Aspen Travel Guide

Overview and Things to Consider

Aspen sits at 7,908 feet in the Roaring Fork Valley of the Colorado Rockies, with three more ski mountains around it (Snowmass, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk), plus the Maroon Bells wilderness and the White River National Forest. The town is small, about 7,000 residents, and walkable, with a Victorian core from the 19th-century silver mining boom. The aspens turning gold in September are the most photographed fall color in Colorado, and between the architecture, the mountains and the trees, no mountain town in the US looks better.

Aspen is expensive. A peak-season week with ski-in lodging, lift tickets and resort dining is one of the priciest vacations in the continental US. You can do it for less: stay in Basalt or Glenwood Springs and drive in, come in shoulder season, or stick to the free and cheap outdoor options.

Getting There and Around

Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) is a small regional airport with direct flights from Dallas (American), LA (United, American), Denver (United), Chicago and a few other cities, but seats fill up and fares are high. Flying into Denver (DEN) and driving is often cheaper and more reliable. The drive takes about 3.5-4 hours, including a beautiful stretch through Glenwood Canyon on I-70. The RFTA bus (Roaring Fork Transportation Authority) runs frequently into Aspen from Glenwood Springs and Basalt.

Within Aspen: the town is walkable. Free buses (RFTA) connect downtown Aspen to Snowmass and to the outlying mountain bases. In ski season, free shuttles run to all four mountains. The Maroon Bells road requires a timed entry permit from late May to early September and most access is by the mandatory shuttle bus from the Aspen Highlands base area.

What's Changed Since 2016

Aspen's prices keep climbing. Lift tickets at Aspen Mountain can top $250/day in peak periods, driven by dynamic pricing, demand and ski industry consolidation. The Ikon and Epic passes have softened this somewhat (Aspen is on Ikon Pass), but pass prices have risen a lot too.

Snow reliability has become more variable. Lower elevation ski areas have been affected more than Aspen's high-elevation terrain, but warm and dry winters have become more frequent. Snowmaking has expanded. The season window is shorter in some years than it was a decade ago.

Ideas to Consider for Your Visit

The Maroon Bells are the most photographed mountains in Colorado: two 14,000-foot peaks reflected in Maroon Lake, with the aspen forest in full color in September. The mandatory shuttle from the Aspen Highlands base drops you at the lake, and during peak fall color in September you need a reservation. The walk around the lake is easy. The hike up to Crater Lake adds 4 miles and real elevation, and the views get serious.

Skiing: Aspen Mountain (the main mountain, also called Ajax) has some of the best advanced and expert terrain in the Rockies, and it's not for beginners. Snowmass is the largest and most varied, good for all levels, with its own resort village. Aspen Highlands matches Ajax for challenge with fewer crowds. Buttermilk is for beginners and intermediates, and it's where the X Games are held.

Summer hiking around Aspen is exceptional. Hunter Creek Trail starts at the edge of town and puts you in mountain scenery within 30 minutes of leaving downtown. Buckskin Pass above the Maroon Bells is one of the better full-day hikes in Colorado. The four 14ers you can reach from Aspen, the Maroon Bells among them, are advanced climbs that need experience.

The town of Aspen has the Wheeler Opera House (1889, beautifully restored), the Aspen Art Museum (Shigeru Ban building, free admission), and the Hotel Jerome (1889, the town's historic grande dame hotel with a bar worth seeing even if you can't afford to stay). Walking the Victorian streets of downtown is free.

Realities to Be Aware Of

Aspen is among the most expensive places to visit in the US. In peak ski season, mid-range slopeside lodging starts at $500-800/night. Dinner downtown runs $50-100+ per person. Lift tickets without a pass: $200-250+/day. A family can spend $10,000-20,000 on a week of real Aspen skiing with on-mountain lodging without trying. Staying in Basalt (20 minutes down valley) and taking the bus cuts lodging costs by 50-60%.

Aspen sits at 7,908 feet and the summits top 12,000 feet. Altitude hits skiers hard: fatigue, headaches and weaker skiing are common on day one. If you're flying in, take an acclimatization day before your first day on skis, and drink a lot of water.

If Aspen Is Part of a Longer Trip

The drive from Denver runs through Glenwood Canyon, and it's beautiful. Glenwood Springs, 40 minutes down valley from Aspen, has the world's largest hot springs pool and the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, and it's worth a stop. From the Maroon Bells, a much larger network of wilderness trails runs through the Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness into Crested Butte.

Yearly Things to Consider

Aspen has two clear seasons: winter (ski season, late November to April) and summer (hiking season, June through September). September is widely considered the best month, with fall aspen color, fewer crowds than summer or ski season, and mild temperatures. In the shoulder seasons prices drop a lot: late April to late May (ski season ending, summer not started) and October to Thanksgiving (summer over, ski season not open).

Aspen Climate by Month

Month	Temp	Rainfall	Season	Notes
January	31°F (0°C)	5.4 in	High	Peak ski season; powder days; most expensive
February	34°F (1°C)	5.1 in	High	X Games at Buttermilk; peak crowds
March	38°F (3°C)	5.8 in	High	Spring skiing; lighter crowds; softer snow conditions
April	44°F (7°C)	3.2 in	Shoulder	Late ski season; significant discounts; slush skiing
May	53°F (12°C)	2.0 in	Low	Shoulder; ski season ending; trails not yet fully open
June	62°F (17°C)	1.5 in	Shoulder	Trails opening; summer festival season beginning
July	69°F (21°C)	2.4 in	High	Peak summer; Aspen Music Festival; afternoon thunderstorms
August	67°F (19°C)	2.9 in	High	Excellent hiking; still warm; Maroon Bells at their greenest
September	58°F (14°C)	2.0 in	High	Best month: fall color; fewer crowds than peak
October	46°F (8°C)	1.8 in	Low	Off-season; quiet; early snow possible
November	33°F (1°C)	3.2 in	Low	Pre-ski season; Thanksgiving opening
December	27°F (-3°C)	4.8 in	High	Ski season fully open; holiday crowds and prices

Ideas for Itineraries

3 Days in Aspen

In winter: two days skiing (Aspen Mountain and Snowmass for variety), one day exploring town and taking the Maroon Bells shuttle if weather allows. In summer: Maroon Bells on day one, Hunter Creek Trail and downtown on day two, a longer hike toward the Elk Mountains on day three. September timing overlaps hiking and fall color and is the best three-day window.

5 Days in Aspen

Five days in winter gives you enough to ski all four mountains. Five days in summer covers the major hikes (Maroon Bells, Cathedral Lake, American Lake, a 14er attempt if you're fit and acclimatized), and a day trip to Glenwood Springs for the hot springs.

1 Week in Aspen

A week in either season is what the terrain rewards. In winter you get multiple mountains, some days for cultural events or the spa when the weather turns, and time to settle into a rhythm on the mountain. In summer you get the major hikes plus some multi-day backpacking in the Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness.

2 Weeks or More in Aspen

Long stays in Aspen are usually for regulars who know the mountain well, or for people in the arts and culture world. Aspen's cultural calendar is serious: the Aspen Music Festival in summer, the Aspen Ideas Festival and the Wheeler Opera House programming. Two weeks in shoulder season (late April or October) gets you the town with minimal crowds and much lower prices.