Basalt, Year-Round Adventure in Any Direction

Basalt, Year-Round Adventure

Basalt is all about year-round adventure. This is a perfect place to launch your next outdoor adventure. Basalt is in the sweet spot of the Roaring Fork Valley, halfway between Glenwood Springs and Aspen, at the gateway to the Fryingpan Valley. So whether you’re looking to hammer some challenging mountain bike trails, glide your skis through a picturesque winter landscape, or throw your blanket on the grass by a rushing river, mountain fun, and adventure is just a short drive, ride, or walk away.

Year-Round Adventure

Summer Mountain Fun – Parks in Basalt

If it’s a park you’re looking for, you have several choices.

• Arbaney Park is a beautiful, centrally-located town park with playgrounds for kids of all ages, picnic tables, barbecue pits, and a large open area to run the dogs.
• Basalt River Park is a park on the banks of the Roaring Fork River near historic Downtown Basalt that’s perfect for a picnic or just chillin’ by the water.
• A short drive down the valley brings you to Crown Mountain Park, a huge 124-acre mountain park with athletic fields, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, a playground, a one-mile concrete walking/biking loop, a fenced dog park, and a BMX pump track.

Local Hikes in Basalt

Want to take a hike in a beautiful place? There are several hikes in and around Basalt. The Arbaney Kittle trail is one of the most popular with the locals. It is a moderate to steep climb that, at its apex, provides spectacular views of the Fryingpan Valley, the Roaring Fork Valley, and the high peaks beyond.

Another challenging hike close to town is the Basalt High School Trail, which starts right behind the high school and takes you up a steep trail to a ridge near the top of Light Hill, where you’ll get expansive views of Basalt and the entire Midvalley.

The Ruedi Overlook Trail starts 12 miles up scenic Fryingpan Road adjacent to the Ruedi Reservoir boat dock. The first two miles of the trail are steep, but the payoff is worth the effort as the trail takes you to the top of Red Table Mountain with 360-degree views of the Fryingpan Valley and Hunter/Fryingpan Wilderness.

For a more moderate hike, the Crown Mountain River Trail starts at the back of Crown Mountain Park and winds down to a network of trails along the banks of the Roaring Fork River. It is a popular area for both dog walkers and river lovers.

Gold Medal Rivers

Sitting at the confluence of two well-loved Gold Medal rivers, Basalt is also nestled between several distinct mountain chains whose topography adds to the range of activities and scenery available to visitors.

Road Biking in Basalt

Basalt is the ideal starting point for enjoying road biking with popular road routes and paved bike trails heading in every direction.

The Rio Grande Trail is a 42-mile-long paved trail that follows the old Rio Grande rail line route from Glenwood Springs to Aspen, and some of the most popular and scenic sections of the trail are located close to Basalt. From the recently improved parking area near Basalt High School, you can either head up the valley through picturesque Snowmass Canyon to historic Woody Creek or down the valley, where the trail whizzes by the Emma Schoolhouse and skirts the Roaring Fork River before passing through the heart of Carbondale.

The 32-mile-long Fryingpan Road is a popular ride up the scenic Fryingpan Valley to Ruedi Reservoir and beyond, including some challenging climbs. The lower part of the road can see high traffic volumes on weekends, but once you clear the reservoir, it’s smooth sailing.

The Basalt/Old Snowmass Trail is an easy ride that starts at Fisherman’s Park in Basalt and runs through the valley for about two miles, where it connects with the Rio Grande Trail.

Mountain Biking in Basalt – Year-Round Adventure

You are in luck if mountain biking is more your style. Some of the best mountain biking trails in the Roaring Fork Valley are just a short drive or ride away.

The Crown Trails are a popular mecca of singletrack mountain biking trails located on top of Crown Mountain, south of Basalt. They can be accessed directly from either the Glassier Trail or the Buckhorn Trail via the Rio Grande Trail or from Prince Creek Road.

Basalt Mountain Road and Upper Cattle Creek Road are popular intermediate-level dirt roads that mountain bikers use to access the Basalt Mountain trail system.

Basalt Mountain Offers Year-Round Adventure

To the north is Basalt Mountain, a great lava expanse and perhaps one of the lesser-known places for summer and winter adventure. It’s not easy to get to, but on its slopes, you’ll find hiking, cross-country skiing, hunting, four-wheeling, and some of the best mountain biking in Western Colorado.

The Elk Mountains Year-Round Adventure

The mighty Elk Mountains are south of town and much closer than most visitors realize. Two of Colorado’s majestic 14,000-foot peaks (Capitol Peak and Snowmass Mountain) are best accessed from Basalt, and the three other Elk Mountain Range “fourteeners” (Pyramid Peak and the Maroon Bells) are just a short drive to the Castle Creek turn-off near Aspen.

Year-Round Adventure on the Rio Grande Trail

West of town, the valley’s dizzying array of trails comes together with the Rio Grande Trail, a year-round adventure offering an incredible 12-mile cycle from Basalt to Carbondale or uphill to Aspen. Several other trails splinter off, like the Basalt to Holland Hills Trail, which takes the walker or rider along the north side of the valley and eventually joins the Rio Grande Trail.

The Rio Grande Trail is groomed in winter for classic and skate skiing through Snowmass Canyon and all the way to Aspen if you’re up for it. Crown Mountain Park has two dedicated loops, one for skiing and snowshoeing and one for fat biking. The Roaring Fork Club has groomed winter trails for skiing and snowshoeing on its golf course, easily accessed from Basalt High School and the Rio Grande Trail.

Year-Round Adventure at Frying Pan Valley

East of Basalt is the vast, sprawling Fryingpan Valley, and every manner of adventure can be had there, from rock climbing to backcountry skiing to camping and fishing —even ice fishing.

And right in town? As the book suggests, a river runs through it, and every type of water sport can be had on the sun-sparkled waters of the Roaring Fork River. There’s nothing like a float from Fisherman’s Park in Basalt to the Catherine Bridge near Carbondale.

by Kathleen Fitzsimmons