Map of bike paths / walking paths in the Aspen area

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Recreational trails for walking, running and cycling in Aspen & Snowmass Village, Colorado

Aspen is located in the Roaring Fork Valley in Western Colorado. This section of Colorado is home to three ski areas, but is also a summertime destination for tourists from all over the world. The city is situated along the Roaring Fork River and is at the south end of the beautiful valley floor with colorful hillsides and dramatic mountains rising to fourteen thousand feet to either side. Snowmass Village is located to the west of Aspen and is the base for the ski area.

This area has a few regional recreational trails and a number of local trails for getting about town or getting in some outdoor exercise. The Rio Grande Trail travels away from roads and traffic, while other multi-use recreational trails follow alongside the major roadways in this area.

The elevation of Aspen is around 8,000 feet (2,400 meters), so visitors should pace themselves. Several of the trails head up to higher elevations, so precautions should be made to avoid high altitude sickness.

Rio Grande Trail

The Rio Grande Trail is a 42-mile long wide mostly paved trail that spans between Glenwood Springs, Carbondale and Aspen in the western mountains of Colorado. The trail uses an abandoned railroad right-of-way to head up the beautiful Roaring Fork Valley with is soaring red cliffs and lush valley floor. Much of the route is located near the Roaring Fork River and there are lovely groves of willows and abundant wildlife. The valley floor has numerous horse ranches and a few residential areas. There are steep hills on either side of the wide valley and the south end of the trail has glimpses of the high peaks that are located to the west and south of Aspen.

The Rio Grande Trail is located on the east side of Aspen and can be accessed from Neale Avenue, S. Galena Street, N. Mill Street or Puppy Smith Drive just east of Main Street. The trail goes past the John Denver Sanctuary and the skate park then has a beautiful bridge over the Roaring Fork River. Traveling farther north on the trail, you will get away from the traffic and congestion and have beautiful views of the river rushing along below. A couple of bridges allow a connect to the trails at the Aspen Institute.

The Rio Grande Trail intersects the multi-use path along Cemetery Lane. There is a trailhead with a large parking area where Cemetery Lane and McClain Flats Road meet.

Read more about the Rio Grande Trail

Brush Creek Trail

The Brush Creek Trail is a 4.35 mile long paved pathway. The trail follows alongside Brush Creek Road from Highway 82 to the middle of Snowmass Village. The east end of the trail is located near the large park-n-ride along Highway 82, which is around 2.2 miles north of the airport. The Brush Creek Trail has a 646 foot climb from 7459 feet to 8195 feet in elevation.

The Brush Creek Trail intersects the Owl Creek Trail near Owl Creek Road for those trail users that would like to loop back into Aspen.

Owl Creek Trail

The Owl Creek Trail is a 5.8-mile long paved pathway that spans between Snowmass Village and the southern end of the airport on the north side of Aspen. The trail follows alongside Owl Creek Road to where it intersects the Brush Creek Trail on the east side of Snowmass Village. There is a 594 foot climb along the route with the highest elevation at 8354 feet.

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Resources

Following are links to official off-site resources to find out more details about the recreational trails located in Aspen and Snowmass Village, Colorado.