AlexAlpha

Need help to choose 2 Colorado towns for 9 days stay (. We are flying to Colorado Springs on 9/15/13. We have visited Ouray and Telluride before. It was pretty good, I would rate B or B+. When we hike, we want to be wowed. We want to be thrilled along the way with views of looming peaks and pretty waterfalls. We like vistas that stretch from horizon to horizon. We like precipitous cliffs and trails that cling to them. We like river canyons sometimes. We do not like to hike through the woods for hours. All the hikes should be completed within a day or less.
We like to have a good view from condo or at least from downtown of city where we stay. We like to drive a less if it is possible (hiking from hotel door in Ouray was good) and comeback at night to cozy, but not empty downtown (like Jackson,WA) for dinner and stroll. I will appreciate any advice.

Barblab

Estes Park for RMNP, and Aspen area.

livetoroam

I hesitate to reply if you found Ouray and Telluride only b worthy as I think they are spectacular. But, you could check out Aspen and hike the Maroon Bells. You could tick off a fourteener or two, and hike Grays and Torrey's off of I 70 and stay in Vail. I also like Shrine Pass near Vail. The wildflowers there in July are unreal.

Crested Butte and Gunnison would be a good option. Hiking, river, cute tows. Crested Butte has a wildflower festival in July sometime.

Estes Park to hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. The Ute trail. Off of Trail Ridge Road has views that go on for ever.

AlexAlpha

I loved Ouray in summer! The reason it is more for hiking than for skiing. We just thinking should we go back for 9 days and relax, or should we go for 5 days back and for 4 days somewhere else, like Crested Butte and Aspen or spend all 9 days
somewhere else. I heard you can rent affordable condos in Breck,
but I am not sure about views and hiking compare to Ouray/Tell?

Gretchen

Aspen--Marroon Bells.

fmpden

Wow, should do not want much for your dollar.

Barblab

Tons of hiking in Break, cute town, beautiful views. Only problem is its proximity to Denver which brings with it more people. You could even do a day trip from there to Maroon Bells via Independence Pass which has beautiful views. Maroon Bells is beautiful but because of its accessibility (there is a parking lot within picture taking view) it is always busy. BUT, once you hike past the second lake the traffic pretty much disappears.

I thought of another idea for you, Lake City. More remote, lots of hikes, waterfalls and you could rent a jeep to do Engineers Pass with lots of hiking, incredible views and even a ghost town thrown in for variety.

PeaceOut

We love Aspen. There is so much to do there, and gorgeous country to explore. Stay in Aspen proper, for a nice town to walk around in the evenings.

"We like precipitous cliffs and trails that cling to them." If so, you will love Independence Pass!

You will have to ask about things closing down between seasons in mid-September.

Try Aspen Square and The Gant, for nice condos in town. The Gant is a few blocks out of town, with an easy walk and use of their shuttles in case of rain.

AlexAlpha

Thanks a lot everybody. Is it more easy to hike to Maroon Bells from Crested Butte compare to Aspen? Aspen sounds good, but we probably stay in Snowmass because of price. So far it looks like we going to be 3-5 days in Aspen area, 2 days in Crested Butte and may 2 day Ouray or Telluride. Or more in CB and less in Aspen. Crested Butte was highly recommended, but pictures on internet are not looking very enticing. May be I wrong, but I will check it anyway and see myself. I will do more research about Lake City. Have to sacrifice RMNP, heard it too busy when school out and I do not have enough time. Next time. My wife wants to stay at least 5 night at one hotel without packing/unpacking...
Is it good idea to hike halfway from Aspen to CB and when we move to Crested Butte hike another half of trail from there?
Thanks again for the help.

PeaceOut

No, Crested Butte and Aspen are not connected by good roads. You must choose one or the other. Aspen will be better in mid-September, even though that's off-season and many places close down. I'd think more in Crested Butte will close than in Aspen.

There are affordable places within Aspen proper, if you search here, I can't remember their names. Prices should be pretty cheap in mid-September, unless that's peak timing for the aspen colors.

Melnq8

Don't overlook Buena Vista, which is about 90 minutes west of COS and on the way to Aspen. It's located in a valley surrounded by the Collegiate Peaks - lots of mountain vistas. But if Ouray and Telluride didn't wow you, nothing in CO will. In which case I suggest the Berner Oberland in Switzerland as an alternative

http://www.fourteenernet.com/summer/...ing-trails.htm

williamscb13

You can hike from Crested Butte to Aspen over the West Maroon Pass. It's 13 miles and takes about 6 hours if I remember correctly. On the Crested Butte side, you drive up past the town of gothic and start your hike at a much higher elevation, like 8 or 9000 feet, and then go up to 12,000 for the pass. That takes you over to the Aspen side where you hike all the way down to the Maroon Bells Park at 6000 feet. If you want the front side of the Maroon Bells, you need to go to Aspen.

Crested Butte is a great funky town, a little bit like Telluride but not as narrow of a valley. You can stay in the town of Mt. Crested Butte and hike the ski mountain trails, or stay somewhere in town and hike the whole valley. there are tons of hiking trails, and many fantastic restaurants. It's gong to be slow. Of course, all of Colorado will be slow, kids all over the country will be back in school, but will things be shut down, no. It's prime Aspen turning season.

You do not have to choose between Aspen and Crested Butte, definitely in the winter, but not in the summer. It's about a 3 hour drive in the summer maybe a bit less. I would choose two towns, not three. Go to Aspen and Crested Butte. If you've been to Crested Butte, you don't need to go to Telluride or Ouray. Crested Butte is a great combination of both of those towns. Going to Aspen is like going to NYC in the rockies. I'll take Crested Butte any day over Aspen as it can be super busy and crowded in the summer, but it's fun for a few days.

Tabernash2

Are you sure the drive is only 3 hours between CB and Aspen in the summer? It used to be a jeep trail, but you say it's paved and maintained now?

Also, calling Aspen "NYC in the rockies" doesn't match our many, many experiences in Aspen. It feels more like the Wild West, than Manhattan! That's part of its unique mystique. The surrounding geography is amazing, and there's lots to do. The Maroon Bells will Wow you.

williamscb13

Yes. sure it's only 3 hours or a little more in the summer, over Monarch pass to Redstone and Carbondale. and the shopping is certainly NYC as is the international flair of the city in the summer. Granted, there may be a little bit more green than NYC, but compared to Crested Butte definitely NYC in the rockies.

batasari

Hikes around Boulder are awesome.