G G u i d e GGuu i i d d e e toto tt h h e e MMaa ro ro o o n n BBellsells u i d e sscc e e n n i i c c aarr e e a a to to s s c e n i c c e n i c t h e t h e M M a a ro o n a a ro o n r e a r e a B B ells ells WhiteWhite RiverRiver NationalNational ForestForest DAVID HISER • PHOTOGRAPHERS/ASPEN The Maroon Valley forests and people wildeRNess SafeTy e l c o m e to the Maroon National Forest System lands are public lands The Forest Service strives for excellence www.Recreation.gov. Picnicking sites are avail- Maroon Lake is at an altitude of 9,580 feet or 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 and 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 hear 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 about from you. You may contact any Forest Service CoNCessioNs ANd supplies can explore a glacial valley protective clothing including a hat, and listen the area. employee, complete a visitor survey card, visit • There are NO vending machines, restaurants, to your body. surrounded by 14,000-foot We offer guided naturalist hikes and pro- or call the Aspen District Office. or other supplies available at Maroon Lake. • Symptoms of the effects of altitude such as nausea, headache, dry mouth, fast heartbeat, grams, some of which are con- However, many Aspen area restaurants offer peaks, view vast fields of wildflowers, and be close to U.S. Forest Service W and restlessness can be minimized by eating ducted through our partnership Camping/picnicking box lunches with advanced notice. Nature. The Maroon Bells form a backdrop that epitomizes lightly and drinking plenty of water. Also, while a T-shirt and shorts may feel comfortable in with the Aspen Center for Camping is allowed in Maroon • Any food or beverage containers carried into what the Rocky Mountains are all about. Mirrored in the waters of Maroon Lake, the Maroon Bells Aspen, the weather can be dramatically differ- Environmental Studies. The Valley only at the developed the Maroon Lake or wilderness areas must be ent at the Maroon Bells. Be prepared for after- tower like massive sentinels over the valley. The mountains’ red color and distinctive bell shape led noon thundershowers and dress in layers. interpretive program and the campgrounds: Silver Bar, Silver packed out. There are trash containers at the earlier explorers to give the Maroon Bells their name. From Maroon Lake, you can see into the • If you need help, let others know. The nearest maintenance of the facilities and Bell, and Silver Queen. There lake and on the buses. phone will be a hike to the parking lot and a trails at the Maroon Bells are are no showers or RV hook- • Public restrooms are located near the bus Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, public land designated by Congress to be protected and drive to the entrance station (cell phones do not KEN MCGRAW work here!). Forest Service personnel have made possible through the fees ups. Advanced reservations can drop off/pick up points. managed to preserve its natural conditions. Careful use of this area will keep the natural treasures radios that can reach out of the valley in cases collected as part of the Federal Lands be made for these sites by calling toll-free • Please remember to take only pictures and of emergency. found here protected for generations. Enjoy your visit to the Maroon Valley. Recreation Enhancement Act. 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 clone to be a single Winter storms that bring snow to delight ski- It took Nature 300 million years to form the Walk quietly, look closely, and you may see by many different habitats that are home to a organism! Aspen sprout ers often make the Maroon Valley extremely scenic Maroon Valley. The geologic history some of the animals and flowers living here. wide variety of plants and wildlife. These habi- very quickly in newly dangerous for travel because of avalanches. here includes eons of sedimentation, uplift, But please, do not attempt to approach or tats include riparian zones near streams and cleared areas created by Avalanches send tons of snow plummeting faulting, and erosion by wind, water, and ice. feed wildlife. KEN MCGRAW other wet areas, mountain meadows, aspen avalanches, fire, or tim- from the steep peaks and ridges into the valley Sedimentation started the mountain- Pika • The behavior of groves, conifer forests, and high above the trees, ber harvest, and growth bottoms. building process. It took millions of years larger wildlife spe- alpine tundra. is stimulated by sun- Throughout the Maroon Valley corridor, for streams, lakes, and inland seas to KEN MCGRAW KEN MCGRAW cies, such as bear, shine. Aspen trees have many of the mountainsides appear to have lit- deposit sedimentary layers 10,000 feet thick. Rufous Hummingbird R i p ar i an Z o N e s elk, mountain relatively short lives (only about 100 years or tle or no vegetation. Most often these are ava- Those sediments eventually became trans- CARPENTER Found in moist soils sheep, and deer so) and are gradually replaced by spruce and fir. lanche paths, swept clean of trees by sliding formed into the rocks you see in the valley ORNELIA next to streams, ripari- can be unpredict- C snow. Such treeless scars remain for many today. The red Colorado Blue Columbine an habitats consist CoNifeR foResTs Above Maroon Lake, able and danger- years. Active avalanche paths are frequently color in the mainly of shrubs such ous. conifer forests consist mostly of Engelmann KEN MCGRAW grass-covered; less active paths are soon cov- Maroon Western Red Paintbrush & Silver Lupine as willows, alder, and spruce and subalpine fir, two tree species that KEN MCGRAW ered with shrubs and small trees. In the Formation results • There are no poi- Bighorn Sheep river birch, as well as are well adapted for the colder and wetter cli- Maroon Valley’s narrow bottomlands it is not from the weather- sonous snakes in blue spruce and aspen mate of higher elevations. Where the trees grow uncommon for an US FOREST SERVICE ing of hematite, an the valley. KEN MCGRAW trees. Stands of ripari- KEN MCGRAW and how well they pros- avalanche path to North Maroon Peak from Buckskin Pass iron-bearing min- Red Fox an shrubs are good places to spot mule deer, per relates directly to • Grizzly bears extend several hun- eral. Color variations are caused by differences who favor these areas because the shrubs pro- altitude, climate, the once roamed the valley, KEN MCGRAW dred yards up the in the original sources of the sediment, as well Red-breasted Nuthatch vide good cover and food. availability of sunshine but now black bears are opposite side of the as the effects of mineralization caused by heat and water, and distur- the only bruins that MountaiN MeAdows Forest openings that valley. during a period of uplift around 34 million bance factors such as occasionally wander are covered by grasses and wildflowers are While traveling in years ago. The process of geologic uplift, along KEN MCGRAW fire and avalanches. through the area. KEN MCGRAW important foraging areas for many wildlife spe- the Maroon Valley, with faulting, gave the Maroon Bells their Blue Grouse Yellow-bellied Marmot Spruce and fir trees The remnants of an avalanche cies. Meadows are created by avalanches or fire, look for avalanche thatthat crossedcrossed MaroonMaroon CreekCreek RoadRoad height. Erosion gradually shaped the peaks and grow slower than aspen, near Stein’s Meadow or because the soil is too wet or too dry for for- paths. The power of CORNELIA CARPENTER ridges. but live longer, usually est growth. Because of abundant sunshine, KEN MCGRAW avalanches is obvious, even awe-inspiring, Two million years ago, the earth’s climate several hundred years. meadows harbor the greatest variety of wild- especially when you see the bottom of the cooled. Glaciers formed throughout the KEN MCGRAW flowers compared to any of the forest habitats. AlpiNe TuNdra At high elevations, the rig- path filled with broken trees and masses of Rockies. Rivers of ice filled the Maroon KEN MCGRAW Red Osier Dogwood Great Horned Owl orous climate makes tree survival impossible. debris. Imagine what the road you are travel- Valley and its major tributaries. These glaciers AspeN GRoVes Aspen trees grow as clones: Above the 11,40' treeline, cold temperatures, ing on would look like after an avalanche has scraped their way along the mountainsides and many trees, all genetically identical, and all a short growing season, and harsh, drying winds covered it with a 20-foot deep pile of snow. created the distinctive U-shaped profile of the linked together through a common root sys- KEN MCGRAW mean only small, specialized tundra plants main valleys. Though the glaciers retreated KEN MCGRAW tem. Scientists consider all of the trees in a This brochure was produced in partnership between the US Forest Service, Porcupine Mule Deer KEN MCGRAW the Forest Conservancy, and the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority © 2008 CORNELIA CARPENTER survive.