On September 16, 2024, we rode a shuttle from our hotel in Aspen, Colorado to the Highlands Center where we rode the RTFA shuttle up the mountain in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness of White National Forest. It was a 9-mile route that climbs some 1,600 ft taking about 30 minutes. We had made reservations in advance. The roundtrip ticket cost $16/person. One could drive, parking requires a reservation as well and cost $7/hr at this writing.
The Maroon Bells are two peaks in the Elk Mountains: South Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak. Both are clearly marked in the second photo. We had packed our lunch and water for the day. Bathrooms exist but no food or water sales up the mountain. We walked over to Maroon Lake first. It is absolutely gorgeous and the more picturesque of the two lakes. After snapping a few photos, I began my hike to Crater Lake. This trail starts at about 9,600 ft. Being a flatlander from South Carolina, I hiked up the 755 ft elevation gain at turtle speed accompanied by my faithful hiking stick. Crater Lake was mostly dry, pretty, nonetheless. Hikers milled about the lake admiring the beautiful scenery, until it clouded up and started raining. Everyone donned their rain gear and hustled back down. Make sure to pack at least a poncho just in case. At this altitude the weather changes quickly. Upon reaching the bottom, the rain had magically stopped allowing me to hike the easy scenic loop trail where I saw a moose far away. I did not have my zoom lens; I took a not-so-good photo with my iPhone. It is not very clear, but I think he can be made out. You can see my hiking path on my AllTrails Activity. I do recommend the scenic loop; it is an easy trail that includes a bridge and a waterfall offering more opportunities for beautiful photography.
All in all, this is must-do trail when in Aspen. It is absolutely picturesque, moderate and quite busy. Make sure to reserve your parking or shuttle and make plans to meet in case you get separated as we did as there is absolutely no cell signal.
References Aspen Snowmass Web Site , All Trails Activity, Wikipedia
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