Hiking in Aspen, CO

This athletic 3.2-mile one-way, 2,000-vertical-foot climb leads adventurous hikers through forests and wildflower-dotted meadows to a gorgeous alpine lake. Starting from Aspen’s famous ghost town, Ashchroft, American Lake trail climbs steeply up switchbacks along a wooded gulch in the Devaney Creek valley for about 1.5 miles before reaching a spruce forest. The steady, steep uphill grade continues through the spruce grove until it reaches an old mining site where the trail opens up to an open meadow.

The hike up Smuggler Mountain Road is an ultra convenient three-mile round trip with excellent views of downtown Aspen.

This 8.4-mile day-hike route crosses multiple creeks including Lincoln Creek, New York Creek and Brooklyn Creek Gulch and can be tricky during high spring runoffs, but expansive high-alpine meadows and stunning views of the Collegiate Peaks make it well worth the effort.

Aspen’s Sunnyside Trail offers unobstructed views of the surrounding valley and peaks. Sunnyside enjoys a good deal of sun, hence its name, and offers exceptional sunsets, as the trail faces southwest.

One of the most popular hiking trips in Colorado travels between Aspen and the quaint and laid-back Victorian town of Crested Butte. Our suggested route is the generally considered the preferred approach to this classic hike.

The beauty of many of the hiking and climbing routes situated just off of Highway 82 on Independence Pass is that they’re easy to get to and provide visitors with the opportunities to explore multiple sites and still enjoy downtown Aspen all in one day. Hiking or trail running to Weller Lake is just .5 miles from the trailhead, making it one of the quickest routes on Independence Pass.

Offering great views of downtown Aspen and a lovely jaunt through a pine forest and wildflower fields, the Little Cloud Trail is among Aspen's most accessible and shortest hikes. Little Cloud begins from Midland Trail, a former railroad track that is now used for commuter bikers and walkers.

Linkins Lake is a beautiful high-alpine, above treeline lake that provides view of the peaks in the Independence Pass area. The trailhead is just off of Highway 82 18.5 miles from downtown Aspen on the last major switchback before the road turns to the right and makes a long ascent to the top of the Pass.

Hunter Creek Trail sits along is a beautiful valley corridor that provides access to a variety of great hiking or trail running trails and even an overnight backpacking trip. This gorgeous alpine valley features a babbling tributary, Hunter Creek, which provides a peaceful setting and opportunities for swimming if Fido is along for the trek. The valley is namely a wide-open, treeless meadow book-ended by two parallel ridges riddled with aspen groves.

Located just 2.5 miles from downtown Aspen, the Red Butte Trail offers hikers a quick .6-mile jaunt. The Red Butte Trail climbings along Red Butte mountain, the red-hued mound that rises out of the western edges of Aspen.

The hike to Cathedral Lake is ideal for the fitness-minded outdoor explorer. The 2,000-foot, 2.8-mile climb (5.6 miles roundtrip) is considered challenging, but the rewards from the high-alpine lake is worth every drop of sweat equity. The first leg of the hike climbs for .75 miles through a magical aspen forest before it enters the Maroon-Snowmass Wilderness. Soon after entering Wilderness land, the trail becomes steeper as it snakes alongside the cascading Pine Creek.

Aspen’s renowned 6.5-mile mountain biking trail, Government, also makes for an exceptional hike, especially in mid-September. Government runs from eastern flanks of Snowmass ski resort to the eastern, or Tiehack, side of Buttermilk ski resort

The Lost Man Loop is not a real loop as it connects two trailheads on Highway 82 close to Independence Pass.

The Rim Trail, located right outside of Snowmass Resort, is a beautiful, is non-technical hiking loop featuring a smooth, meandering trail along a ridge-line and spectacular views of the surrounding Elk Mountain Range.

No trip to Aspen would be complete without visiting the Maroon Bells. Don't let the crowds deter you or the fact that you have to take a bus from Aspen Highlands Village mid-June through Labor Day (and on the weekends throughout September).

If you’re looking to get high in the Rocky Mountains, Midway Pass Trail is a top-of-mind choice. Situated 14 miles from downtown Aspen along Independence Pass, Midway Pass Trail is a lesser traveled eight-mile out and back hike to the 12,120-foot Midway Pass.

Situated south of Carbondale, where the Crystal River meets the Roaring Fork River, is one of Colorado’s most majestic mountain. Despite it’s towering, wide silhouette, Mount Sopris tops out at 13,000 feet. Although relatively moderate 12-mile roundtrip hike up Sopris takes a full day, so it's important to begin the journey early in the day.

The Ute Trail is not for the faint of heart. This steep, heavily used trail, located on the southeast side of Aspen ascends 700 feet in just .9 miles. Many Aspen locals hike up the Ute daily to stay in top physical condition.