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All 82 Aspen Attractions »

Crater Lake Trail

Maroon Creek Road, Aspen, CO 81611
+1 970 925 3445 (Forest Service)
Ranked #7 of 61 attractions in Aspen
5.0 of 5 stars 11 Reviews
Type: Hiking Trails, Bodies of Water
Activities: Hiking
Description: This easy, one-day hike from Maroon Lake is a great outing for the entire family.
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11 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    9
    2
    0
    0
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Date Rating
Phoenix, AZ
Top Contributor
174 reviews 174 reviews
Reviews in 51 cities Reviews in 51 cities
76 helpful votes 76 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed May 23, 2012 NEW

We like hiking up to the lake to get close to the Bells. An easy to moderate hike depending on your tolerance for the altitude. It was spring so the aspens were just blooming. Look for the whistlepigs and the small waterfalls on the Bells. More

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See 8 more reviews by bssc for Aspen
Effingham, Illinois
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed May 14, 2012

Beautiful views and lots to see. Nice paths and areas to stop and rest as well. Take a camera! More

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See 2 more reviews by Kelly A for Aspen
aspen, co
Senior Contributor
37 reviews 37 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed April 28, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Take the time to enjoy a hike up this way or check with the Colorado Mountain Club for hikes you can join during the summer months. More

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See 20 more reviews by jo-ann h for Aspen
Mapleton, Illinois
Senior Contributor
29 reviews 29 reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 15, 2012
1
person found this review helpful

At the right time of year this can be the best trail you've ever taken More

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See 16 more reviews by snowmassbadger for Aspen
Dillon, Colorado
Senior Contributor
31 reviews 31 reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 7, 2012

Been there twice and will go back. Views are great especially in fall. But, it is a crowded place, using buses in summer. More

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See 2 more reviews by Joel-Colorado for Aspen
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
5 of 5 stars Reviewed October 24, 2011

The hike is all UPHILL to the lake - be ready for it. Might not be the best for little kids. Great scenery and hike through HUGE aspen tree groves!! Hike goes to the base of the Maroon Bells and is wirth it - takes about 1 hr 15-30min to get there and 45 min to get back More

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See 5 more reviews by Raymond G for Aspen
Los Angeles, California
Senior Contributor
43 reviews 43 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
17 helpful votes 17 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed October 14, 2011

My wife and I did this hike in October 2011. There was a small amount of snow on the ground. The hike starts at Maroon Lake and is about 1.8 miles one way. You get spectacular views of the Maroon Bells along the way and end at Crater Lake. The elevation gain is about 500 feet, ending at 10,076 feet,... More

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See 10 more reviews by Andy B for Aspen
Washington DC, District of Columbia
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed September 3, 2011

You can pick this trail up from the Marion bells lake. I chose it based on other trip advisor reviews and it was definitely worth the time. The trail itself is steep in parts - the altitude makes it that bit tougher! However the views are worth every step. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes as it is quite rocky... More

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Chicago, Illinois
Senior Contributor
43 reviews 43 reviews
Reviews in 24 cities Reviews in 24 cities
59 helpful votes 59 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed August 3, 2011
1
person found this review helpful

We hiked the Crater Lake Trail at the end of July and greatly enjoyed the scenery. We weren't properly adjusted to the elevation and so we had to stop frequently to catch our breath. This was made difficult, however, by the constant mosquitoes and flies. It didn't seem to matter if we were in the shade or sun, the wind... More

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Katy, Texas
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed July 1, 2011
5
people found this review helpful

Maroon Bells is stunning! We decided to take the 1:15 guided tour with ACES. This is a free service provided by Aspen Environmentalist. Our guide was Daniel and what an incredible time we had. We were the only four in is his group. He took us on a private two hour hike up to Crater Lake stopping along the way... More

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