creative District, arts events, performances and classes abound in Carbondale. Touted as one of “The Top 10 Adventure Towns in the U.S.” by National Geographic Ad-venture Magazine , possible outdoor pursuits include biking, kayaking, paddleboarding and fly-fishing. In winter, excellent cross-country skiing can be found at Spring Gulch. Marble is tucked away in the Crystal River Valley. The Marble Hub is a great place to get questions answered, sip coffee and get the lay of the land. Make the off-road trek to the ghost town of Crystal to see the 1893 Silver Boom Crystal Mill, an eye-catching remnant of the mining activities that influenced settlement in the area. (Tip: Late afternoon is the best time to photograph the mill.) Back in town, rent an electric bike at Marble Bike Rentals and stop at the Marble Gallery to browse the crystallized stone that earned the enclave its name. New Castle is 9 miles west of Glenwood Springs. Take the new self-guided historical tour to learn about the area or play 18 holes at the championship golf course. 5 4 Spend the afternoon savoring the scenery of the upper Roaring Fork River Valley. Just 1 mile from downtown Aspen, try your hand at the Gold Butte Climbing Area (4) , which has routes for all levels. Or, the Snowmass Loop Trail has 25 miles of mountain-biking bliss for riders of all abilities, and the Rio Grande Trail is a paved path that starts in Aspen and follows the Roaring Fork River. Those with little adventurers in tow should hike the Grottos Trail , an easy route that leads to glimpses of ice caves and waterfalls. Follow the crowds to Maroon Lake via the daily shuttle from Aspen Highlands (8am–5pm mid-June to early October only). The striped, tilted pyra-mids of the twin Maroon Bells reflecting in the lake below is one of North America’s most famous mountain scenes. Or, a semi-secret way to see these iconic peaks is from the top of Snowmass Mountain, a view that is easily accessible in summer or winter from the top of the Elk Camp lift. As an alternative, Indepen-dence Pass offers a variety of recreational opportunities from hiking and biking to climbing and exploring a ghost town. There’s also the Aspen Center for Environ-mental Studies (7) , a 25-acre nature preserve just steps from downtown, home to birds of prey and lush riparian ecosystems. Explore the (free!) Aspen Art Museum , which houses contemporary art and dra-matic mountain views from its rooftop sculpture garden. In Snowmass, the also-free Ice Age Discovery Center (6) 6 teaches about the 2010 find that became the finest high-elevation Ice Age fossil site in the world. Time for dinner, and you’re in luck: This area has a world-class dining scene. Chefs at restaurants like Matsuhisa , Grey Lady and Element 47 (5) create their menus around whatever local pro-duce is in season. Or check out Farm-to-Table Tuesday at Elk Camp Restaurant atop Snowmass Mountain. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: CRYSTAL MILL, C2 PHOTOGRAPHY; GOLD BUTTE CLIMBING AREA, C2 PHOTOGRAPHY; ELEMENT 47, THE LITTLE NELL; ICE AGE DISCOVERY CENTER, BLAINE HARRINGTON III; ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES. 7 STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Aspen (page 191), Basalt (page 191), Carbondale (page 193), Glenwood Springs (page 198), Marble (page 202), Redstone (page 203), Rifle (page 203), Snowmass (page 205) COLORADO.COM / 113
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2019: Page 113
