Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt, Snowmass, Aspen | COME TO LIFE fishing. Kayaking in the whitewater park, SUPing on Ruedi Reservoir, plus hiking and biking are other draws. There are also shops, galleries and cafes, and the Arts Campus at Willits ’ concerts and shows. Eating local is the norm in both towns, with farmtotable dinners and several restaurants’ menus informed by seasonally available ingredients grown nearby. hike Grottos Trail , an easy route that leads to ice caves and waterfalls. Follow the crowds to Maroon Bells via the daily shuttle from Aspen Highlands (8am–5pm June to early October only), or ride an ebike there in the morning to avoid them. Pics of the peaks are one of our most famous scenes. Independence Pass offers recreational opportunities from hiking and biking to climbing. Take a tour of Independence Ghost Town with the Aspen Historical Society to hear its tales. Decrease the heart rate with mountain-top yoga at Aspen Mountain, or hook up with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies for sunset hikes, birding outings, naturalist guides and (in winter) snowshoe treks. This area has a world class dining scene. Chefs at restaurants like Matsuhisa , Aurum , Kenichi and Element 47 craft menus around whatever produce is in season. Check out summer’s Farmto Table Tuesday at Elk Camp Restaurant on Snowmass Mountain. Days 3 & 4 It’s time to explore Aspen and Snowmass . They’re just 20 minutes apart, so it’s easy to go back and forth. Aspen maintains a character that is 100 percent Colorado and family friendly. Enhance mornings with a jaunt through downtown to survey the famous stores. In the summer, hit up the Saturday Market for its farmfresh produce and local products, or cruise the area with a bike rental from WE-Cycle Stations in Aspen and Basalt . FROM TOP: ASPEN SNOWMASS; C2 PHOTOGRAPHY; GLENWOOD CAVERNS ADVENTURE PARK. SNOWMASS MOUNTAIN Sidetrips Redstone is 16 miles from Carbondale in the Crystal River Valley. Seek out trail rides, pack trips and big-game hunts from Avalanche Outfitters; hook up and gear up for primo fishing at Crystal Fly Shops; scale the geography at Boulders Open Space; and hike, mountain bike and cross-country ski throughout the valley. Winter also brings ice climbing at Ice Pillars and skating on Redstone Park Pond. Marble is 40 miles south of Carbondale. Hit up Marble Hub to get questions answered and sip some coffee. Get into the backcountry on horseback with OutWest Guides or visit the Crystal ghost town and 1893 Crystal Mill on a tour with Crystal River Jeep Tours. Tour Mill Site Park’s ghostly ruins, and hang around after dark — the town recently joined the International Dark-Sky Association. End the day at Slow Groovin’ BBQ with scratch-made goodness. WINTER FUN THE ASPEN SNOWMASS RESORT IS HOME TO FOUR BIG-TIME SKI AREAS: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass and Buttermilk Mountain. And Glenwood Springs is home to Sunlight Mountain Resort, where you can ski new terrain, hop on snowmobile tours and tackle the scenic Nordic trails on snowshoes or crosscountry skis. Spend afternoons savoring the scenery. Just 1 mile from downtown Aspen, try your hand at the Gold Butte Climbing Area , which has routes for all levels. Or, the Snowmass Loop Trail has 25 miles of mountainbiking bliss (the area has recently received a coveted gold level rating from the International Mountain Biking Association), and the paved Rio Grande Trail starts in Aspen and follows the river. Those with little adventurers in tow can FRYINGPAN RIVER Stay & Play Options Aspen (page 179), Basalt (page 179), Carbondale (page 180), Glenwood Springs (page 183), Marble (page 185), Redstone (page 186), Rifle , Snowmass (page 186) GLENWOOD CAVERNS ADVENTURE PARK COLORADO . COM 119
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2022: Page 119
