Aspen and Maroon Bells

Aspen is among Colorado's best-known mountain towns, balancing luxury resort amenities with public lands, four ski areas (Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass), and a cultural program anchored by the Aspen Music Festival, Aspen Ideas Festival, and the Wheeler Opera House. Maroon Bells, less than 10 miles from town, is the most photographed alpine scene in Colorado — twin 14,000-foot peaks reflected in Maroon Lake. Aspen also offers extensive summer activities including hiking (the Four Pass Loop and Cathedral Lake trails), road biking on Independence Pass, and fishing on the Roaring Fork River. The town's historic West End preserves Victorian and Queen Anne homes from its silver-mining origins.