Explore Colorado / Explore The Outdoors

Aspen’s Ute Trail

My favorite hike in Aspen is a butt kick.  It’s short and steep.  The Ute Trailhead is close to town.  It is about 0.4 miles on Ute Avenue or about a half mile from The Little Nell.  Go early as this trail is very popular with locals and tourists.

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This is a pretty shady trail with lots of switchbacks and a steady incline up over a thousand feet in under a mile.  To be exact the trail is .9 miles with an elevation gain of 1,165 feet.

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The trail is pretty rocky so I’d suggest hiking shoes or trail running shoes.  You can still do it in regular sneakers but hiking or trail shoes give you a little extra protection.

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The rock outcropping sits at 9,185 feet.  Yes, you can expect your heart to be pounding and to be huffing and puffing as you ascend Ute Trail.

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The view of Aspen from the rock outcropping is spectacular.

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