Such a beautiful place to take a walk in nature. There are huge boulders with the lyrics of John…read moreDenver's songs etched into them, water features, paths, flowers, stepping stones...heaven. This is an incredible tribute to everything John Denver stood for and his love for Colorado. If you are ever in Aspen, don't miss this opportunity to enjoy a free place to gather your thoughts and breathe in the Colorado air. A great place to "nature cleanse" at any time of year.

What a cool tribute to John Denver! The garden is beautiful and free!! We were there during…read moreoffseason so I can only imagine what it looks like in the summer. It's a nice walk around, right in the town of Aspen. Kid friendly dog friendly but not wheelchair accessible, it was a rocky path with some stones crossing little streams. If you're in Aspen you should definitely check it out !

Welp it's a long drive for just a day hike....but…read more.. If you want to backpack for a night or two it is an amazing place to explore. Fantastic hike to the lake: Roughly 2.8 miles with about 2000 feet of elevation gain. Lovely vistas and streams the whole way. Wildflowers abound aplenty all along the trail if you hit it right. Great campsites ( please pack out everything and no wood fires). Great hike to Electric Pass with slight exposure. Dogs are allowed on the trail. Smallish parking lot Last mile is on bad road and a small car might have problems....just saying

Such a gorgeous hike that's worth it 100%! Still snowy and having spikes and poles would make it…read moreeasier and not as sketchy, but we did see people in sneakers making it. Amazing views of cathedral peak and other mountains. At the lake there were backpackers that camped out over night to hike cathedral peak. Definitely a climb only for experienced people especially with all the snow. The parking lot is small and up a dirt road that low clearance cars can reach. The path is hard to find in the snow at the top but we just followed footprints and the sound of the water. There is no service on the road and ok the hike. Highly recommend this hike, especially when the lake isn't iced over.

As I continued on my goal of hiking once a week in Aspen, I saw friends posting pictures of…read moreAmerican Lake. I absolutely loved hiking to Cathedral Lake a few weeks ago, and this trail is just two miles before Cathedral Lake. However, I could not find anyone else interested in this hike so I decided to go by myself. This was one of the clearest trails I have hiked all summer, and I felt 100% safe hiking this one by myself. If you are a first-time solo hiker, this is a great one. This hike seems like it will start out easy, as you jump a stream and cross a meadow. However, you almost immediately get to 45 minutes of switchbacks. The switchbacks were steep enough, and the Aspens do not provide complete coverage from the sun. While I did not need to take a break, it was a very intense way to start a hike. Once you get through the switchbacks, the hike flattens out quite a bit with just a few more hills. The remainder of the hike is mostly shady, which also meant that starting at 10:25 AM was just fine. You hike through many more pine trees and a few meadows. When you come up on the lake, it is just beautiful. There are some trails around the lake, but you should also look for fish in the lake because it is very clear! The hike down is very easy and fast as well because there are very few rocks on this hike. I am usually slower down than up, and I sped down this mountain. I started this hike at 10:25 AM, reached the lake at 12:00 PM, and I was back to my car at 1:40 PM, after spending a little over a half hour at the lake. My biggest issue with this hike is that there are flies EVERYWHERE. Having a fly by your ear for 3.2 miles each way is rough. People also do not pick up after their dogs, and there is dog poop everywhere. So while the actual lake is gorgeous, I found the journey up to Cathedral Lake much more fun and enjoyable. This hike is worth doing if you have the time, but it wouldn't be on my top 5 list in Aspen either.

One of my favorite Aspen hikes! A great workout with a rewarding beautiful lake at the top! Dog…read morefriendly and lots of shade.

If your legs are tired from hiking up mountains or difficult trails and you need a rest day,…read morecheckout the Rio Grande Trail. This is a nearly flat paved path that starts in downtown Aspen and goes for miles! We walked here on a Saturday morning and didn't find the trail overly busy or crowded. There were walkers, runners, and some bikes, but not too much. We had a nice peaceful low key walk. The trail also connects to the Hunter Creek Trail (see my review for more details) and various other trails that we did not have time to explore. There are doggie waste bag stations and trash cans in regular distance and there are public restrooms at the beginning of the trail near downtown Aspen. This is the perfect place for an easy day, hiking or riding bikes with small children, or people with physical limitations that make uneven hiking trails less than ideal. I truly enjoyed my morning on the trail!

Great terminus at Rio Grande Park. If you're downtown and need a break with a little open space,…read morethe park is a fresh, open-air oasis. The facilities are well kept and clean.

This is the perfect beginner trail to go on if you want to feel like you are hiking but without a…read moresteep elevation. To get to the trail, take the Hunter Creek bus from Rubey Park to the stop called "Hunter Creek." The trailhead is almost directly across from the bus stop. The trail opens with many bridges and natural water features, and it is maintained very well. There are no really steep parts, just moderate inclines and declines. You don't need to worry about getting lost on this one! There are some mild rocks that make you feel like you are doing more than you really are. This trail is exceptionally picturesque. As I was sick and a thunderstorm hit while we were hiking this trail, we only went about halfway around the loop. However, this would be a fun and easy one to do with a few hours.

Pretty hike right in the heart of Aspen! Pretty bridges. Different options depending on the length…read moreand difficulty of the hike desired. Pretty steep (for my sea level lungs), but a good hike - good exercise, quite pretty, and nice views of Aspen!

We usually come to Aspen a couple of times a year to bike the 40 mile Rio Grand Trail. This year my…read morehusband suggested a quick hike up the .9 mile Ute mountain trail to get us warmed up. I heard ".9 miles" and was in! Boy was my sea level (Florida), 58 year old, moderately-in-good shape body in for an surprise. The many switchbacks to the Overlook are arduous and unrelentingly vertical. I think my Fitbit registered something like 130 stairs climbed once we made it to the top. It was eye opening to watch the Aspen natives speed past me (some literally running) as I stopped frequently to gasp for air. Clearly my fitness routine is sub-par, although I can always blame the altitude if I want a good scapegoat! That being said, everyone was friendly, helpful and encouraging. I love Coloradans. We made it to the overlook with stunning views and a working swing. The views are worth the work as we gazed on the town below and surrounding scenery from our rocky perch. The way down requires concentration and lots of knee-power to navigate the rocks, gravel and tree roots. I saw a number of people lose their footing and take a tumble. On the other hand some of the natives were literally running down the mountain with ease. Everything is relative! I would do this again in a heartbeat, although I'm going to step up my aerobic routine to prepare!

I hiked Ute Trail back in September, and wow what a hike! While it was very strenuous (especially…read morefor someone like me from flat Nebraska), the views along the way were well worth it. I'd consider myself an active person, but this seemingly never-ending trail sure kicked my butt! However, my friend who is new to hiking was able to complete it (even though it was really tough on her!), so I wouldn't completely rule it out if you're not a regular hiker. We took the trail all the way up to the Sundeck where the food was mediocre, but the hike was rewarding in itself. The great news is that there's a gondola that can take you back down the mountain, and let me tell you, there is nothing better than sitting in a gondola facing a gorgeous view and letting your exhausted legs rest from the long hike. If you ever get the chance to hike here, I would recommend going in the Fall when the leaves change color!

Amazing experience!!…read more We booked the white water rafting tour. Our tour guide was highly experienced and led the group very well. We had so much fun and felt very safe with our tour guide. I wish I remembered her name, but she stated that she had worked for Blazing for decades. Her husband was the second drive on the tour and he was also great. Both very knowledgeable and made the experience unforgettable. If you are in Aspen, book a tour with Blazing Adventures!

I had such a great experience with Blazing Adventures from the moment I called them to book our…read morerafting trip. Jessica was so nice, helpful, and accomodating. She followed up with us on a few questions we had and was in communication throughout about water levels and our safety. I also spoke with Adam, who was also very nice and helpful. For our rafting trip, Mitch, our guide, and John, our driver, were beyond amazing from the very beginning. Our safety (and COVID-19 protocols) were the number one priority for the duration of our trip. Mitch was so fun and knowledgeable about the local geography, geology, lore, and wildlife. He was wonderful with our curious and adventurous six-year-old son! John was super! He wanted to make sure we were all comfortable and taken care of the whole trip. I would recommend this trip company for anyone looking for adventure in the area!

The John Denver Sanctuary and the surrounding Park area are must for a 1st time visitor to Aspen…read morewhether you are a fan of John or not. if you are a fan, many of his songs are enshrined on large stones. (See my photos.) It is such a beautiful, soothing, relaxing area, with trails, and running brooks, and streams. Great place to meditate. Locals also walk their dogs and hike/run through this area daily. It just takes an hour to explore and is a break from the business district a few blocks away. We parked in front of the stores in the business area and walked it over. Make sure to put enough money in the meter--Aspen is agressive on issuing parking tickets. There are other trails that connect to here you can hike of you have more time than we did. Check it out!

Peaceful, nice stroll with beautiful surrounding views. If your a Denver can, it's a must while in…read moreAspen. Allow time to stroll along the water which offers many trails

The best time riding ever! Cannot wait to do it again…read more The guide, Dressler, was fantastic. Our horses were super sweet. The weather was perfect. Thank you so very much.

Google is mistaken, this outfitting company is DEFINITELY open for business! I took my family…read morehorseback riding this week and Tracy, the owner and our guide couldn't have given us a more perfect, authentic Colorado experience. He was very personable, the horses were so sweet and well behaved and we had the best time. Highly highly recommend!!