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View of Mt. Sopris
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The Van Horn House is situated near Carbondale, Colorado, overlooking Mount Sopris and the Roaring Fork Valley. We are centrally located, convenient to Glenwood Springs with its Hot Springs and Vapor Caves, Aspen with its skiing, shopping, and cultural attractions, and surrounded by the White River National Forest, with its many backcountry recreational opportunities--biking, jeeping, cross-country skiing, fishing, hiking, and more |
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Backcountry Highlights
White River National Forest is one of the most popular hiking, biking, jeeping, and fishing destinations in the country. Get a Forest Service or commercial trail and topographic map, pick a spot at random, a trail nearby and go hiking. Or spend an afternoon fishing in the renowned Gold Medal Trout rivers.
Some of our favorite hiking spots near Aspen include Hunter Creek, above town (there is some trailhead parking north and east of the Hotel Jerome), Lostman Lake off of Highway 82 toward Independence Pass, and of course the Maroon Bells.
The Maroon Bells are among the most spectacular of Colorado's mountains, and the most popular. If you intend to visit Maroon Bells during the summer, prepare to walk or bicycle up the access road (for free) or take a bus from Aspen to the Maroon Bells picnic area. Due to the number of folks who want to see the "Bells," visitors are required to take a shuttle or use muscle-power to visit them. Highly recommended is the West Maroon Pass loop.
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Snowmass Mountain and Bear Creek from Snowmass Creek Trail >
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Snowmass Creek
Alternatively, consider a wilderness hike up Snowmass Creek. Drive east from the Van Horn house to "Old" Snowmass. It's just east of the Basalt area at the old Conoco station (and post office). Drive south on Snowmass Creek and take a left at the fork in the road. Continue down Snowmass Creek road to the end of the valley. There is a parking area and trail head there, just before the road starts climbing steeply over a ridge into "New" Snowmass. The trail starts in the aspen, overlooking a broad valley. It starts a gradual climb into a more alpine setting, ending at Snowmass Lake before joining other trails including some headed to the Maroon Bells. Getting to Snowmass Lake and back is an all day affair. Beware of afternoon storms!
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View of Snowmass Lake >
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Other Favorite Spots
Other favorites include the Yule Creek trail above Marble, Avalanche Creek and Mount Sopris trails. There are several local outfitters who will help if you wish to pack into area wilderness.
Finally, don't forget Hanging Lake in Glenwood Canyon. Follow the signs on I-70. The trail is difficult in spots, but the final goal is spectacular.
There are several great bicycling destinations. For mountain bikers, Castle Creek Road, continuing through Ashcroft and over Pearl Pass, is recommended. Hunter Creek Trail is also open in most areas to mountain bikers. In addition, there are dozens of jeep trails perfect for mountain bicycling. There are several bicycling outfitters who can rent cycles and other gear.
Suitable to either mountain or tour bicycles are the Rio Grande Trail, Woody Creek Canyon, Castle Creek Road, Maroon Creek Road (free access for bicyclists), and Glenwood Canyon bike trail. |
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Mt. Sopris >
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Downhill and Nordic Skiing
Enjoy world-class skiing at one of the four mountains in the Aspen ski complex. Buttermilk, with its easy runs and nice cruising, is recommended for beginners or as a warm-up first day on the mountain for better skiers. Snowmass offers a diverse assortment of skiing, with something for nearly everyone. There is a new gondola from the base to the base of Elk Camp, and a new high-speed quad to the top of Elk Camp. The new base village facilities should be wonderful when they are finished. Aspen Highlands features intermediate to extremely challenging runs, with tree skiing and powder. A new base village was completed a few years ago in European style. The old, slow two-person Exhibit chair from the base has been replaced with a high-speed quad. Aspen Mountain is not for beginners - not a single green run. There are many double black (and believe them when they say it) and even the intermediate runs, except those at the top of the Silver Queen Gondola (new cars, by the way), are difficult. For an easy day, try Ski Sunlight outside Glenwood Springs. |
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Skiing >
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If you prefer a more intimate, peaceful winter sport, visit one of several cross country skiing areas, some with groomed trails and some with equipment rental. Both the Aspen and Snowmass Golf Courses offer a day or half-day of skiing close to civilization. Ashcroft is a bit of a drive (about 12 miles) up Castle Creek Road, but is worth it. The valley is quiet, secluded and dramatic. Ski into the Pine Creek Cookhouse for a gourmet lunch or ski in at night with a head lamp or travel by horse-drawn sleigh for those who choose an easier way in. Make reservations at Pine Creek well in advance. There are lovely trails through the trees and along Castle Creek, as well as several warming huts. |
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Getting ready to ski >
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For a completely different cross-country skiing experience, try Spring Gulch. About a nine mile drive west of downtown Carbondale, Spring Gulch is a community owned and volunteer operated system of groomed trails on a high sage-brush covered plateau overlooking Mount Sopris and the Crystal River Valley. There are plenty of easy to moderate trails, and a few challenging slopes. As you climb up to the ridge overlooking the plateau, you wind through oak and several stands of tall aspen trees. Best of all, Spring Gulch is free. (Contributions are requested.) The only disadvantage is that sometimes there isn't quite enough snow. Ask your hosts or take the short drive to check it out yourself. (There's a great sledding hill across the road from the ski area.) |
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Resorts
A visit here would not be complete without a trip to the world famous Glenwood Springs Hot Springs. The world’s largest mineral hot springs pool consists of a small soaking pool maintained at 104 degrees or so, and the large pool at about 90 degrees. In the summer, kids of all ages enjoy the water slides. Don’t leave home without your swimming gear; if you do, the pool rents and sells swim wear.
Adjoining the pool is a full service health club with exercise equipment, bicycles, and treadmills (just in case you haven't already had enough exercise on the slopes or trails), steam room, jacuzzi, sauna, and luxurious locker rooms. A one-day membership in the health club is just a few dollars more than a ticket for the hot springs pool, and includes access to the pool. So splurge a little! |
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Next door to the pool is the Yampah Spa and Vapor Caves. Many years ago, the Ute native Americans relaxed in the vapors of the cave at the west end of Glenwood Canyon; the ancestors believed that the vapors had healing powers. The spa offers all of the services of a luxury spa - treat yourself to a massage, facial, body wrap and many other options. A word of warning: if you are claustrophobic, skip the cave or do it briefly. |
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A newer attraction is the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. A ride up the tram to the entry of the caverns gives you a completely different view of the Roaring Fork Valley and brings you to the top, where there are a number of activities for your entertainment. You may choose a walking tour of the caverns, or a more intense tour of the caverns (be ready to crawl on your belly and get dirty) and the “wild tour” which takes you deep into the caverns (mostly belly crawling and dirt). And then there are the rides - a roller coaster kind of ride down the hillside, a swing that takes you well over the valley (about a 1300 foot elevation over the valley floor) and a few other intriguing possibilities. On the tamer side, there is the inevitable gift shop, and a restaurant that serves lunch and dinner with a view down the valley and serves pretty good food. |
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Golf
Golf activity in the Valley has grown rapidly over the last few years. There are courses with spectacular mountain scenery, including courses in Aspen, Snowmass, Basalt, Carbondale and Glenwood Springs. Some courses are municipal but there are a number of exclusive clubs; some of those clubs do allow non-members to play, but please ask us for more information. |
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Driving range and practice green at the municipal Aspen golf course >
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Culture, Arts, Science, and Festivals
Between late June and late August, Aspen hosts the Aspen Music Festival and School, featuring internationally renowned artists and the students from the School. Competition is fierce for the opportunity to study with a world-class faculty and to play under superb conductors. Events are scheduled at the Benedict Music Tent, Harris Hall and several other venues around Aspen. The students frequently play on street corners in town, and the informal concerts are free! There are now a number of winter recitals, too, in the Harris Music Hall.
In addition to wonderful music, you may enjoy the performances of the Aspen Dance Festival. Visiting ballet companies perform during the summer; some of the companies that have participated are the Taylor Dance Company and the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. The Aspen-Santa Fe Ballet Company is the resident troupe. Check their web site for schedules of performances.
If theater is your preference, Theatre Aspen offers Theatre in the Park during the summer, which generally includes a musical or two, perhaps one serious offering and always one for children. In addition, the Wheeler Opera House is home to a number of plays and musicals throughout the year. The resident company is highly talented, and occasionally they bring in well-known performers as well. In Carbondale there is also Thunder River Theatre Company, which stages a number of performances throughout the year. There is a lot of talent in this Valley!
Strawberry Days, a 100 year tradition in Glenwood Springs, is the oldest community celebration in Colorado, always held on the third full weekend in June. This community fair features food (including, of course, ice cream and strawberries after the Saturday morning parade), music, arts and crafts. Glenwood’s Sayre Park is the site of Strawberry Days, with an amusement park for children on another site; the park is always packed with people. Similar to Strawberry Days, Carbondale hosts its own Mountain Fair during the last full weekend of July, including a pie baking contest (once judged, folks get to eat them). In addition to the crafts, pies and such, Mountain Fair also features a log-splitting contest on Saturday morning - fun to watch! |
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Shopping
For the shoppers among you, there are plenty of quaint shops in Redstone, Carbondale and Basalt. Glenwood Springs offers more traditional shopping. In Redstone, visit the Redstone General Store for a wide variety of merchandise, and the Redstone Art Center for hand made pieces by various artists, mostly from the area, including beautiful pottery and jewelry, including silver and turquoise pieces designed by former Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell.
Carbondale features a variety of shops. For the thrifty among us, there is Miser’s Mercantile for resale items - often terrific bargains. The Carbondale Clay Center features gorgeous pottery; the studio is in the back of the shop. The Crystal Glass Studio specializes in architectural glass such as door panels and lighting, but has a wide selection of small glass items such as vases, stemware and paperweights. Their work is spectacular. Harmony Scott Jewelry Design displays beautiful handcrafted jewelry, primarily using gemstones and gold. Magid Kahhak has his own unique art store, Kahhak Fine Arts, with every painting in the studio done by Magid. His work with oils is bold, striking and very, very special.
If you aren’t tired of shopping yet, visit Basalt. Start at the Tolkat Gallery at the far end of Midland Avenue. The pieces are almost indescribably beautiful. It features heirloom furniture, tapestries, wildlife sculptures in a variety of woods, marble and alabaster, woven Mexican rugs and more. Exclusive to Toklat Gallery are intricate wood carvings by Eddie Running Wolf. Walk down Midland Avenue and find an interesting card store, women’s clothing, kitchen wares, and additional art galleries. An important, relatively new addition to Basalt is the Wyly Community Art Center. Check their web site for activities, since it is primarily devoted to lessons, but does have exhibits periodically. And for those avid fisherpersons, a must-visit place is Taylor Creek Fly Shop. Innumerable flies, fly-making supplies, clothes and everything else you might need before wading into the rivers.
As to Aspen, world famous for the “very best high altitude shopping,” what is there to say? There are numerous designer stores, with an occasional locally owned place. One we love is The Freudian Slip - a lingerie store, of course, with a very clever name indeed. Galleries do outnumber the designer shops, however. The galleries abound with museum-quality art, of every kind and for every taste. Be sure to visit Christopher Cardozo Fine Art for an extensive and moving collection of Edward S. Curtis’s historic (around 1900) photographs of Native Americans. There is also no shortage of ski shops and other sports equipment places, as well as antiques and jewelry. Window shopping can be fun. |
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Dining
There is no shortage of really good places to eat in the Roaring Fork Valley. Here is a sampling, town by town:
Glenwood Springs:
For the Italian food lovers, try Florindo’s for fine Northern Italian dining. Selections include terrific scampi, other seafood and veal. It’s best to arrive early just after opening or late before closing, since they do not accept reservations and the line can be long. For more casual family dining, try the Italian Underground, with great pizza and pasta, just a few doors down from Florindo’s.
If you’re in the mood for steak, there is no better steak to be had in the Valley than those at Juicy Lucy’s, located across from the train station. The steaks are terrific, but there are also salmon and other choices on the menu (but why go to a true steak house and order fish?). There are wonderful appetizers and tempting desserts, if you manage one after indulging. Don’t miss the au gratin potatoes (but split an order - you’ll never finish a whole one).
Other options include Buffalo Valley for barbeque and prime rib, the Bayou for authentic cajun food, the dining room in the Hotel Colorado or Rivers Restaurant for traditional American fare. There are also numerous Mexican restaurants - ask us for recommendations.
Carbondale/El Jebel:
Main Street in Carbondale has become a diner’s heaven. For truly exquisite, innovative American dishes prepared with a real flair and beautifully plated when it arrives at your table, at a restaurant that has been featured in Gourmet and Bon Appetit, you must visit Six89 Main. The menu changes frequently but you can’t go wrong with chef/owner Mark Fisher’s cuisine, featuring herbs grown in the garden behind the restaurant. The atmosphere is comfortable, and the staff and kitchen don’t take themselves too seriously (see the lexicon on the back of the menu for a good giggle or two) but take their food very seriously.
Speaking of Mark Fisher, a few years ago Mark decided that the mid-valley area really needed a Thai restaurant - so he opened Phat Thai a few blocks down on Main Street. Great Thai food, with an atmosphere of grazing and sharing. For good, very well prepared American fare, try Russets. The atmosphere is sophisticated and the servers are very knowledgeable. You must have the signature dish, the wild mushroom soup. It is thick, rich and bursting with mushroom flavor. Yum. A new restaurant, Ella, has joined the Main Street group. Ella also features beautifully prepared American food, sometimes with an amusing twist. Across the street from Ella is the Swiss Gourmet, a deli by day and a gourmet restaurant by night (you need to check whether they are serving on any given night). Ron, the owner, is Swiss and imports intriguing cheeses and meats, as well as a huge selection of sauces, pastas, mustards and the like, many of which you won’t find elsewhere.
Want a great burger? Head for The Pour House. The burgers are great, but the menu is extensive and includes Mexican food as well as numerous sandwiches and full dinners. The atmosphere is very casual - it’s a local’s favorite. Perhaps the best Mexican food around here is found at Mi Casita, owned and operated by a Mexican family. You can always tell that the food is authentic when you see many local Latinos eating there. Try the shrimp and cheese quesadilla and the margaritas are wonderful.
In nearby El Jebel, try Blue Creek Grill for wonderful trout and a lot of other great meals, served in a casual, somewhat noisy (but fun noisy) room. It’s always crowded. Just around the corner is Bella Mia, with fabulous innovative pasta dishes as well as other primarily northern Italian entrees, featuring chicken, seafood and veal. A great option if you don’t feel like driving to Glenwood Springs for super northern Italian food. Zheng offers wonderful Pan-Asian food, including those from China, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand. The small dining room is located in a small shopping center, across the street from Blue Creek Grill and Bella Mia.
Aspen:
Rumor has it that there are more truly fine restaurants in Aspen than anywhere else between New York and Los Angeles. That may or may not be true, but there is certainly no shortage of them. The crown jewel may well be Piñons, serving elegantly prepared game, seafood and meat. You may want to save this for a special occasion, since the price tag is significant (but worth every penny). For more international fare, try Syzyg. There are two separate dining areas, one being the Jazz Room, which obviously features jazz and holds only eight booths. The other is a traditional dining area. Again, a bit pricey but the food is wonderful. If bistro is your style, you may want to visit Cache Cache to sample the marvelous French country food. “Rustic” describes the plates perfectly. In the mood for a steak? The best in Aspen can be found at Jimmy’s, which also serves other meats and seafood. You may eat at the bar if you wish, with a limited selection from the menu. Olives, located in the St. Regis Hotel, serves Mediterranean food, and Montagne, in the Little Nell Hotel serves what they call “Modern American,” with a little nod to the Mediterranean as well. The beautiful Century Room in the historic, lovingly renovated Hotel Jerome serves traditional American food with a flair. A stop at the J Bar in the Jerome may be appropriate for lunch or an aprés ski toddy; Jack Nicholson holds court at the J Bar when he’s in town.
For more casual meals, head for Little Annie’s, an Aspen tradition for many years. The dining room is funky and the menu includes sandwiches (great burgers), main course salads and full dinners. Another casual option is the Hickory House which serves up a great plate of barbequed ribs. In fact, the renowned party planner, Colin Cowie, told Oprah Winfrey on her show about the Hickory House, so Oprah brought the smoker and grill and chef to the sidewalk outside her studio in Chicago to cook ribs for her! (She thought they were great, by the way).
A cautionary note for off-season visitors: Many shops and restaurants close or have limited hours during off-season. Call ahead to determine if your destination is open or to check for revised hours. |
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