Crested Butte to Aspenvia West Maroon Pass
At just over 10 miles between trailheads, the walk from Crested Butte to Aspen, or the reverse, is one of the great days in Colorado: two ski towns, one pass, and a wildflower season that earns its reputation. Best from mid July through late September.
Plan on 6 to 8 hours of moving time. It is a strenuous day at altitude, climbing to 12,490 feet at West Maroon Pass, so carry more food and water than feels necessary, layers, and a first aid kit you hope stays closed.
At the Trailhead
Sunny
There and Back Again
This hike starts and ends at trailheads that are not close to either town, so you will need a ride at each end. Line those up first, then pick the date: vans fill up weeks in advance for peak season dates.
1Get to the West Maroon Trailhead
- Dolly’s Mountain ShuttleThe most availability of anyone. They group parties to reach the van minimum, so you usually pay the per person rate. Dogs ride leashed and need their own seat. $55 per person, $220 van minimum.
- Alpine ExpressThe only other operator the Forest Service permits on that road. Try Dolly’s first, then Alpine if your day is full. Quoted per trip.
With your own car
Take Gothic Road north out of town and stay on it, past Gothic and over Schofield Pass. Map apps like to route you up Washington Gulch or the Slate River Road over Paradise Divide instead: ignore them, those are rougher lines that end the careers of rental sedans. About 40 minutes of dirt, and an SUV is the right tool. The lot is small. Settle one thing before you go: on a one way hike your car spends the night at the trailhead, so you will need a ride back up to collect it.
2Get from Maroon Lake Trailhead to Aspen
(or the reverse)
Between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm the last stretch of road is closed to private vehicles, so everyone rides the bus between Maroon Lake and Aspen Highlands. Which ticket you need depends on which way you are walking.
- Finishing at Maroon LakeYou only need the ride down, which is what RFTA sells the downhill ticket for: hikers who came over from Crested Butte. Reserve ahead at visitmaroonbells.com, no time slot to choose, and note the last bus down leaves Maroon Lake at 5:00 pm. $10 one way.
- Starting at Maroon LakeYou need the ride up, and there is no uphill only ticket, so book the standard shuttle and skip the return. Take the earliest departure you can get. A private vehicle may also drop you at Maroon Lake between 6:00 and 8:00 am, before the road closes, with no parking reservation needed. $16 round trip.
The Highlands garage is paid parking, no reservation needed, so budget for a full day if you are leaving a car. A free bus connects Highlands with downtown Aspen, and the shuttle season runs roughly late May through mid October.
3Get from Aspen back to Crested Butte
(or the reverse)
- Black Canyon LimoGunnison Valley owned and operated, running the 100 mile route over Kebler Pass in 4WD SUVs. A private vehicle either direction, and they will stop at Lake Irwin or Marble if you want the drive to be part of the trip rather than the price of it. Quoted per trip.
- Dolly’s Mountain ShuttleShared van, summer only. Cancellation runs 14 days for Aspen trips against 48 hours for trailhead runs. $90 per person, $540 van minimum.
- Maroon Bells ShuttlesThey move your car instead of you, picked up in either town and waiting at the other end. Collected near Crested Butte at 6:30 or 7:00 am and sitting in Aspen before you arrive; the other direction it reaches Crested Butte between about 2:00 and 5:00 pm. You do not need to be present, and most people leave the key in the wheel well or at a hotel desk. Town to town only, so you still need a trailhead shuttle. From $435.
Trailhead Info
Good to Know
The Route
Trail Directions
- Start up the drainage through forest beside the Crystal River. A decaying cabin (1) marks the end of the trees.
- Just past the cabin the trail forks. Bear right into the wildflower fields.
- About 2 miles in, watch for a short wooden sign tucked under the brush (3). Take the right fork toward West Maroon Pass.
- Climb the gradual valley to the signed Frigid Air Pass junction (4). West Maroon Pass is straight ahead.
- The grade steepens as the pass gets closer (6). The last quarter mile is the hardest of the day.
- Crest West Maroon Pass at 12,490 ft, then start down the Aspen side: steep, narrow, and slippery at the top (9).
- Cross Maroon Creek three times (expect wet feet) as the valley opens toward Crater Lake (11).
- Pass below the Maroon Bells, skirt Crater Lake, and finish at Maroon Lake (14).
Elevation Profile
Map and GPX
Take It With You
Cell service fades fast out here. Save the route before you lose the argument with your phone.
Free, and no account needed. Works in Gaia, CalTopo, onX, Garmin, and anything else that reads GPX.
Hiking It the Other Way?
Aspen to Crested Butte (West Maroon) runs the same corridor with its own numbers.
Nordic Inn
European-style inn at the base of the lifts and the first stop on the road toward the West Maroon trailhead. The hot tub is the reason to book it: eleven miles and a 12,490 foot pass leave you wanting one. Continental breakfast, pet-friendly rooms, and a lounge with a fireplace and a self-dispensing bar for the stories afterward.
Leave It Better
Stay on the Trail
Yield to hikers coming uphill and walk single file through the wet spots rather than around them. The tundra up here takes decades to recover from a shortcut that saves you nine seconds.
Leave the Flowers
Do not pick, cut, or wade into them for the photograph. This valley is one of the best wildflower displays in Colorado precisely because generations of people walked past without helping themselves.
Pack It All Out
Everything you carried in, plus the orange peel and the pistachio shells you assumed would rot. At this elevation they last years, and a marmot will find them long before they break down.
This Hike Is One of the 31
All 31 routes, walked and mapped by us. No battery, no bars, no problem.
Get the Book
No Shuttle, No Problem
Similar scenery, out and back from the West Maroon trailhead.
Good Questions
Can you hike Crested Butte to Aspen in one day?
Yes, and most people do. Expect 6 to 10 hours point to point depending on your pace and how long you linger at the pass. Start early enough that you are over West Maroon Pass well before the afternoon storms build.
Do you need a shuttle?
If you are hiking one way, yes, unless someone is meeting you. Shuttle services run the Aspen side, and you can also have your vehicle transported from point to point. Book it before you start walking, not after.
Which direction is easier?
Crested Butte to Aspen. You gain 2,357 feet going that way versus 3,265 feet coming back, which is most of an extra thousand feet of climbing for the same 10.2 miles.
When is the trail clear of snow?
Typically early July through late September, though the pass holds snow later in big years. Schofield Pass road access is the other half of the question, so check conditions before you commit.
How bad are the creek crossings?
There are three on the Maroon Creek side. Expect wet feet and pack accordingly. They are usually straightforward by midsummer and worse during early season runoff.
How do I get back to Crested Butte from Aspen?
Black Canyon Limo (blackcanyonlimo.com) runs private transfers between the two towns in either direction, about three hours over Kebler Pass. Maroon Bells Shuttles will move your car instead, if you drove. Many hikers overnight in Aspen and head back the next morning.
Is there a shuttle to the West Maroon trailhead?
Yes. Dolly's Mountain Shuttle and Alpine Express are the two operators permitted for West Maroon trailhead pickups on the Crested Butte side. On the Aspen side, ride the Maroon Bells shuttle from Aspen Highlands, reserved at visitmaroonbells.com.
