maroon snowmass trailhead

White River National Forest – Maroon-Snowmass Trail #1975 to Snowmass Lake (Hiking) It skirts the opening and rises on switchbacks into thick timber, undulating to consecutive splits for Geneva Lake (8.28 and 8.38 miles). Follow signs in each case to Snowmass Lake (8.5 miles : 10,980’). Before arriving at the lake, we should expect a narrow water crossing near a beaver pond. On the hike, when the weather is wonderfully warm and sunny, it is NOT unusual to see sheep grazing in a meadow, as the trail passes close to where they are. The trailheads can be accessed by either Maroon Lake near Aspen or off Divide Road near Snowmass Village, CO. Distances: Comments. The trailhead for the Four Pass Loop will be the Maroon Snowmass Trailhead. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until September. Call 970.925.3445 with specific questions about seasonal road access and shuttle schedules: Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness | Aspen Ranger District 806 West Hallam Aspen, CO 81611 970.925.3445, Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness | Sopris Ranger District 620 Main Street Carbondale, CO 81623 970.963.2266, White River National Forest 900 Grand Ave. P.O. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Maroon-Snowmass Trail is a difficult trail you can hike, run, and horseback ride that is dog friendly. Campfires are otherwise permitted in the Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness, with potential seasonal restrictions. Flora & Fauna Please be bear aware. The Maroon Lake - Maroon Snowmass Trailhead is located 9.2 miles west of Highway 82 on Maroon Creek Road. Use the self-pay station just past the Welcome Station if no attendant is on duty. Pick your way through talus to a crest and drop to the Maroon Snowmass – West Maroon Creek Trail split (1.7 miles : 10,110’). After passing a noisy, metal gate, indicating that I was on private property, I began ascending a steep section Maroon Lake (9,585 ft) to Crater Lake (10,076 ft) – 1.8 Miles The shuttle runs Friday-Sunday as described above. Access by car is limited in the summer from 7am - 9am, and 5pm - 7pm. Plan your day at Snowmass with our interactive trail maps, with ski trails, terrain parks and other features noted. Connects: Four Pass Loop, Three Pass Loop, Maroon Lake (9,585 ft), Maroon Bells Scenic Trail, West Maroon Portal Trail, Crater Lake Trail, Crater Lake (10,076 ft), West Maroon Trail, Minnehaha Gulch, Willow Lake Trail, Buckskin Pass (12,462 ft), Snowmass Lake (10,980 ft), West Snowmass Trail, Geneva Lake Trail, Maroon-Snowmass Trail in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Aspen, Snowmass, CO – Hard – 17 Miles – Hike, Run, Horseback Ride, Dog Friendly – Dirt. A high clearance vehicle is recommended. Contact the Aspen Ranger District (970.925.3445) for the latest weather, trail conditions and trail-specific guidelines when planning your trip. Among other mountain mammals, bears frequent the area. Campfires are not permitted above or within .25 miles (440 yards) of treeline, or within 100' of any trail, lake or stream. For all other overnight trips to the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness registration is required at the trailhead. From Aspen to WMP it's 6.5 miles with the first 5 miles being up/down, up/down with plenty of rocks on the trail and sometimes all rocks. During this high-altitude hike Find a park. Follow Maroon Creek Road to all designated parking lots. As you start to walk along Maroon Lake you’ll quickly be greeted with signage directing you towards Crater Lake (the base of the Bells). The Maroon Bells-Snowmass wilderness area encompasses a significant part of the Elk Range of west-central Colorado.Spanning parts of the White River and Gunnison National Forests, and occupying parts of two counties (Pitkin and Gunnison), this wilderness was one of five such areas in Colorado designated in the original Wilderness Act of 1964. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You can contact ProTrails directly through our Facebook or Instagram accounts. To the right of the Lake, the Maroon Snowmass Trail traverses through a meadow to a Forest Service bulletin board at the far end of the lake. Maroon-Snowmass Trailhead: 8,420 ft. Depart from Maroon Snowmass trailhead which follows the Snowmass Creek up a mountain valley to Snowmass Lake. Note camping is not permitted in these meadows. Scan nearby ridges for mountain goat, which are common in this area. This is a 17 mile dirt trail in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness that travels over Buckskin Pass and is used as a connection on the Four Pass Loop. This is a 17 mile dirt trail in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness that travels over Buckskin Pass and is used as a connection on the Four Pass Loop. Start at the Maroon Lake Trailhead. Water will be accessible along the entire route. The trail crosses a rocky stream channel (2.95 miles : 11,030’) to a meadow, then funnels up a shallow gulch that opens over treeline (3.45 miles : 11,480). Tell us when your experience with this trail happened. The trail from CB to the West Maroon Pass is only 4.5 miles and is a gradual climb with few rocks on the trail. Snowmass Lake is now visible with a bird’s eye view of the long route leading to it. Camping is not permitted in the alpine meadows on either side of Buckskin Pass. Maroon-Snowmass Trailhead is at the end of the road. Enjoy great morning light on the Bells and Sleeping Sexton on this rapid and rugged climb. It rises away into thick aspens that break across an open rock field on the valley floor (1.2 miles : 10,070’). A high clearance vehicle is recommended. Bears are active on the Maroon Snowmass Trail corridor. The Maroon-Snowmass Trailhead is at the end of the road. Box 948 Glenwood Springs CO 81602 970.945.2521 | 970.319.2670. NARRATIVE: From the parking area the trail climbs into the aspen trees behind the information board. Call 970.925.3445 with specific questions about seasonal road access and shuttle schedules: Camping is not permitted in the alpine meadows on either side of Buckskin Pass. There's a $10 fee to access the Maroon Lake - Maroon Snowmass Trailhead by car. Use 1 or all 4 drop downs to customize your search for the right trail. Dispersed backcountry camping is permitted in the, Camping is prohibited within 100' of any trail, lake or stream. From here the trail drops down to Crater Lake. This area is renowned for wildflower displays in the month of July. The trail climbs on the east side of Snowmass Creek for about 6 miles. White River National Forest – Four Pass Loop – West Maroon to Buckskin (Hiking), By using this site you agree to the terms of our. This travel corridor sees heavy traffic so expect crowds, honor campfire restrictions and reduce impact by staying on trails, using established sites and leaving no trace of your visit: The trail begins on the north side of Maroon Lake to the Scenic Loop split (.3 miles). Hikers simply remain on the Maroon Snowmass Trail which stays close to Snowmass Creek nearly the entire duration to Snowmass Lake. The Maroon Lake - Maroon Snowmass Trailhead is located 9.2 miles west of Highway 82 on Maroon Creek Road. It lies at treeline in a massive cirque framed by Snowmass Peak (13,619’), Hagerman Peak (13,841’) and Snowmass Mountain (14,092’). Login or register to post comments Start the hike from the Maroon Snowmass Trailhead and continue 8.5 miles to Snowmass Lake. Backpackers seeking privacy should consider backtracking, or continuing north on the Maroon Snowmass Trail to nice sites just below the basin. We will arrive back at the trailhead in Use the drop downs to find the perfect park. Resting at just about 11,000 ft, this sapphire lake reflects the surrounding peaks of Snowmass Peak (13,619 ft), Hagerman Peak (13,841 ft), and Snowmass Mountain (14,092 ft). Snowmass Lake is accessible from either end of the 16.8-mile Maroon Snowmass Trail; the following description begins at Maroon Lake and scales Buckskin Pass (12,462’), the more popular and arguably most scenic route. This is a lovely hike from the Buttermilk ski area through woods and over hills, ending in Snowmass. Store food securely. From there we continue south toward Snowmass Lake to set up camp for night 1. Maroon Lake to Buckskin Pass (12,462 ft)/Willow Pass (12,570 ft) Split – 3.4 Miles Turn right and take the Maroon-Snowmass Trail North west over Buckskin Pass (12,462 feet). The $10 access fee still applies. Trail Map From the trailhead, you’ll immediately start to gain elevation as you hike through the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness accompanied by the sound of a rushing creek flowing from Cathedral Lake. Dogs must be leashed at all times in the Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness. The Maroon Bells Scenic Area, which lies outside of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, provides access to some of the popular Wilderness trailheads. From Maroon-Snowmass Trailhead Clark Peak – 13,580 RT Length: 25.36 Miles Elevation Gain: 6619’ This was my second attempt of Clark Peak. The east side is ringed by patchy forest and easier to explore. The trailhead for both East Snowmass and the Maroon – Snowmass trails is located at the end of Snowmass Creek Road, County Road 11. Trip Reports The shuttle operates everyday from mid-June to Labor Day. Day 8: On our longest day for hiking (nine miles), we will follow East Snowmass Trail back to the Maroon Snowmass Trailhead. Snowmass, CO – Lake Snowmass Lake (10,980 ft) is an alpine lake in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness accessed at the junction of the Maroon-Snowmass Trail and Geneva Lake Trail, below Trail Rider Pass. Trail Photos 9,580' - 10,980' (12,462' max elevation on Buckskin Pass), +1,400' net elevation gain (+4,785' total roundtrip elevation gain), N39 05.911 W106 56.452 — 0.0 miles : Maroon Lake - Maroon Snowmass Trailhead, N39 05.886 W106 56.761 — 0.3 miles : Split for Maroon Lake Scenic Loop, N39 05.576 W106 57.373 — 1.0 miles : Trail rises up north side of West Maroon Creek, N39 05.327 W106 57.962 — 1.7 miles : Crater Lake - Maroon Snowmass Trail split, N39 05.261 W106 58.423 — 2.3 miles : Steep, winding climb up Minnehaha Gulch, N39 05.614 W106 58.697 — 2.95 miles : Cross left over rocky stream channel, N39 05.690 W106 58.894 — 3.2 miles : Steep climb over treeline into meadows, N39 06.016 W106 59.098 — 3.8 miles : Buckskin Pass - Willow Lake Trail split, N39 06.109 W106 59.554 — 4.6 miles : Buckskin Pass | Begin descent to lake, N39 06.176 W106 59.683 — 5.1 miles : Winding descent through alpine meadows, N39 06.333 W107 00.154 — 5.8 miles : Approach treeline, N39 06.584 W107 00.500 — 6.3 miles : Transition into high subalpine forest, N39 06.417 W107 00.597 — 6.8 miles : Travel moderates in thick forest, N39 06.533 W107 00.914 — 7.25 miles : Cross bridge (left) over Snowmass Creek, N39 06.711 W107 01.219 — 7.75 miles : Undulating travel toward lake basin, N39 07.033 W107 01.584 — 8.28 miles : First split for Snowmass Lake, N39 07.000 W107 01.700 — 8.38 miles : Snowmass Lake - Geneva Lake Trail split, N39 07.024 W107 01.832 — 8.5 miles : Snowmass Lake (10,980'). 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