Snowmass Village emerges from Aspen’s shadow as a more relaxed, down-to-earth, Colorado getaway.
When you fly into Aspen Airport, you know you’ve arrived in one of the most beautiful locales in Colorado. When you arrive in the fall, you know you’ve chosen the best time to be there. Snowmass Village, just seven miles from the airport, is waiting to greet you, with hiking and biking trails, new shops and restaurants, and those legendary mountains swathed in gold.
This next-door neighbor to Aspen offers all the beauty without the pressure to impress. Yes, Snowmass has its celebrities and certainly its wealth, but here, they look like you and me – jeans, flannel shirts, hiking boots, fleece. Snowmass is the relaxed alternative to posh Aspen. It’s small, easy to navigate, quiet, and family friendly. And it’s close enough to Aspen (take the 30-min free shuttle bus) to still enjoy that town’s fine dining, couture shopping, and nightlife.
Start your Snowmass visit by getting acquainted with the village. Carved into the mountains with gondolas and pathways that take you through Snowmass Base Village and to the outskirts of town, Snowmass is in many ways your typical ski village, which isn’t a bad thing. It feels comfortable, small-town, and just rustic enough. Base Village, with its ski, biking, and hiking shops, no-reservations restaurants, and bars, was just completed in the last five years. It’s a wide-open space where you can unroll a mat and practice yoga on the green with The Collective Snowmass, pull up a chair and listen to live music, or buy a bottle of wine to sip on the slopes.
From Base Village, take the Skittles gondola (so named for its bright yellow cars) up to Snowmass Mall, where you’ll find your choice of lodging from a standard hotel room for one or two at Viewline to three bedrooms for the whole family at Timberline Condominiums. In the fall, you’ll find no shortage of activities here, from free live concerts on Fridays to the Golden Leaf half-marathon and the Snowmass Balloon Festival where you can snap photos of 30 hot air balloons as they rise above the autumnal trees.
For mountain biking trails and breathtaking views, don’t miss the most photographed peaks in North America – the Maroon Bells. Blazing Adventures offers private sightseeing tours and bike rides to view the fourteeners that are made all the more stunning reflected in the lake at their base. The basin was sculpted by Ice Age glaciers, and the distinctive maroon mountains get their color from hematite.
While in the area, hike through White River National Forest and take it all in, but be sure to make reservations for the viewing area in advance. Your best chances to visit are mid-week, when crowds thin a bit. And if you’d like to be on your own without the time restrictions of a tour, catch a bus with the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority, pack a lunch, and make a day of it.
Getting out and exploring the terrain is a must, and Snowmass’s trails and hotel shuttles that take you anywhere in the village are extremely convenient to access. Start with the South Rim Trail, a 1.3-mile moderate ascent to Spiral Point, or, as the locals call it, the Yin Yang (you can’t miss the familiar symbol in mosaic at the top of the trail). The recently added viewfinders document the Ice Age period in homage to the discovery of hundreds of more than 600 mastodon bones under the water in Ziegler Reservoir. You’ll see that body of water down below and gaze up at views of Mt. Daly, the majestic backdrop to your mountaintop photos.
The Tom Blake Trail is another good choice in fall, as you’ll traverse dense aspen groves on a mostly shaded path. A moderate incline gets your heart pumping, but the ascent becomes more gradual, allowing you to breathe easier and search for wildlife. The occasional break in the trees opens up to mountain views. Be sure to download a trail app – the Tom Blake features many forks to side trails, and while they are well-marked, it’s easy to turn an intended one-hour hike into a half day of wandering.
For a different kind of outdoor adventure, channel your inner angler and book a fly-fishing excursion with Aspen Outfitting Company. They’ll provide you with everything you need for a half or full day on the water, including waders, equipment, personalized instruction, and a guide who takes photos and video of the gleeful moment when you reel in your first rainbow trout. The Roaring Fork is a natural wild habitat for trout fishing – no stocking and only catch and release – and there’s nothing more beautiful and peaceful than being in the middle of it, at one with nature.
You’ll be hungry after casting, so walk right next door to Woody Creek Tavern, gonzo journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson’s favorite hangout. While you’re waiting for your burger, wander around and check out the memorabilia-covered walls honoring him and other famous guests.
And if the weather turns or you need a day to relax and get creative, take a shuttle to Anderson Ranch Arts Center. This non-profit was founded in 1966 and is an artist hub for programs, workshops, and classes that are open to visitor registration. Formerly the Anderson Ranch, the center includes the Ranch Café, a meeting hall, labs and studios, and a ranch house where you can buy creations from local artisans. Wander the grounds and pop into the various studios to see artists working with a digital fabrication machine or a wood-fired kiln. Ceramics, woodworking, furniture making, sculpting, printmaking – you name the visual art, and you’ll find it here. Register in advance for a seasonal art class like Fall Skies, where you will gather leaves on a nature walk, then incorporate them into ceramic vases and print patterns. It’s a very cool way to bring a piece of Snowmass home with you.