Glenwood Hot Springs is named “Best Pool” (Sunset & USA Today), and Aspen wins the Traveler's 2021 Reader's Choice Award “#1 Best Small City in the U.S.” (Condé Nast), and Carbondale is recognized as one of the “Top 10 Adventure Towns in the US” (National Geographic Adventure) - the Roaring Fork Valley has so much more than you’ve ever imagined with a 3-day itinerary.
The best part of this Get-Away is staying at the vacation rental, the AspenWood House - located between Aspen and Glenwood Springs. This mid-valley riverbank home has private fly fishing and paddle-boarding/rafting out the backyard. Late season rafting offers warm weather, less crowds, and safe water conditions. The vacation home also offers guests a guide and boat, dependent on availability, to float the lower section of the Roaring Fork River from Carbondale to Glenwood Springs.
Day 1
It’s time to explore Aspen and Snowmass Village! The two towns are renowned as a haven for celebrities, skiers and culture vultures, so you will need to hit the ground running. Take a stroll through downtown to check out all the stores and eateries, or just sit on a bench and people-watch with an ice cream cone from Paradise Bakery and Cafe.
Next, let out your inner cowgirl or cowboy with all the Western wear that you’ll need to dress the part in Aspen. From belts to cowboy boots and hats, Kemo Sabe is the best place to shop for western attire.
If you have a few hours to see the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the Maroon Bells is one of the most photographed places in Colorado, and fall is the best time to visit. (Advanced reservations needed to park/enter). The twin peaks – which tower at 14,000 feet high – change colors with the seasons and reflect over Maroon Lake.
Day 2
Grab some breakfast in Carbondale at Village Smithy, country-style digs and the local's favorite. Once you fill up on the skillet and peach pancakes, drive to Snowmass for the splendor of colorful ribbons of Aspen trees. With 25 miles of purpose-built, diverse trails—from beginner-friendly and flowing singletrack to adrenaline-inducing descents— the Snowmass Bike Park extends almost 3,000 vertical feet from the top of the Elk Camp Chairlift down to Snowmass Base Village.
If you prefer a more swanky, low-key affair, you can experience the food, flavors, sights, and sounds at the Snowmass Wine Festival. The festival features 20 tables of fine food from local restaurants and 35 tables of wine vendors from around the world under one tent at Snowmass Town Park on Sept. 17, 2022.
Day 3
Grab your swimsuits and visit the Glenwood Hot Springs, home to the world’s largest hot-springs pool and the new adventure river and splash pad. The nearby Yampah Spa & Salon Vapor Caves also allows you to unwind and take in a relaxing spa treatments.
Need more excitement? Visit the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and experience the highest-elevation, full-sized roller coaster in the country. Coming summer 2022 called Defiance, this one-of-a-kind Gerstlauer Euro-Flight roller coaster is an action-packed, 56-second rocky mountain adventure with a 110-foot record breaking 102.3-degree free-fall drop in the western United States.
All this adventuring will certainly build up an appetite, so a stroll downtown and grab some grub within the many varied outdoor dining choices around Bethel Plaza and along Seventh Street in downtown Glenwood Springs will end the evening in fine-dining style.