Ashcroft (and
Pine Creek)
If you’re looking
for a mellow tour
through aspen trees
and snowy meadows,
check out the
Ashcroft touring
center. You
can choose to
snowshoe or cross
country ski the
groomed trails
through the old
mining town, and end
your day by skiing
or taking a sleigh
ride up to dinner at
the Pine Creek
Cookhouse.
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Difficult Creek
Trail
This 1.8 mile (one
way) trail has an
easy start through
Difficult Campground
and gets
progressively
steeper as you work
your way through the
woods by Difficult
Creek and the
Roaring Fork River.
The trail begins 3
miles southeast of
Aspen and you will
often find
snowshoers and
hikers enjoying the
snow through the
dense conifer
forest.
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Hunter Creek
The Hunter Creek
trail is a popular
trail for snowshoers.
This moderately
difficult trail is
3.7 miles one-way
and takes you
east-northeast out
of Aspen up into the
beautiful Hunter
Creek Valley. Access
to the 10th Mountain
Division Trail and
backcountry huts is
shared by the Hunter
Creek Trail, and is
very popular with
touring skiers and
snowshoers alike.
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North Star
Preserve Trail
This easy 3.2 mile
loop takes you
through the
beautiful North Star
Nature Preserve with
great views of
Independence Pass.
The trail is never
far from Highway 82
and is popular with
beginning snowshoers
and naturalist
tours.
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Rio Grande Trail
The Rio Grande Trail
is a great mellow
option for
cross-country
skiers, hikers and
snowshoers. The
un-groomed trail
follows the old
Denver and Rio
Grande Railroad bed
along the Roaring
Fork River. You can
pick up the mostly
flat trail behind
the Aspen Post
Office and follow it
up to 20 miles west
towards Basalt.
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Aspen Cross Country
Center
The Aspen Cross
Country Center is
located on Aspen’s
municipal golf
course west of
downtown. It is the
only full service
cross country ski
and snowshoe center
in Aspen. The
classic and skate
tracks are regularly
maintained, and
tours and lessons
are offered daily.
For more
information, contact
the Aspen X-C Center
at (970) 925-2145.
Snowmass Cross
Country Center
The Snowmass Cross
Country Center is
located on the
Snowmass golf
course. It offers 10
km of groomed trails
to serve everyone
from the beginner to
the advanced skier.
Rental gear, group
and private lessons,
and cross-country
and snowshoe tours
are available. For
more information,
contact the Snowmass
X-C Center at (970)
923-9180. |
Government Trail
This 9.8 mile
(one-way) moderately
difficult trail is
also known as the
Brush Creek Trail,
and is a popular
cross-country ski
trail in the winter.
You can ski from
Aspen to Snowmass
Village, or
vise-versa, on
rolling terrain
through aspen trees
and lodgepole pines.
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Independence Pass
Cross-country
skiers, hikers,
snowshoers, and
snowmobiles share
this stretch of
Highway 82 that
remains unplowed
through the winter.
A moderate to
challenging 5.5
miles brings you
through the safest
part of the road
with wonderful views
up Independence Pass
and down the Roaring
Fork Valley.
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Richmond Ridge
Richmond Ridge is an
easy to moderate
trail, five or six
miles one-way, and
accessible from the
top of Aspen
Mountain. The entire
route is above
11,000 feet, and you
can snowshoe or
cross country ski
along the ridge
overlooking some of
the best views of
the Elk Mountains.
Most people enjoy
Richmond Ridge as a
day trip, but the
packed trails also
lead to some of the
backcountry huts in
the Braun hut
system.
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