RIO GRANDE TRAIL

RIO GRANDE TRAIL:

ASPEN-GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO

ASPEN TRAILS:

CEMETERY LANE TRAIL:

MAROLT TRAIL:

EAST OF ASPEN TRAIL:

UTE AVENUE TRAIL:

ASPEN, COLORADO

-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-

Last Updated: August 01, 2019

Length: Rio Grande Trail; 42 miles

Cemetery Lane Trail; 1.1 miles

Marolt Trail; 0.5 miles

Hopkins Ave Bike Route; 0.5 miles

East of Aspen Trail; 3.4 miles

Ute Avenue Trail; 2.5 miles

Difficulty: Rio Grande Trail; Aspen to Glenwood Springs; Easy. Downhill grade, paved and stone-dust rail trail.

Rio Grande Trail; Glenwood Springs to Aspen;. Moderate. Uphill grade, paved and stone-dust rail trail.

Cemetery Lane Trail; Moderate. Uphill grade off the Rio Grande Trail. Easy. Downhill grade from Route 82. Cement trail.

Marolt Trail; Easy. Mostly flat paved trail.

Hopkins Ave Bike Route; Easy. On-road, flat road along limited traffic route.

East of Aspen Trail; Moderate. Uphill grade from downtown Aspen.

Ute Avenue Trail; Easy. Mostly flat paved trail.

Directions:

To Start from Two Rivers Park (Glenwood Springs) ; From I-70 take Exit 116 to Route 82. Travel north to the traffic circle. Turn left on W 6th St to Devereux Rd and turn left. Cross I-70 and Two Rivers Park will be on your left. From here you can also access the Glenwood Canyon Recreation Trail .

To Start from Herron Park (Aspen); From Route 82 enter downtown Aspen. From Main St (Route 82) travel east through town for 0.9 miles to Original St and turn left down Neale Ave. The parking lot will be on your left.

The Rio Grande Trail follows the rail bed of the old Aspen Branch of the historic Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad from Glenwood Springs up to Aspen. In Aspen you can access many other trails from the Rio Grande Trail, as well as, other trails located in Aspen. For more information visit; RIO GRANDE TRAIL and ASPEN AREA TRAILS .

Rio Grande Trail:

Starting from Two Rivers Park (Glenwood Springs); To access the trail, from the parking lot travel west along the Colorado River via a paved trail to a pedestrian bridge over the river after 0.3 miles. Here you'll find the O Mile Marker for the start of the Rio Grande Trail. Map Board here.

Note; Straight will take you towards the Glenwood Canyon Recreation Trail .

I haven't checked out this section. Cross over the Colorado River to the mouth of the Roaring Fork River and underneath the RR tracks. The paved trail heads south alongside the river past the Water Treatment Plant. Mile Markers located every 0.5 miles. Travel underneath 8th St and alongside some old RR tracks before the trail pulls away from the river after 0.6 miles. Nice views of the surrounding foothills. Come to a map for Glenwood Springs trails next to an intersection at 1 mile.

Note; Heading right along the paved trail leads to a pedestrian bridge across the river where you may access the Midland Ave Trail. The Midland Ave Trail is located along the western bank of the Roaring Fork River.

You'll return alongside the river briefly before coming alongside Route 82 at 1.6 miles.

Note; Heading right along Grand Ave leads to 27th St. Head right across the river where you may access the Atkinson Canal Trail on your right after 0.3 miles. The Atkinson Canal Trail is located along the western bank of the Roaring Fork River. It was built over an irrigation ditch that was originally constructed in 1884 to supply water to the area and is 1.4 miles in length.

Here the trail travels through town alongside Route 82. Leave the town behind at 2.6 miles as the trail travels through brush land below Route 82. After 11.6 miles you'll cross a bridge over the river and enter Carbondale. Cross Route 133 at 12 miles.

Note; Another paved trail travels south alongside Route 133 (both sides of the road).

Travel south a short distance before the trail bears left away from Route 133 and through the center of Carbondale. Cross Main St at 13.1 miles where the trail travels above Route 100 as you leave Carbondale behind. Come to the Route 100 parking lot at 15.9 miles where you'll find a map board and picnic pavilion. Here the trail follows the river again on your left and foothills on your right along an isolated stretch. After 17.7 miles you leave the river behind before paralleling Hooks Spur Rd at 18.5 miles. The trail becomes more open as you come to Hooks Lane in Basalt at 20.5 miles. Hook Spur parking lot to your left. The trail continues along a wide open corridor. After 21.7 miles you come alongside Route 82 and a spur trail on your left.

Note; This spur trail takes you underneath Route 82 to the Emma Trail. Heading right (East) the trail will take you to downtown Basalt. Heading left (West) the trail crosses over the Roaring Fork River to Willits along the Willits Trail. Combined this 3.8 mile paved series of trails and sidewalks in Basalt is referred to as the Downtown Basalt-Willits Trail. See: Emma Trail & Downtown Basalt-Willits Trail .

The trail continues along an open corridor, passing by the Basalt HS parking lot at 23.3 miles. Cross two bridges over the river and Route 82 at 24.9 miles. Here the trail follows the eastern foothills on your left. Come to an intersection at 25.6 miles.

Note; Left a paved trail takes you to Holland Hills Dr in Basalt.

Continue right along a slight uphill grade along the ridgeline. Pass by the North River Road parking lot at 26.7 miles as the trail becomes more open. The trail parallels Lower River Rd with the river down below for the most part. Cross Lower River Rd at 29 miles. Better views of the river along this stretch. Pass by the Upper River Road parking lot at 33.6 miles and cross a bridge over Woody Creek. Trail continues slightly uphill along the foothills. Rising above the river below. Cross McLain Flatts Rd at 35.4 miles where you'll have nice sweeping views of the hills and mountains. After 37 miles the trail turns to stone-dust as you follow the ridge above the river. Come to an intersection at 38.5 miles.

Note; Right leads to the crushed gravel Stein Trail which includes a bridge across the river.

I've checked out this section. Stone-dust trail follows Roaring Fork River. Uphill climb. Canyon along the right with nice rapids. Foothills along your left. Trail becomes paved as you pass by Stein Park on the right. Picnic tables, BIKE STATION and Porto-Potty located here. Come to an intersection at 39.5 miles.

Note; Left brings you to the McLain Flatts Road parking lot and start of the Cemetery Lane Trail. SEE BELOW.

Pass by Hunter Creek hiking trail (map board located here) before crossing over Hunter Creek and Roaring Fork River at 41.2 miles. Trail turns left.

Note; Right takes you along the Post Office Trail to the Post Office and Mill St.

The trail winds alongside the river before traveling underneath Mill St and coming to the Visitor Center at 41.5 miles. From here the trail crosses back over the river via an iron trestle bridge to an intersection.

Note; Left is the stone-dust John Denver Sanctuary Trail.

Come to another intersection.

Note; Right leads past Rio Grande Park and out to N Mill St.

Head left. Pass by the Oklahoma Flatts Trail on your left, which is a spur trail across the river out to Gibson Ave. Cross the Roaring Fork River one last time before coming to Herron Park after 42 miles. Here you'll find restrooms and a playground. Small Herron Park parking area.

Note; From here you can access the East of Aspen Trail on-road. Exit the park traveling right on-road up Neale Ave to Original St. Head left, then left again along E Hopkins Ave (BIKE SHARROWS, residential). At the end of the street a pedestrian bridge crosses over the Roaring Fork River. Turn right up Park Ave (residential) to Route 82 at 0.5 miles. Across the street a crosswalk will bring you to the start of the East of Aspen Trail. SEE BELOW.

Cemetery Lane & Marolt Trails:

From the junction of the Rio Grande Trail and McLain Flats Road parking lot; The cement Cemetery Lane Trail travels up to a pedestrian bridge over the Roaring Fork River where it travels uphill alongside Cemetery Lane. Part of the trail follows a cantilevered boardwalk. After a steep section the trail levels off some as it travels through a residential neighborhood. After 1.1 miles you'll come to an intersection just before Route 82 and the end of this trail.

Note; Straight brings you to the AABC Trail (Aspen Airport Business Center Trail). I haven't checked out this trail which travels north alongside Route 82 for 2.4 miles to Aspen Airport Business Center. You may also access the Old Stage Trail, Burlingame Trail and Owl Creek Trail off the NE side of this trail, as well as, the High School & Campus Trail, Highlands Trail and Hospital Trail. I haven't checked out any of these trails.

Left across Cemetery Lane is the start of the Marolt Trail (follow signs for downtown Aspen). This paved trail takes you past a BIKE STATION, then out to and underneath Route 82 to another intersection.

Note; Right takes you to Aspen Highlands through Marolt Open Space to the Hospital Trail.

Continue straight along this open trail, past an overlook of the Holden Lixiviation Works below on your left to another intersection at 0.3 miles.

Note; Right brings you up to the HOLDEN MAROLT MINING & RANCHING MUSEUM , Castle Creek Rd and Marolt Pl.

Continue left and you'll cross Marolt Bridge high above Castle Creek before coming to S 7th St after 0.5 miles and the end of the trail.

Note; From here you can head right along Hopkins Ave to explore downtown Aspen. This section of Hopkins Ave is traffic limited to allow for Bikes all the way to S Garmisch St after 0.5 miles. When you come to S 4th St after 0.2 miles you can access the Midland Trail on your right which leads to Koch Park and S Garmisch St.

East of Aspen Trail:

From the junction of N Riverside Ave and Route 82; The paved East of Aspen Trail travels SE alongside Route 82.

Note; Heading west a sidewalk leads to downtown Aspen.

Cross a bridge and come to a crosswalk.

Note; Across the street is Park Ave, where you can access the start of the Rio Grande Trail.

This trail travels uphill as it exits Aspen. Cross a bridge after 0.4 miles and come to an intersection.

Note; Right leads to the Ute Avenue Trail. SEE BELOW.

Continue alongside Route 82 and come to Stillwater Rd after 0.7 miles. I haven't checked out this next section. The trail turns right via a boardwalk alongside Stillwater Rd, crosses the Roaring Fork River then heads left into the woods as a stone-dust trail. Follow the river a bit before a pedestrian bridge takes you back across the river to the Northstar Preserve parking lot at 1.3 miles. The stone-dust trail travels between Route 82 and the preserve. After 2.9 miles a boardwalk takes you across a marsh before returning alongside Route 82 after 3.1 miles. The trail ends after 3.4 miles at Difficult Lane.

Ute Avenue Trail:

From the junction of the East of Aspen Trail; The paved Ute Avenue Trail travels away from Route 82 crossing over Salvation Ditch where it winds down through Aspen trees. Very scenic. Cross over the Roaring Fork River. Follow the river a short distance before the trail turns out to Ute Ave. Ute Ave parking lot located here. Informational signs. The trail now travels alongside Ute Ave. After 2.5 miles the trail ends at S Original Rd. From here you can access downtown Aspen by heading straight along a short path or right along Spring St.

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