Aspen, Colorado. Despite the virtually limitless recreation opportunities in the surrounding mountains, there's not all that much to do in Aspen itself

Aspen, Colorado
Despite the virtually limitless recreation opportunities in the surrounding mountains, there's not all that much
to do in Aspen itself

Despite the virtually limitless recreation opportunities in the surrounding mountains, there's not all that much to do in Aspen itself. Even so, sitting around the town's leafy for pedestrian streets, watching the world go by, or browsing in the chichi stores and galleries is a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. In summer, the Aspen Historical Society Museum, 620 W Bleeker St (phone 970/925-3721), offers walking tours of Aspen and nearby ghost towns. The Aspen Art Museum at 590 N Mill St (phone 970/925-8050) holds changing exhibits, lectures and special events; Aspen Center for Environmental Studies , 100 S Puppy Smith St (phone 970/925-5756), is a wildlife sanctuary, which gives guided nature tours of some of the taller peaks in the Elk Mountain Range.

Aspen's four mountains are run by the Aspen Ski Co (phone 970/925-1220 or 1-800/525-6200, ); call 1/888-ASPENSNO for conditions. The mogul-packed monster of Aspen Mountain , looming over downtown, is for experienced skiers only; Buttermilk is great for beginners, with an excellent ski school that offers a three-day guaranteed "Learn to Snowboard" program; the wide-open runs of Snowmass , though mostly for intermediate skiers, feature some testing routes. Aspen Highlands has some new high-speed lifts and offers excellent extreme skiing terrain. Daily lift tickets for all mountains cost $45 (up to 27 years) or $65 (27 years and older). Rental of skis, boots and poles usually costs around $18 a day - you can also rent snowshoes in which to trek up and down the mountains. However, the town's best value has to be its fifty miles of groomed Nordic ski trails - one of the most extensive free cross-country trail networks in the US.

Cycling is the main summer pursuit; The Hub, 315 E Hyman Ave (phone 970/925-7970), has a wide range of bikes, while Timberline, 204 S Galena St (phone 970/925-9237), is the cheapest for mountain bikes, and also organizes tours. The Roaring Fork River , surging out of the Sawatch range, is excellent for kayaking and rafting, but sections can be dangerous and every summer sees a few fatalities. Blazing Paddles ($55 for a half-day float trip; phone 970/925-5651) is not the lowest-priced company, but it does have a good safety record.

If you fancy walking in the mountains, the Silver Queen gondola climbs from 601 Dean St to the summit of Ajax (daily 10am-4pm; $18), where guided nature walks set off on the hour from 11am to 3pm. Occasional free lunchtime concerts and talks are held up here, and there's a good restaurant. Even more alluring is the landscape around the twin purple-gray peaks of the Maroon Bells , fifteen miles southwest, soaring above the dark-blue Maroon Lake. The road is closed between 8.30am and 5pm, except for overnight campers with permits, travelers with disabilities and RFTA buses, which leave daily from the Rubey Park transit center (every 30min 9am-4.30pm; $5 round-trip, or $19 combination ticket with gondola ride). Details on hiking are available from the ranger station .

Colorado
guide, hotels