Stay + Play: Snowmass and Aspen, CO
TAMARA SUSA, COURTESY OF SNOWMASS TOURISM
Never has a road trip seemed more appealing than the year of 2020. While being fully mindful of COVID precautions, a visit to one slice of Colorado may be just what you need to unwind this fall. As neighboring mountain oases, Snowmass and Aspen are probably two of the most ideal destinations you can choose to visit this season for plenty of fresh air and adventure.
Many restaurants in both locations were open for distanced outdoor and indoor dining at the time of publication (see sidebar for our favorites) and hopefully will be through the fall months, and you can get even more space out on all the hiking, trail running and mountain biking trails that wind throughout the whole valley.
This past January, the Roaring Fork Valley was designated as the first IMBA Gold-Level Ride Center in Colorado by the International Mountain Biking Association. More than 300 miles of high quality single-track is available from Aspen and Snowmass to Basalt, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs.
Be sure to spend some time on the Snowmass Bike Park. An expansion this summer brought the park to over 25 miles of bike terrain across 14 trails, containing a mix of beginner to expert flow and hybrid trails — definitely ride French Press at least once.
Hikers and trail runners will love the Tom Blake Trail, which starts just a short drive from Snowmass Village and offers loads of choose-your-own-distance options. Yogis can get excited too, as longtime local teacher Aaron King is opening a new yoga studio in the Snowmass Base Village. Visit kingyoga.net for more information and class schedules.
For art lovers, a self-guided tour around Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a nice post-lunch or pre-dinner outdoor activity. While many events have been canceled or postponed this year, in mid-September the Snowmass Balloon Festival celebrates its 45th anniversary and guests will be able to watch the balloons from afar.
Many joys await whenever you visit Aspen; fall is an especially nice time, because the air is crisp and fewer visitors are in town. Visit the stunning Maroon Bells or drive up Independence Pass before the roads close for winter.
Hikers will enjoy Ute Trail for something steep with views as a reward, and mountain bikers can relish in miles of single-track that hug Smuggler Mountain.
Try not to leave town without a visit to the Aspen Art Museum. Designed by Shigeru Ban, who was the recipient of the 2014 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the contemporary museum has six galleries with rotating exhibits and offers free admission.
As always with both Snowmass and Aspen, it’s easy to visit, but it’s hard to leave. Soak it all in before the snow falls, and then you’ll just have to go back for winter fun.
Keep your space and still experience the best access to Aspen at The Gant, situated in a tucked away corner of town. It’s just two-and-a-half blocks from the center of it all, but guests still have the privacy and conveniences of home while staying in a luxury condominium. Parking, pool and hot tub access are all included in your say, with access to tennis courts available as well, along with service from the complimentary Gant car to take you wherever you need to go in town. Access many trails on bike or on foot without ever having to move your car, and try Pepperjack’s Café for breakfast or aprés-adventure cocktail.
THE GANT
WHERE TO GRAB-AND-GO
SNOWMASS
• Fuel Cafe
• Open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• 45 Village Run Circle, Snowmass Village
• 970.923.0091
ASPEN
• Local Coffee House
• Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• 614 East Cooper Avenue, Aspen
• 970.710.7855
WHERE TO STAY
SNOWMASS
• Crestwood Condominiums
• 400 Wood Road, Snowmass Village
• 970.923.2450
Settle into a fully-furnished condominium at The Crestwood, located just steps from Snowmass Mountain as well as Snowmass Base Village. Parking is included in your stay, along with access to three hot tubs and an outdoor heated pool.
ASPEN
• The Gant
• 610 S West End St, Aspen
• 800.549.0530
Enjoy all the privacy and conveniences of home in a luxury condominium. Parking, pool and hot tub access are all included.
Originally published in the Fall 2020 issue of SPOKE+BLOSSOM