Maroon Bells Four Passes Loop: Backpacking Guide

Day 1 of 4

Maroon Lake to Crater Lake Area

Take the RFTA shuttle from Aspen Highlands to the Maroon Lake trailhead. Walk through the crowds at Maroon Lake (you'll have the backcountry to yourself by the time you reach your campsite) and follow the West Maroon Creek Trail south along the valley floor. The trail climbs gradually through aspen groves and wildflower meadows below the rust-red faces of the Maroon Bells.

4 stopsDay one

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Drive from where are you driving from?~3.5 hr · I-70 W to Glenwood Springs, then CO-82 · Drive

   It is about 3.5 hours from Denver via I-70 West to Glenwood Springs, then CO-82 toward Aspen. Base in Aspen (expensive) or save money in Carbondale or Basalt about 30 minutes away. You leave your car at the Aspen Highlands parking area, because private vehicles are not permitted past it in season.

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2. ⠿↑↓2
   RFTA shuttle to Maroon LakeMandatory in season · ~$10 round trip · activity

   From late June through early October, private vehicles are not permitted past Aspen Highlands. The RFTA shuttle runs to Maroon Lake every 20 minutes, roughly 6am to 7pm, for about $10 round trip. Buy tickets in advance on rfta.com. To start before the first shuttle, bike the 9.5-mile road or camp the night before at Maroon Lake Campground.

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3. ⠿↑↓3
   West Maroon Creek Trail to Crater Lake~3.5 mi · 1,100 ft gain · Hike

   Walk through the crowds at Maroon Lake, then follow the West Maroon Creek Trail south along the valley floor. It climbs gradually through aspen groves and wildflower meadows below the rust-red faces of the Maroon Bells, about 3.5 miles with 1,100 feet of gain to the Crater Lake area.

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   Camp near Crater LakeGlacial cirque below South Maroon Peak · lodge

   Camp near Crater Lake at roughly 3.5 miles. Your permit specifies which zone you are in, and designated sites are well-signed. Crater Lake sits in a glacial cirque directly below the south face of South Maroon Peak, with the Bells at eye level. Set up early, filter water from the creek, and watch the peaks go gold at sunset.

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   West Maroon Pass · 12,500 ft2,400 ft climb · steep rocky switchbacks · Hike

   The most scenic day on the loop. The trail climbs 2,400 feet from the valley floor to the crest of West Maroon Pass at 12,500 feet. The switchbacks above Crater Lake are steep and rocky; above treeline, wide open tundra opens up with views back to the Bells that grow more impressive with every step. The pass sits on the Pitkin and Gunnison County boundary.

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2. ⠿↑↓2
   Schofield ParkHigh alpine meadow · ~10,200 ft · Viewpoint

   On the far side, the trail descends steeply into the headwaters of the East Fork Crystal River, a landscape that feels genuinely remote: wide valley, no crowds, just wind and water. The descent reaches Schofield Park, a high alpine meadow at around 10,200 feet, before the trail climbs again toward Fravert Basin.

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3. ⠿↑↓3
   Camp in Fravert BasinOne of the quieter nights on the loop · lodge

   Climb out of Schofield Park toward Fravert Basin and camp there; it is one of the quieter nights on the loop. Rest here before Day 3, the most demanding section, which crosses two passes back-to-back.

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Frigid Air Pass · 12,400 ftWide saddle · Snowmass Creek views · Hike

   Start early. From Fravert Basin, the trail climbs to Frigid Air Pass at 12,400 feet, a wide saddle with views south into the Snowmass Creek drainage. The descent drops you into the upper Snowmass Creek valley. Day 3 crosses two passes back-to-back and is the most demanding section of the loop.

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   Snowmass Lake side trip~5 mi RT · 800 ft gain · optional · Viewpoint

   The optional side trip to Snowmass Lake (5 miles round trip, 800 ft additional gain) is one of the most spectacular detours in all of Colorado. Snowmass Lake sits in a bowl below Snowmass Mountain (14,092 ft), glacially carved and a perfect deep blue even in late summer. Skip it only if weather is moving in or you are behind schedule.

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   Trail Rider Pass · 12,420 ft~2,200 ft climb · fourth and final pass · Hike

   From the Snowmass Creek junction, the trail climbs again to Trail Rider Pass at 12,420 feet, the fourth and final named pass on the loop. The climb is relentless, about 2,200 feet from the valley floor, but the top delivers views of Snowmass Mountain, Capitol Peak, and Hagerman Peak all at once.

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4. ⠿↑↓4
   Camp in the Geneva Lake drainageNear timberline below Trail Rider Pass · lodge

   Camp near timberline below Trail Rider Pass in the Geneva Lake drainage. This sets up a short, rewarding final day over Buckskin Pass back to Maroon Lake.

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Buckskin Pass · 12,462 ftHighest point on the loop · Hike

   The final day is the shortest but psychologically the most rewarding. The trail climbs to Buckskin Pass at 12,462 feet, the highest point on the loop, where North Maroon Peak and South Maroon Peak suddenly reappear ahead of you, now from the opposite side than you saw on Day 1.

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   Minnehaha Gulch descentSteep talus · trekking poles help · Viewpoint

   The descent from Buckskin is steep and rocky on loose talus; trekking poles help significantly. Below treeline, the trail enters Minnehaha Gulch and joins the Crater Lake Trail, returning toward Maroon Lake and the shuttle stop.

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3. ⠿↑↓3
   Return to Maroon Lake & shuttle outRFTA shuttle back to Aspen Highlands · activity

   Return to Maroon Lake and catch the RFTA shuttle back to Aspen Highlands. If you are on a 3-day schedule, you combine Days 3 and 4 into a very long day of 15 to 18 miles, achievable for fit, experienced backpackers, but requiring a 5am start and no Snowmass Lake side trip.

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