Aspen

Gondola, Maroon Lake and Independence Pass over three Aspen days

Three days cover Aspen well. Spend the first on the 1880s downtown and the Silver Queen Gondola up Aspen Mountain, the second at Maroon Lake by shuttle from Aspen Highlands with a West End concert after, and the third on Independence Pass in summer or down valley at Woody Creek.

Day one, town. Start with coffee downtown and walk the grid of brick blocks from the 1880s silver boom, stopping at the Wheeler Opera House and the lobby of the Hotel Jerome. After lunch ride the Silver Queen Gondola to the top of Aspen Mountain; in summer there are trails and picnic spots up there, in winter the best-placed runs of the four ski areas. Finish at John Denver's creekside park off North Mill Street before dinner.

Day two, the Bells. Catch the earliest shuttle you can from Aspen Highlands to Maroon Lake, walk the easy lakeside loop, and if your legs and lungs allow, continue up toward Crater Lake. Back in town, the afternoon belongs to the West End, where the Aspen Music Festival and School stages concerts through the summer.

Day three, high road or down valley. In summer drive Independence Pass to the Continental Divide, stopping at the ghost town of Independence on the way. Out of season, take the bus to Snowmass or head down valley to Woody Creek for lunch at the tavern Hunter S. Thompson frequented, about 8 miles out.

Woody Creek Tavern, Pine Creek Cookhouse and downtown tables

Aspen's most memorable meals are outside town, at the Woody Creek Tavern about 8 miles down valley and the Pine Creek Cookhouse up Castle Creek Road. In town, the Hickory House serves barbecue and breakfasts, downtown dining rooms book out on holiday weeks, and condo kitchens suit longer stays.

Eating in Aspen is mostly about setting, and the most memorable meals are outside town. The Woody Creek Tavern, roughly 8 miles down valley, is a relaxed lunch stop with Thompson memorabilia on the walls and a local crowd at the bar. Up Castle Creek Road, about 20 minutes south, the Pine Creek Cookhouse occupies a log building at the end of a long valley; it fits neatly after a morning hike to Cathedral Lake, and reservations are wise.

Back in town, the Hickory House on the Main Street bend into Aspen serves barbecue and busy breakfasts that pull in as many locals as visitors. Downtown has the formal dining rooms and hotel bars you would expect from a resort of this price level, and many book out on holiday weeks, so reserve as soon as your dates are firm.

On the mountain, lunches at the top of the gondola are pricey but the views earn part of it. Self-catering is a sensible move for longer stays: condos come with kitchens and the down-valley towns have larger supermarkets. For live music with dinner nearby, Belly Up downtown is a small venue that books surprisingly big names.

Ski winters, Music Festival summers and the mud seasons

The best time to visit Aspen depends on the trip: December to March for skiing on four mountains, July and August for the Aspen Music Festival and School, and September for gold aspen leaves and thinner crowds. April, May and late autumn are quiet mud seasons when lifts and many businesses close.

The 1991 to 2020 averages tell the story. December and January highs sit around 0C with lows near minus 12C, and each winter month brings about 50mm of precipitation, most of it as snow. That cold keeps the four mountains in good shape from December through March, with Buttermilk the gentle choice for beginners and Highlands Bowl the hike-up test for experts.

Spring is the awkward part. April still has lows below freezing, lifts close, and many businesses take a break before summer. By June the valley warms to about 21C and dries out to the year's lowest rainfall, roughly 27mm. July and August reach the mid-twenties, with afternoon storms common in the mountains, so start hikes early.

Summer is also concert season. The Aspen Music Festival and School runs for about eight weeks, with its main stage in a large tent in the West End and a concert hall beside it. September is the local favourite: aspen leaves turn gold along Maroon Creek and Castle Creek, nights are cold and the crowds thin. From October into November the town goes quiet again until the lifts restart. If you are flying in from a big city, connections via Denver are the norm; travellers from Los Angeles or Chicago often route that way.