G

Guide to the Maroon Bells uide

Recreation Area R

to ecreation

the M aroon

A rea B ells

White River National Forest

CURT CARPENTER

The Maroon Valley Forests and People Wilderness Safety elcome to the Maroon Maroon Lake is at an altitude of 9,580 feet or National Forest System lands are public lands The Forest Service strives for excellence www.Recreation.gov. Picnicking sites are avail- Valley and the White River 2880 meters. Compared to sea level, there is managed for everyone’s benefit to use, enjoy, and is attentive to public needs. If you have able at Maroon Lake & East Maroon Portal. less oxygen available, the air is very dry, and and help protect. While visiting the Maroon questions or suggestions, we would like to National Forest. Here you the sun’s rays are stronger. So, drink lots of water to keep hydrated, wear sun screen and Bells, take the opportunity to learn more hear from you. You may contact any Forest Concessions and Supplies can explore a glacial valley protective clothing including a hat, and listen • to your body. about the area. Service employee, complete a visitor survey There are NO vending machines, restau- surrounded by 14,000-foot card, visit or call the Aspen District Office. rants, or other supplies available at Maroon • Symptoms of the effects of altitude such as We offer guided naturalist hikes and pro- peaks, view vast fields of wildflowers, and be close to nausea, headache, dry mouth, fast heartbeat, grams, some of which are conducted through Lake. However, many Aspen area restaurants US FORESTUS SERVICE and restlessness can be minimized by eating our partnership with the Camping/Picnicking offer box lunches with advanced notice. nature. The Maroon Bells form a backdrop that epitomiz- lightly and drinking plenty of water. Also, while a T-shirt and shorts may feel comfortable in Aspen Center for Camping is allowed in Maroon • Any food or beverage containers carried into esW what the Rocky Mountains are all about. Mirrored in the waters of Maroon Lake, the Maroon Aspen, the weather can be dramatically differ- ent at the Maroon Bells. Be prepared for after- Environmental Studies. The Valley only at the developed the Maroon Lake or wilderness areas must be Bells tower like massive sentinels over the valley. The mountains’ red color and distinctive bell noon thundershowers and dress in layers. interpretive program and the campgrounds: Silver Bar, Silver packed out. There are trash containers at the shape led earlier explorers to give the Maroon Bells their name. From Maroon Lake, you can see • If you need help, let others know. The nearest maintenance of the facilities Bell, and Silver Queen. There lake and on the buses. phone will be a hike to the parking lot and a and trails at the Maroon Bells are no showers or RV hookups. • Public restrooms are located near the bus into the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, public land designated by Congress to be protect- drive to the Welcome Station (cell phones do not work here!). Forest Service personnel have are made possible through the Advanced reservations can be drop off/pick up points. ed and managed to preserve its natural conditions. Careful use of this area will keep the natural radios that can reach out of the valley in cases KENMCGRAW • of emergency. fees collected as part of the made for these sites by calling Please remember to take only pictures and treasures found here protected for generations. Enjoy your visit to the Maroon Valley. Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. toll-free 877/444-6777 or on the web at leave only footprints.

Natural Habitats Avalanche Country Rocky Mountain Rocks Meet the Residents

The landscape of the Maroon Valley is covered quickly in newly Winter storms that bring snow to delight ski- It took nature 300 million years to form the Walk quietly, look closely, and you may by many different habitats that are home to a cleared areas created by ers often make the Maroon Valley extremely scenic Maroon Valley. The geologic history see some of the animals and flowers living wide variety of plants and wildlife. These habi- avalanches, fire, or dangerous for travel because of avalanches. here includes eons of sedimentation, uplift, here. But please, do not attempt to tats include riparian zones near streams and timber harvest, and Avalanches send tons of snow plummeting faulting, and erosion by wind, water, and ice. approach or feed wildlife. KENMCGRAW other wet areas, mountain meadows, aspen growth is stimulated by from the steep peaks and ridges into the valley Sedimentation started the mountain- Pika • The behavior of groves, conifer forests, and high above the sunshine. Aspen trees bottoms. building process. It took millions of years for larger wildlife trees, alpine tundra. have relatively short Throughout the Maroon Valley corridor, streams, lakes, and inland seas to deposit sed-

species, such as KENMCGRAW KENMCGRAW lives (only about 100 many of the mountainsides appear to have lit- imentary layers 10,000 feet thick. Those sedi- Rufous Hummingbird Riparian Zones bear, elk, moun- years or so) and are gradually replaced by tle or no vegetation. Most often these are ava- ments eventually became transformed into Found in moist soils tain sheep, and CARPENTER spruce and fir. lanche paths, swept clean of trees by sliding the rocks you see in the valley today. The red ornelia

next to streams, ripar- deer can be C snow. Such treeless scars remain for many color in the Colorado Blue Columbine ian habitats consist Conifer Forests Above Maroon Lake, unpredictable and years. Active avalanche paths are frequently Maroon mainly of shrubs such conifer forests consist mostly of Engelmann dangerous. grass-covered; less active paths are soon cov- Formation results KENMCGRAW Western Red Paintbrush & Silver Lupine

as willows, alder, and spruce and subalpine fir, two tree species that KENMCGRAW • ered with shrubs and small trees. In the from the weather- There are no Bighorn Sheep river birch, as well as are well adapted for the colder and wetter Maroon Valley’s narrow bottom lands it is not ing of hematite, an poisonous snakes blue spruce and aspen climate of higher elevations. Where the trees uncommon for an avalanche path to extend iron-bearing min- in the valley. US FORESTUS SERVICE trees. Stands of ripar- KENMCGRAW grow and how well they KENMCGRAW several hundred yards North Maroon Peak from Buckskin Pass eral. Color varia- Red Fox ian shrubs are good places to spot mule deer, prosper relates directly • Grizzly bears up the opposite side of tions are caused by differences in the original

who favor these areas because the shrubs to altitude, climate, the once roamed the KENMCGRAW the valley. sources of the sediment, as well as the effects provide good cover and food. availability of sunshine valley, but now black Red-breasted Nuthatch While traveling in of mineralization caused by heat during a and water, and distur- bears are the only Mountain Meadows Forest openings the Maroon Valley, period of uplift around 34 million years ago. bance factors such as bruins that occasion- that are covered by grasses and wildflowers are look for avalanche The process of geologic uplift, along with The remnants of an avalanche KENMCGRAW fire and avalanches. ally wander through KENMCGRAW that crossed Maroon Creek Road important foraging areas for many wildlife paths. The power of faulting, gave the Maroon Bells their height. Blue Grouse Yellow-bellied Marmot Spruce and fir trees near Stein’s Meadow • April , 2002 the area. species. Meadows are created by avalanches or avalanches is obvious, Erosion gradually shaped the peaks and ridges. grow slower than aspen, The remnants of an avalanche fire, or because the soil is too wet or too dry for even awe-inspiring, that crossed Maroon Creek Road Two million years ago, the earth’s climate but live longer, usually near Stein’s Meadow CORNELIACARPENTER forest growth. Because of abundant sunshine, KENMCGRAW especially when you cooled. Glaciers formed throughout the several hundred years. meadows harbor the greatest variety of wild- see the bottom of the Rockies. Rivers of ice filled the Maroon Valley

Alpine Tundra KENMCGRAW flowers compared to any of the forest habitats. At high elevations, the path filled with broken trees and masses of and its major tributaries. These glaciers KENMCGRAW Red Osier Dogwood Great Horned Owl rigorous climate makes tree survival impossible. debris. Imagine what the road you are travel- scraped their way along the mountainsides Aspen Groves Aspen trees grow as clones: Above the 11,400' treeline, cold temperatures, a ing on would look like after an avalanche has and created the distinctive U-shaped profile of many trees, all genetically identical, and all short growing season, and harsh, drying winds covered it with a 20-foot deep pile of snow. the main valleys. Though the glaciers retreat- linked together through a common root system. KENMCGRAW mean only small, specialized tundra plants ed long ago, wind, water and other erosive KENMCGRAW Scientists consider all of the trees in a clone to This brochure was produced in partnership between the US Forest Service, Porcupine Mule Deer the Forest Conservancy, and the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority © 2015 KENMCGRAW survive. forces continue to shape these mountains. CORNELIACARPENTER DESIGN | CURT CARPENTER © 2014 be a single organism! Aspen sprout very Brook Trout Gray Jay To Basalt

Airport The Maroon Bells Bus Tour Business ! Center To preserve the fragile ecosystem of the Maroon Bells, vehicle restric- tions are in place on Maroon Creek Road during the summer. From 8 am–5 pm daily, all motorized vehicles are prohibited with the exception of overnight campers, ADA licensed vehicles and the RFTA Maroon M M Bells bus tour. Operated by the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority Forest Service Trail Number 1983 (RFTA), the bus tour provides visitors with a relaxed, scenic and educa- tional trip from Aspen Highlands all the way to the Maroon Bells. Getting to Aspen Highl ands Village Free shuttle (five PAUL HILTS PAUL Aspen Highlands Rubey Village Park trips/hour) from the Rubey Park Transit Center in downtown Aspen. Transit Center Parking is available at Aspen Highlands. Schedule Tours run daily from mid-June through Labor Day. After Labor Day, service con- M tinues on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through September. Bus tours depart Aspen Highlands Village base area every 20–30 minutes, 8 am–5 pm. Tickets Admission tickets provide access to both the bus tour and the Maroon Bells Recreation Sites. Combination passes provide access to the Bus Tour, Maroon Bells and Silver THE CIRQUE Queen Gondola. Combination passes are not valid at the Welcome Station. Tickets are available at Rubey Park Transit Center in Aspen, and Four Mountain Sports in Aspen Highlands Village. Adults/$6 • Under 6 and Seniors/$4 • All ages Combo Pass/$27 More Information • 970/925-8484 • www.rfta.com U. S. Forest Service Welcome Station

M

s a e r A

d D e t I a F n F ig s I e C D East Maroon U in L

t T p Recreation Area e M c C x 8,800’

e R

d E a

o E

R K k e e U r C 1 9 8 4 n o u ro a M n o g in rk Pa West Maroon o Recreation Area N 9,500’ 1982 Stein’s Meadow 1 9 7 5 U Parking

Mi nn eh a M m h

a

G ulch Maroon Bells Scenic Area CURT CARPENTER © 2014 CURT

Maroon Lake Maroon Creek Trail E At the outlet of Maroon Lake you can begin an enjoyable hike Maroon Lake that winds its way downstream along Maroon (9,580') pro-

US FORESTUS SERVICE Creek, through rocky slopes, mountain vides one of the meadows, and aspen forests. Wildlife can often most memora- be seen along the trail. At the end of your hike, ble scenes in the Rockies. The lake occupies a the bus will pick you up on Maroon Creek Road basin that was sculpted by Ice-Age glaciers and at the East Maroon Portal. Easy 3.2 miles 1 way later dammed by landslide and rockfall debris R Crater Lake Trail E from the steep slopes above the valley floor. For the more X P R E S Here you can picnic, fish, photograph, hike, adventurous, this trail leaves the Maroon Lake S C R E stroll, or simply sightsee. Trail at the Deadly Bells Kiosk. This steep and E K There are several trails in the vicinity of the rocky trail enters the Wilderness, climbing an lake for you to enjoy: ancient rockslide that holds Crater Lake (10,076'). Be prepared for thunderstorms and cooler Maroon Lake Trail Q Follow this short temperatures. Moderate 3.6 miles round trip trail from either the bus stop or the parking lot to get closer to the lake and meadow. Examine You can help protect this area by staying on the beaver lodge and look for their trails to the trails, especially through meadows and aspen trees, which they use for food and tundra, and not short cutting trail switchbacks.

building materials. The trail along the lake is Throughout the White River National Forest, CARPENTER © 2015 CURT an easy, accessible hike for everyone. many other scenic valleys also offer wilderness Easy 1 mile round trip backcountry worth exploring. Ask at local National Forest offices for suggested trails and Scenic Loop Trail W The path starts at related information. the upper end of the lake just past the bridge. Aspen-Sopris Ranger District • 620 Main St. This short trail into the Wilderness offers the Carbondale, CO 81623 • 970/963-2266 • sight and sound of a rushing stream, cascading Aspen Highlands • 970/925-3445 waterfalls, and the quiet of a beaver pond Forest Conservancy • 1012 Brookie Drive hidden in the aspens. Easy 1.5 mile round trip Carbondale, CO 81623 • 970/963-8071