Although Aspen is known for its amazing snow and world-class skiing in the winter, there are a number of activities and pursuits to enjoy off the mountain.
Snowshoeing. Longing for warm sunny days with no snow and endless hours of hiking? No need to sit around and pout! Strap on some snowshoes, Aspen is a hiker’s delight year round. Favorite trails include Maroon Creek Road, Aschroft, Hunter Creek and on top of Aspen and Snowmass Mountain with Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES).
Ice skating. Interested in ice skating? Aspen has both indoor and outdoor options from the Aspen Ice Garden to the Aspen Recreation Center and Silver Circle Rink located right in downtown Aspen.
Fat Biking. Aspen is the epicenter for biking experience and culture year-round with trails and events for everyone. Fat biking in general has seen a huge growth in popularity over the winter seasons. Visitors can rent fat bikes from various local shops in town including Replay Sports, Stapleton and Ute City Cycles. The Limelight Hotel offers Fat Bikes for their guests free during their stay. Riders in Aspen cycle on trails and roads that are snowy or snow packed, popular routes in Aspen include summer favorite road and mountain bike trails such as Rio Grande Trail (easy), Hunter Creek Trail (moderate), Maroon Bells (moderate-hard) and Smuggler Mountain for a more intense workout.
Find your inner artist. If your little ones need a break from the hill, Anderson Ranch Arts Center offers a variety of children’s winter programs taught by professional art teachers. While they are busy in their class, stroll through Aspen and check out the art galleries that punctuate the downtown streets, or check out the new Aspen art Museum and take a break for lunch on the rooftop at So Café.
Fly-fishing. Cast a line on the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan Rivers, fly-fishing is one sport you can enjoy year round in Aspen! Looking for some tips? Local outfitting services are available to get guests going with gear, give the inside scoop or even take fishers out for a guided tour.