Aspen Center for Environmental Studies

Family Friendly Outdoor Aspen

The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) has four locations situated in the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan Valleys dedicated to promoting an awareness of our relationship to the environment. They offer community garden space at their Hallam Lake and Rock Bottom Ranch locations during the summer. And during the winter, their winter naturalists provide a window into mountain ecology by guiding visitors on snowshoe tours on Snowmass Mountain, Aspen Mountain, and at Ashcroft. ACES also offers school programs to cultivate an understanding and love for the natural world in the younger set. Also, they invite guest speakers to give informative and educational talks, known as Naturalist Nights, on topics ranging from hydrology, forest health, birds, land ethics, and beavers. The Aspen area has a lot to offer, and so does ACES in terms of interpreting and connecting with all the natural splendor of this spectacular place. 

Aspen Club & Spa

Massage Outdoor Aspen

The Aspen Club & Spa offers the largest health club in Aspen along with daily classes, a mind/body studio, indoor lap pool, tennis and racquetball courts, and a boxing room. The Aspen Club & Spa also offers spa services such as massages, facials, and a full salon.  The Aspen Club Sports Medicine Institute is home to physical therapy and an Aspen chiropractor.  The Aspen Club & Spa offers memberships along with day passes.

Aspen Saturday Farmers Market

Family Friendly Outdoor Aspen Central Core

Founded in 1998, the Aspen Saturday Marketing (also known as the Aspen Farmers Market) is in downtown Aspen every Saturday from June to October. Join locals for a Saturday tradition of strolling through the market and stopping along the way to shop. Stands at the market sell Colorado-grown organic fruits and veggies, artwork, wine, cheese, honey, preserves, flowers, baked goods, jewelry, clothing, gifts, home decor, and more. The Aspen Saturday Marketing is family friendly with live music and a food court. 

June 20th through October 3rd.

Image: Aspen Chamber

Aspen Snowmass Ski & Snowboard School

Family Friendly Outdoor Aspen Aspen Highlands Buttermilk / Tiehack Snowmass Village

When you and the family hit the slopes in Aspen Snowmass, you want to have an memorable experience. Taking a ski or snowboard lesson from one of the highly skilled Pros at the Aspen Snowmass Ski & Snowboard School is a sure way towards that extraordinary experience. During a lesson, Pros work closely with you, giving you personalized tips, so that you build confidence and gain new skills.

The Aspen Snowmass Ski & Snowboard School offers lessons for skiers and riders from age 2 and up. Choose a private lesson, an adult group lesson, or a kids and teens group lesson.

Private Ski or Snowboard Lessons
A private ski or snowboard lesson is the best way to have fun on the hill, while also becoming a better skier or rider. When you sign up for a private lesson, you decide how you want your day to go. Want to ski with the entire family, while your Pro supplies each member with personalized tips? With a private ski or snowboard lesson, you have that choice.

Adult Group Lessons
A surefire way to boost confidence is to take an adult group lesson with an Aspen Snowmass Pro. Adult group lessons for skiers and riders are offered at all levels, so whether you are getting on skis for the first time or the thousandth time, you can rest assured that you will be in a group that meets your skill level and needs.

Kids & Teens Group Lessons
The Aspen Snowmass Ski & Snowboard School provides skiers and riders as young as 2 and as old as 17 with the opportunity to explore the fun and varied terrain available in Aspen Snowmass. Like adult group lessons, your child is placed in a group where they are comfortable, yet challenged, while still having a blast in the mountains.

Bonnie’s

Family Friendly Outdoor Aspen

A charming European-style mountain lodge located mid-mountain on Ajax, Bonnie's is a great place to enjoy a delicious and hearty breakfast and lunch. Also popular for their dessert selection, many guests drop by Bonnie's to enjoy a slice of their famous strudel, or to warm up with a steaming cup of coffee between runs. Though the views from inside Bonnie's are spectacular, on a warm and sunny day, the deck that wraps around the exterior of Bonnie's is perfect for sipping on a drink, while gazing out at the mountain and skiers ripping down the slopes. Making a visit to Bonnie's while skiing on Aspen Mountain is a quintessential Aspen experience.

Camp Aspen Snowmass

Child Care Family Friendly Outdoor Aspen

Camp Aspen Snowmass is a kids' summer camp that offers a wide range of outdoor activities. As Camp Aspen Snowmass is located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, the summer camp is able to offer a number of unique activities, including nature walks, mountain biking, mountainboarding, rafting, fishing, and camping. In addition, kids attending Camp Aspen Snowmass can build rockets, play tennis, enjoy arts and crafts time, and play a game of paintball. Camp Aspen Snowmass is available to children between the ages of 3 to kids in their teenage years. If your child is looking for the summer camp experience while on vacation in Aspen and Snowmass, then look no further than Camp Aspen Snowmass.

Four Mountain Sports

Outdoor Ski Rental Aspen Aspen Highlands Buttermilk / Tiehack Central Core Snowmass Village Base Village Slopeside Mall Two Creeks

For bike rentals, ski and snowboard equipment rentals, outdoor apparel, and Aspen Snowmass gear, visit local retailer Four Mountain Sports. This outdoor gear company rents and sells high quality equipment for all kinds of activities. Plus, Four Mountain Sports has nine locations throughout Aspen and Snowmass, so no matter where you happen to be, you most likely will be able to find a shop. During your next vacation in Aspen and Snowmass, check out Four Mountain Sports for gear to get you going on your mountain adventures.

• ASPEN • 520 E Durant Ave., Aspen • 970-920-2337
• W HOTEL • 550 South Spring Street, Aspen • 970-431-0213
• SNOWMASS VILLAGE MALL • 45 Village Square, Snowmass Village • 970-923-2337
• BASE VILLAGE AT SNOWMASS • 61 Wood Rd., Snowmass Village • 970-923-0430
• ELK CAMP • Top of Elk Camp Gondola at Snowmass • 970-922-2957
• TWO CREEKS • 31 Burnt Mountain Circle, Snowmass Village • 970-923-8740
• VICEROY • 130 Wood Rd., Snowmass Village • 970-923-8000
• ASPEN HIGHLANDS • 0076 Boomerang Road, Aspen • 970-544-3013
• BUTTERMILK • 38700 Highway 82 Aspen • 970-920-0980 (Rental)

Golden Leaf Half Marathon

Outdoor Aspen

The Golden Leaf Half Marathon is a popular backcountry foot race between Snowmass and Aspen, starting in Snowmss Village. Since the half marathon is held when the aspen leaves normally turn from green to gold, the race brings partcipants through beautiful  stands of golden aspen trees. In years past, the race start has been located at Fanny Hill on Snowmass Mountain, and the race finish has been located at Koch Park. Both of these places are great for cheering on the race partcipants. If participating in the backcountry run sounds more fun, the Golden Leaf Half Marathon is certain to be a challenging, fun, and rewarding experience. See the event website or visit the Facebook page for more information.

Owl Creek Chase

Outdoor Aspen Snowmass Village Owl Creek

The Owl Creek Chase is a cross-country ski race in Snowmass Village, CO. The first race took place in 1985. The race starts at the Snowmass Cross Country Center and ends at the Aspen Cross Country Center. The Owl Creek Chase course is 21 kilometers of fun skiing and beautiful views.

Owl Creek Chase offers a classic race and a skate race, with prize money awarded for the classic race.

If you don’t want to race, you can sign up for the Owl Creek Chase Tour. It’s the same course, but without the competitive element. You get to enjoy all of the race amenities, like aid stations and a free shuttle from Aspen to Snowmass after the race.

Smuggler Mine Tour & Dinner

Outdoor Aspen

Come check out one of Aspen’s most unique dinner experiences with Elk Mountain Expeditions! The Smuggler Mine happens to host one of the best sunset views in the entire Roaring Fork Valley. Enjoy a tour of this piece of Aspen’s iconic mining history followed by a sunset barbecue dinner on the Smuggler Terrace. The Smuggler Mine is the oldest operating silver mine in Aspen.

Experience a piece of Aspen’s past on a tour of Smuggler Mine. During these tours, you travel deep into the mine as guides share fascinating stories about life as a silver miner in the late 1800s. Book a Smuggler Mine tour, and get to know another side of Aspen.

Image: Wikipedia

Visit the Maroon Bells

Outdoor Aspen Maroon Creek

Your Aspen Snowmass vacation isn’t complete unless you visit the Maroon Bells. The Maroon Bells are two 14,000 foot peaks located about 8 miles outside of downtown Aspen, CO. And, they’re the most photographed mountains in North America!

How to Get There

• Maroon Bells Bus ― Take the Maroon Bells Bus Tour with the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA). During the drive to Maroon Lake, the bus driver points out marmots sunning themselves on rocks, avalanche chutes, and other interesting sights.
• Guided Bike Trip ― Another way to experience the Maroon Bells area is by guided bike trip. You get to tour the Maroon Bells, and then coast (literally) all the way back into Aspen.
• Snowmobile Tour ― Visit the Maroon Bells in winter by taking a snowmobile tour. With the road closed to vehicular traffic in the winter, snowmobiling is the quickest way to get to Maroon Lake!

3 Fun Things to Do When You’re There

• 1.  Walk around Maroon Lake.
• 2.  Learn more about the area on a hike to Crater Lake with a naturalist guide from the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES).
• 3.  Have a picnic!

Winter X Games Aspen

Nightlife Outdoor Aspen Buttermilk / Tiehack

Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado is the main stage of the Winter X Games. The mountain has hosted the action sports competition for over a decade now.

Held in late January, X Games Aspen attracts huge crowds to Aspen Snowmass. And in the past few years, the annual event has grown to include a festival village and musical performances. Past artists include Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Skrillex, Chromeo, Tiësto, Phoenix, Axwell, and Matt & Kim.

X Games Aspen offers free admission to all of its sporting events. And that means, anyone can watch 200+ talented athletes compete at their highest caliber, day and night.

X Games Aspen has welcomed the athletes listed below to compete for medals and purses.

• Jamie Anderson
• Gretchen Bleiler ― Snowmass local
• Bobby Brown
• Kelly Clark
• Simon Dumont
• Heath Frisby
• Arielle Gold
• Tucker Hibbert
• Gus Kenworthy
• Levi LaVallee
• Colten Moore
• Iouri Podladtchikov
• Mike Schultz
• Shaun White
• Torin Yater-Wallace ― Aspen local

Get pumped for this year’s Winter X Games Aspen. Learn more about the event by visiting the X Games Aspen site.

The Winter X Games Aspen is a popular event, and often leads to sold-out accommodations. The sooner you reserve an Aspen or Snowmass vacation rental, the better.

Have questions about the right Aspen Snowmass vacation rental for you?

Give us a call ― 1-866-209-1540, or send us an email. We'd be delighted to review our rental inventory with you.