Location
Located in Pitkin County, Colorado, Aspen is nestled in the heart of the White River National Forest surrounded by the peaks of the Elk Mountain Range in the central Rocky Mountains, on the western side of the Continental Divide.
History
More than a century ago, silver prospectors braved the wilderness of the upper valley of the Roaring Fork River, entering a favorite summer hunting ground of the Ute Indians to discover one of the richest silver lodes in the world. In a few short years, Aspen became the largest silver-producing district annually in the nation with one-sixth of the U.S. total and one-sixteenth the world total. [1]
Aspen was founded in 1880. By the time the first ski runs were developed in the late 1930s, the town already had a 60-year-old history marked by its surroundings, historic buildings, and character. This establishment and the visionary guidance of community leaders in the 1940s and 1950s made Aspen an enclave for art, science, and culture.
Sister Cities
Aspen Sister Cities’ mission is to share ideas and cultures through the international exchange of students and community members from Aspen and Aspen’s respective sister cities. Aspen’s sister cities include Abetone, Bariloche, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Chamonix-Mont Blanc, Davos, Shimmukappu, and Queenstown, New Zealand.
Access
Aspen is in the southeastern end of the Roaring Fork Valley, 185 miles southwest of Denver and 128 miles southeast of Grand Junction. [2]
Highway 82 is the major roadway leading in and out of Aspen connecting to Interstate I-70 at Glenwood Springs to the north and 12,095-foot Independence Pass to the south.
Another scenic route from Denver is 1-70 West to 91 South, through Leadville, to 24 South, then west onto Highway 82 over Independence Pass. Independence Pass is open from May through October. For weather alerts and closures, visit https://www.cotrip.org/home
Altitude
7,908 feet / 2,422 meters is the City of Aspen’s elevation.
Geography
- Mountains: Aspen is home to seven 14ers (14,000 foot peaks): North Maroon Bells, South Maroon Bells, Pyramid, Capitol, Castle, and Snowmass in the Elk Mountain Range and La Plata, located just over the Independence Pass.
- Rivers: Roaring Fork, Castle Creek, Hunter Creek, Maroon Creek.
Airline Access
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) is the local airport, located only three miles from downtown Aspen.
Aspen is served by United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines which offer non-stop service from Austin (AUS), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Atlanta (ATL), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Austin (AUS), Houston (IAH), Phoenix (PHX), Los Angeles (LAX), San Fransisco (SFO) and Denver (DEN). Visit aspensnowmass.com for a detailed flight map.
Aspen is a 30-minute flight from Denver International Airport (DEN) via United Express, which offers six to 11 daily flights, depending on the season.
On-demand air charter service is also available through Aspen's Fixed Base Operation (FBO), the privately owned component of Aspen’s airport.
A popular air service alternative is Eagle County Airport (EGE) located 68 miles from Aspen.
Ground Transportation
Most hotels, shops, and restaurants are within comfortable walking distance. Taxis, limos, and hotel courtesy vans provide service to and from the Aspen airport, around town, and beyond.
The Roaring Fork Transit Authority (RFTA) provides extensive bus service between Aspen and Snowmass, as well as service to other Roaring Fork Valley communities including Basalt, El Jebel, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, and Rifle. RFTA shuttles depart from the Rubey Park Transit Station, located on Durant Avenue at least twice per hour from 6 a.m. – 2:15 a.m. daily. Service is free around town and as far as Brush Creek Intercept Lot / Snowmass.
We-Cycle is Aspen's bike-sharing program offering free bike and e-bike rides for the first 30 minutes.
The Downtowner is a free, on-demand ride service and an eco-friendly way for locals and visitors to travel around Aspen in an electric vehicle.
Bustang offers daily bus rides from Denver to Glenwood Springs.
Amtrak has a train station in Glenwood Springs.
Size and Population
- The City of Aspen spans 3.66 square miles.
- The year-round population of the City of Aspen is approximately 6,612. [4]
- The population of the upper Roaring Fork Valley and greater Pitkin County is 16,643. [5]
Climate
Characteristic of high altitudes with dry air, low humidity, and intense sunshine, Aspen boasts an average of almost 300 days of sunshine annually. In the spring, temperatures during the day range from 50 degrees to 70 degrees and drop to 40 degrees and below at night.
Summer weather is warm and dry with temperatures occasionally as high as 85 degrees during the day. Brief afternoon showers and thunderstorms are frequent. Evening temperatures may drop below 50 degrees. The last two weeks of September and the first two weeks of October are noted for the intense fall foliage. Temperatures range from 60 to 70 degrees in the daytime, and evening temperatures range from 30 to 40 degrees. [6]
Trails
The City of Aspen manages over 25 miles of hard surface, soft surface, and single-track trails, to be used for walking, hiking, or biking. [7]
Fast Facts
- Restaurants/Bars: Approximately 80
- Shops/Boutiques: Approximately 150
- Grocery/Convenience Stores: 3
Activities
Summer activities in Aspen include hiking, road and mountain biking, rafting, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding/SUP, fly-fishing, horseback riding, golf, tennis, paragliding, and four-wheeling.
Winter activities in Aspen include skiing, snowshoeing, Nordic/cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, ice fishing, paragliding, and ice skating.
Activities for Families
Aspen Recreation Center (ARC), Aspen Historical Society, Day Camps, Ajax Adventure Camp, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) Hallam Lake, Theatre Aspen, Aspen Art Museum, Rio Grande SkatePark, Frisbee golf, on-mountain activities at the top of Aspen accessed via the Silver Queen Gondola.
Smoking Regulations
In 2006, Colorado Governor Bill Owens signed the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act, which bans smoking in public places, including restaurants and bars.
Marijuana
For information on recreational marijuana use in the Aspen area, which was legislated under Colorado Law Amendment 64, please visit here.
Additional Amenities
- Aspen Valley Hospital
- Pharmacies – Carl’s Pharmacy, City Market Pharmacy, Clark’s Pharmacy
- Recreation Centers (public) – Aspen Recreation Center, Red Brick Recreation Center
- Golf course (public): Aspen Golf Course - 18 holes
- Parks: Approximately 30 [8]
- Skating rinks (public): Indoor rinks—Lewis Ice Arena and Aspen Ice Garden; outdoor rink—Silver Circle Ice Rink (seasonal) and Aspen Recreation Center (seasonal)
- Tennis court facilities (public): Numerous around town and Har-Tru courts at Aspen Golf and Tennis Club
- Library: Aspen/Pitkin County Library is in the center of town and includes a children’s library on the lower level
- Fitness facilities (public and private): Aspen Recreation Center (ARC), Maroon Creek Club, 02 Aspen, Ajax Fitness, Aspen Crossfit, CycleBar Aspen, PureBarre Aspen, Aspen Shakti.
- Soccer fields
- Sand volleyball courts
- Alpine gardens
- Outdoor amphitheater
- Open spaces
- Pickleball courts
- Recreational paths
