Why People Choose an Aspen Vacation

Aspen is one of Colorado's favorite year-round resort areas. During winter or summer, an Aspen vacation is the perfect choice for most people. Aspen sits at the upper end of the Roaring Fork Valley, with the Roaring Fork River, a superb trout stream, running through town. It offers an interesting history, challenging outdoor recreation opportunities, abundant cultural activities, pleasant climate and beautiful natural scenery. Aspen is world renowned for its downhill skiing. Aspen Mountain rises imposingly from town and is one of four ski areas in the valley.  Snowmass, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk mountains all lie within 12 miles of town. These areas offer some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world.

Much of the area around Aspen is public land within the White River National Forest. The spectacular Elk Mountains rise to the south and west of Aspen, with the Williams Mountains and the Sawatch Range to the east. These mountains are cut by beautiful alpine valleys. The Maroon Creek, Castle Creek and Hunter Creek Valleys are all easily accessible from town. Much of the high mountain area surrounding Aspen lies within designated wilderness areas in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass, Hunter-Fryingpan, and Collegiate Peaks wildernesses.

Attractions
Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk , and Snowmass ski areas are the most popular attractions in the Aspen area but are far from the only ones. The Maroon Bells are some of the most photographed mountains in North America and are a popular destination. In addition to the restored historic buildings within the town of Aspen, Ashcroft and Independence are well preserved ghost towns which offer a scenic outing and a glimpse into the region's rich mining history. The Roaring Fork and Fryingpan Rivers provide anglers with some of the best trout fishing in the state. Independence Pass, a main summer route into town, Castle Creek Road to Ashcroft, and Maroon Creek Road are all paved roads offering spectacular scenery.

Recreation
While downhill skiing and snowboarding are Aspen's best known recreational pursuits, winter enthusiasts are not restricted to the formal constraints of the mountains.  Backcountry skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, winter hut trips, and snow camping opportunities in this region rival any in the country.   When the snow melts, Aspen offers an abundance of of opportunities for hiking , backpacking, camping, mountain biking, climbing, fly-fishing, horseback riding, kayaking, whitewater rafting, hunting, and paragliding. A visitor to the Aspen area can find high quality permutations of almost every outdoor activity imaginable.

Climate
In the valley bottoms, summer high temperatures extend into the 70's and mid 80's, with cool evenings that can often dip into the 30's. Winter lows occasionally dip to minus 30 degrees, though daytime temperatures are often in the 20's to 30's. The relative humidity is quite low throughout the year. Much of the area and its recreation facilities lie at higher elevations where significantly lower temperatures and more precipitation can be expected. Afternoon summer thunderstorms are common. Snow is possible at any time of year in the highest elevations. The high elevation roads and trails are often not clear of snow until mid-July.

Location
Aspen is located in west-central Colorado, 40 miles southeast of Glenwood Springs on Colorado Highway 82. During the winter months this is the only highway access into Aspen. During the summer months, Aspen can be accessed from the east, over scenic Independence Pass, on Highway 82. Independence Pass is normally closed from about early November through May.  For more information on getting here, so you can begin your Aspen vacation, click here.