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Top Picks for Leaf Peeping in Aspen

Fall Lodging Discounts & Deals

Discover fall in Aspen, with brilliant changing leaves, a colorful cultural calendar and affordable accommodations. Hotel rates drop as much as 50 percent and restaurants offer discounted menus. Fall rates start at $90 per room per night.

Check out these unique ways to fall for Aspen’s spectacular autumn season:

• A Bird’s Eye View. Fall colors will never look the same after paragliding over the town of Aspen. Aspen Expeditions’ tandem guides take you to the top of Aspen Mountain. Once on top, take flight and enjoy the adrenaline rush. (www.aspenparagliding.com; 970.925.7625)

• Hut-to-Hut. Trek through vast wilderness and stay at the 10th Mountain Division Hut System. Twenty-nine backcountry huts sprinkle the Colorado Rocky Mountains—many with easy access to Aspen, most accessible by 4-wheel drive, mountain bikes or hiking. Huts are equipped with fireplaces, cooking materials and water. (www.huts.org; 970.925.5775)

• Rubber Side Down. Tear up Aspen’s network of challenging mountain bike trails, pack a picnic lunch, and decide which fall color is the most inspirational. For the road bikers, snake through miles of forested canyon roads before hitting the town for fall dining specials and live music. Aspen’s bike shops can provide local knowledge and equipment. (Blazing Adventures -www.blazingadventures.com; 970.923.4544; Ute City Cycles; 970.920.3325)

• Ride a Hog. Twist and turn up the 40-mile Independence Pass on a rented Harley Davidson, as groves of Aspen trees are postcard perfect. Or, if a Harley isn’t your favorite steed, rent a convertible and let the wind whip your worries away. Take a day trip from Aspen to the block-long town of Twin Lakes, located at the base of the two highest peaks in Colorado—Mount Elbert and Mount Massive. (Aspen Valley Harley Davidson – www.aspenhd.com; 970.928.7493)

• Take a Hike or Climb a Fourteener. Go the old-fashioned route. Put boot-to-trail and nature comes to you. Favorite fall hikes in Aspen include Grizzly Peak, Cathedral Lakes, American Lake and the Hunter Creek Trail. If feeling ambitious, take a guided trek up one of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks. For gear, maps and guides visit the Ute Mountaineer or Aspen Expeditions. (www.utemountaineer.com; 970.925.2849; www.aspenexpeditions.com; 970.925.7625)

• Become a History Buff. Heritage Aspen offers historical tours to the mining ghost towns of Ashcroft and Independence. View amazing fall foliage while catching a glimpse of Aspen’s silver mining era. Also check out the historical Wheeler Stallard Museum in Aspen’s West End. (www.aspenhistory.org; 970.925.3721)

• Be a Natural. Visit the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) on the Hallam Lake Reserve. Take in the autumn hues with the family while learning about the native trees, birds and animals that thrive in the high-alpine environment. (www.aspennature.org; 970.925.5756)

• Adopt-A-Pet. If you have been giving serious thought to adding a new family member, visit the Aspen Animal Shelter and adopt Spot for a day of fall fun and a lifetime of companionship... or bring your own dog along for an Aspen adventure. Stroll the Rio Grande Trail with a four-legged friend and watch the fall colors as they bounce off the playful Roaring Fork River.

  Many of Aspen’s hotels, including St. Regis Resort, Aspen, Hotel Jerome, The Little Nell, and SKY Hotel are dog friendly. (www.dogsaspen.com; 970.544.0206)

• Aspen Filmfest & Cocktail Classic. The last weekend of September, hang in town for the Aspen Filmfest and the fifth annual Cocktail Classic. Rub elbows with Hollywood types and attend Filmfest screenings On Sept. 28, discover Aspen’s nightlife and vote for Aspen’s official cocktail of the winter season. (www.aspenchamber.org; 888.452.2409).
  
  ASPEN FRESH - Check the recipe to mix up a batch of the official 2005 Cocktail Classic Winner
  from LEV HOFMANN of RUSTIQUE BISTRO.!
  
  

also see in Fall Fun Guide -> Colorado Fall Foliage