Weekend in Snowmass, Colorado

Snowmass is one of my favorite spots in Colorado and every time I go I fall more in love. On the slopes I had one of my best ski days ever (long, spacious runs without the crowds but incredible powder.)  To visit in the summer was an absolute delight. It has all the beauty of its next-door neighbor, Aspen – but it’s more laid back, family friendly and in my opinion, more fun.

Snowmass Highlights:

– Hiking – There’s a trail for everyone and every skill level
– The Lost Forest – Family friendly adventure park at the top of the Elk Camp Gondola
– Heritage Fire Festival – One of the most fun food festivals I’ve been to!
– Maroon Bells – Both the “Secret View” and the classic view from Maroon Lake

My Favorite Hikes:

– Snowmass Ditch Trail (3.9 Miles, 495 ft. Elevation Gain)
– Crater Lake  (3.3 Miles, 770 ft. Elevation Gain)

I was just barely able to scratch the surface of hikes in this beautiful town (welp, looks like I need to go back!) but the Snowmass website has a whole Hiking Guide to help you find more ways to explore!

The Lost Forest

This is an absolute must if you’re visiting Snowmass, especially if you have kids. Tickets cost $74 for those 13 and up or $57 for kids under 12 but you can spend an entire day exploring – totally worth it. You take the Elk Camp Gondola up and at the top you have the Alpine Coaster, Rock Wall, Disc Golf, hiking and of course the “Secret View” of the Maroon Bells at the top of the Elk Camp Chair Lift. There are also hiking trails if you’re looking for more trail action!

You’re never going to believe me when I tell you the best drink deal in Colorado is at the bar here – two $7 specialty cocktails that are delicious! (Seriously, who gets a drink that cheap in a mountain town.) We hung out in adirondack chairs listening to the DJ, sipping our drinks before going back down the gondola.

Heritage Fire Festival 

I go to a lot of food festivals and this one takes the cake by far. It’s an epic showdown of 25 chefs from all across Colorado for a life-fire celebration. Get in line early – we had VIP tickets and it was packed when we showed up at 4:15pm. Once you’re inside the lines move quickly and the samples are as delicious as it gets. The food is the highlight, but the reason this festival is so memorable are the Chefs and restaurants. Each booth is an absolute party with chef’s pouring shots and chatting with the guests. It was so much fun and I already can’t wait to go back next year.

Where We Stayed

Viewline is the perfect name for the gorgeous hotel we stayed at – Literally slope-side with views for days. Definitely have dinner at the restaurant, Stark’s Alpine Grill. We ate dinner next to the fire pits and watched the sun go down and people hopping on and off the gondola. It was walkable to everything (make sure you grab breakfast or lunch at Fuel!)

Also, the pool with multiple hot tubs is a 10/10!