Maroon Bells

The Maroon Bells are the reason many people come to Aspen at all. Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak, both above 14,000 feet, rise in banded red-grey layers above Maroon Lake at the end of a valley road about ten miles from town, and on a still morning the lake doubles them in a mirror. The scene has appeared on countless calendars and screens, yet standing at the shore with the aspens, the cold air and the ridgeline overhead is better than any photograph. The scenic area sits at roughly 9,500 feet inside the White River National Forest, so it is an alpine setting with proper mountain weather. There is more here than the postcard. A short, mostly level path follows the north shore of Maroon Lake and is easy for almost everyone, while the trail onward to Crater Lake climbs gently through meadow and forest for about two miles each way and brings you right beneath the peaks. Longer routes lead over high passes toward Crested Butte and Snowmass, though those are serious backcountry days. Autumn, when the aspen groves turn gold, is the most famous time to visit, but early summer wildflowers and snowy winter views from a distance have their own following.

Access is the part to plan. To protect the valley, the road is managed through the season with a shuttle bus system and limited parking, and visits in summer and early autumn generally need a reservation made ahead for the bus or for a parking space. The rules, fees, hours and dates change from year to year, so check the current arrangement on the resort and tourism pages before you go.

Outside the managed season the road behaves differently again, and in deep winter it is closed to cars beyond a point, with snowshoe and ski access for the determined. The reservation-and-shuttle system is really a good thing: it keeps the valley quiet and the lake clean.

Timing shapes the experience. Sunrise and the first hour afterward give the stillest water and the most reliable reflections, and also the thinnest crowds, but you will need to arrange transport early. Midday brings the most visitors, the harshest light and in summer a regular risk of afternoon storms, so hikers heading to Crater Lake should start in the morning and be off exposed ground by lunchtime.

Bring layers, water, sun protection and sturdy shoes, remember that the altitude makes even a short walk feel harder, and treat the wildlife, including marmots and the occasional bear, with the distance it deserves.

Pair the Bells with the rest of the valley. Many people combine the morning at the lake with an afternoon in downtown Aspen, a ride on the gondola, or a drive over Independence Pass. Families with young children do well with the lakeside path and a picnic, photographers should plan the golden-hour light carefully, and anyone attempting the peaks themselves should know that these mountains are loose, steep and famously dangerous for inexperienced climbers. For most visitors, a gentle morning at Maroon Lake is the memory that lasts longest from the whole trip.