Maroon Bells Scenic Area

The Maroon Bells are two peaks, Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak, each rising above 14,000 feet above the Elk Mountain range nine miles southwest of Aspen, Colorado. The view from Maroon Lake looking south toward the red and tan stratified summits is widely considered the most photographed mountain scene in North America, and the area receives enough visitors each summer that the White River National Forest requires advance reservations for both private vehicle access and the shuttle service from Aspen. The 2026 season runs mid-May through late October, with the Maroon Bells Scenic Area Timed Entry system in place daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Shuttle access from Aspen Highlands is the standard approach for most visitors.

Reservations for the Maroon Bells shuttle and timed vehicle permits are managed through Recreation.gov and typically open weeks to months in advance for peak summer weekends. Attempting to visit without a reservation on a summer weekend is effectively impossible: the road closes to unregistered vehicles at the gate. Plan the logistics well in advance. Once you arrive, the amphitheater below the bells, which overlooks a wildflower meadow adjacent to Maroon Lake, hosts interpretive ranger programs through the season. Camping at Maroon Lake Campground is available and requires a separate reservation through Recreation.gov; sites at this elevation are among the most sought-after in the White River National Forest system.

On the Ground at Maroon Lake

The main trail along the north shore of Maroon Lake to the Maroon Bells viewpoint is approximately one mile round trip on relatively flat terrain, accessible for visitors of nearly any physical condition. The Crater Lake Trail continues from the lake into the upper basin, gaining about 500 feet over two miles to a second high-altitude lake surrounded by peaks. Wildflowers at this elevation peak in late June and early July, when the meadows around the lake carry columbine, Indian paintbrush, and early-season asters at the same time the snowfields above the peaks are receding into their summer form. Autumn aspens, which reach their full color in late September and early October, bring a second distinct peak to the season that many visitors prefer for its cooler temperatures and reduced crowds.

If You’re Going with Kids
The one-mile lakeside trail is manageable for children as young as four or five with patient pacing. Ranger-led programs at the amphitheater offer age-appropriate natural history content that gives younger visitors a framework for what they’re seeing in the landscape. The shuttle from Aspen Highlands removes the driving complexity from the visit and lets everyone focus on the scenery rather than road logistics.

Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley

Aspen’s summer season fills rapidly once the ski lifts close, and the Roaring Fork Valley around it offers a range of activities that extend a Maroon Bells visit into a full multi-day trip. The Aspen Music Festival runs June through August, presenting orchestral and chamber music across its campus near the core of town. Ashcroft Ghost Town, 12 miles south of Aspen on Castle Creek Road, is a well-preserved silver mining settlement from the 1880s and makes for an unusual half-day detour, particularly for families interested in the physical evidence of the region’s mining history. Twin Lakes, about 35 miles north of Aspen at the base of Independence Pass on the Continental Divide, is the nearest significant body of water and offers a completely different landscape from the alpine terrain around the Bells: two glacially formed reservoirs backed by the 14,000-foot Sawatch Range, productive for both rainbow trout fishing and shoreline photography.

Where to Stay

Aspen’s lodging ranges from some of the most expensive hotel rooms in Colorado to vacation rental homes in the Woody Creek and Basalt corridors that offer more accessible price points. For stays near the Roaring Fork Valley and the Maroon Bells access corridor, look on Lake.com for properties in the Aspen and Basalt area. Summer weekends at the Maroon Bells require reservations for virtually every element of the visit, including lodging, well before the mid-May season opening.