Planning an Aspen Colorado Vacation

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* How to get to *
Aspen, Colorado


By Car

From Denver, Aspen is 220 miles or approximately 3 - 1/2 hours via
I-70 West to Glenwood Springs. Aspen is due east on Highway 82.
Another scenic route from Denver is I-70 West to 91 South through
Leadville to 24 South, then west onto Highway 82 over Independence
Pass. (The pass is open only during warm-weather months.)


By Plane

Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE) Sardy Field, is located only 3 miles
from Aspen's downtown core. Hundreds of flights weekly into the airport
include many convenient one-stop connections through Denver and
Salt Lake City on United Express, Delta & beginning April 26th, 2008
Frontier Airlines. Other direct flights include Chicago, Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Atlanta and Phoenix on U.S. Airways Express.


By Public Transportation

The Roaring Fork Transit Agency (RFTA)provides extensive bus service
between Aspen and Snowmass, extending to other Roaring Fork Valley
communities - for fares and schedule go online at - www . rfta . com

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Aspen is among the most popular ski destinations in the entire West.


Aspen

Nestled high in the Elk Mountains branch of the Rockies, Aspen
& its sister town of Snowmass Village service 4 major ski areas

Aspen Mountain,
Aspen Highlands,
Snowmass,
Buttermilk

the highest concentration anywhere in Colorado.

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Official Colorado State Vacation Guide & Map


Order a FREE Official State Vacation Guide
in print and/or virtual and Colorado Road map

Colorado . com

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Aspen

We travel to Aspen from Denver every Labor Day weekend for the Mother Lode volleyball tournament. Now that we are retired we spend a whole week at The Prospector, an RCI resort right on the Mall and Wagner Park. We really love Aspen. So much to do. Below is an excerpt from a review I wrote earlier on The Prospector. And one thing I did not mention in the review is the great shopping/window shopping. Lots of galleries and trendy shops. You will love Apsen!!

Aspen is a great town to visit. You will never run out of things to do. Wandering the malls is great fun. Tons of wonderful restaurants nearby. Right next door is our favorite – Su Casa. Great Mexican food and margaritas. We ate there twice. Takah Sushi on the mall had the very best crème brulee we have ever had - lemongrass and coconut. The old Jerome Hotel on Main Street is worth a visit.

We take our bikes when we visit Aspen and make use of their great bike paths. There is a bike rental store next door to The Prospector is you are unable to bring your own. The Rio Grande trail follows the Roaring Fork River through town and up on the plateau east of town. You can continue riding that trail to the Woody Creek Tavern, made famous by Hunter S. Thompson. Another path takes you towards Independence Pass. We rode another path to Aspen Highlands ski area. There a shuttle bus took us and our bikes up to the Maroon Bells for $6.00 each. Maroon Bells lake and the mountains behind it are a favored photography spot. There are hiking paths near the lake. We took our bikes up so we could ride down after our picnic lunch – very fast!

We found a great fishing spot at Grizzly Reservoir, which is out Lincoln Creek Road. A four wheel drive vehicle is needed. Didn’t catch anything, but the views were awesome and the drive took us to a unique rocky waterfall. Another more accessible area is called the Grottos. This is on the way to Independence Pass and is well marked. There is a hiking trail that will take you to some beautiful, huge rock formations that the water has carved.

We love Aspen and recommend The Prospector mainly because of its prime location.