Introduction
Aspen is renowned for its winters. Skiing and snowboarding on these world-class slopes should be on everyone’s bucket list, but the fun doesn’t end when the chair lift stops running for the day. Aspen in winter is genuinely one of the most extraordinary destinations in the American West, and its reputation for world-class skiing tells only a fraction of the story of what makes a winter trip here so memorable. The town itself is as compelling as the mountains above it, with a dining scene, arts culture, festival calendar, and après ski tradition that would be impressive in any major city and are simply astonishing in a mountain town of eight thousand permanent residents.
Known for its world-class skiing and snowboarding across four different resorts, Aspen and Snowmass are two of Colorado’s top winter destinations. The area offers several winter-themed festivals, memorable activities like snowmobiling or dog sledding, and even easy access to hot springs in nearby Glenwood Springs. Whether you are a skier who wants to maximize every powder day or a non-skier looking for a complete and genuinely enriching mountain town winter experience, the 16 best things to do in Aspen Colorado this winter cover everything you need for a trip worth planning far in advance.
Ski and Snowboard All Four Mountains
Every pass gives you access to all four mountains, Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk, each offering its unique terrain and experience. From thrilling expert slopes to beginner-friendly runs, there’s something for everyone. Of course, one of the best things to do in Aspen Colorado is skiing or snowboarding on the majestic mountains. Known locally as Ajax Mountain, the iconic Aspen Mountain rises prominently above the town, offering a premier skiing experience for enthusiasts of all skill levels. With a vertical rise of over 3,000 feet, skiers and snowboarders are treated to exhilarating descents with stunning panoramic views of the surrounding snow-covered peaks. The ski season runs through mid-April, with Aspen Mountain remaining open until April 19, 2026.
Hike the Famous Highland Bowl
Home of the famed Highland Bowl, expert-only terrain, accessed by an uphill slog in your ski or snowboard boots. You will have truly earned your turns when you click back into your bindings and will enjoy some of the best in-bounds skiing in Colorado. We recommend a few warm-up laps before the big hike. The Highland Bowl hike is the single most physically demanding and most rewarding on-mountain experience available in Aspen this winter. The approximately 45-minute boot pack through knee-deep powder to reach the 12,382-foot summit of Aspen Highlands delivers a descent of untracked above-treeline terrain that experienced skiers describe as the best in-bounds skiing available anywhere in Colorado on a good powder day. You’ll need to purchase a ski strap for the hike either from the Ski Patrol shack at the top of the mountain or from a local outdoor retailer.
Watch the Winter X Games at Buttermilk Mountain
Get your adrenaline fix at the Winter X Games, where the world’s best extreme sports athletes gather to showcase their skills. Held at Buttermilk Mountain, this thrilling event will return for its 25th consecutive year in 2026, taking place January 23 to 25, and featuring top skiers, snowboarders, and action sports competitors battling for gold. Whether you’re a sports fanatic or just looking for jaw-dropping action and live entertainment, the Winter X Games is an event you can’t miss. Free concert and fireworks at the Winter X Games on Buttermilk Mountain make this one of the most spectacularly atmospheric free events available anywhere in Colorado this winter season. The combination of world-class athletic performance, live music, and mountain fireworks creates an evening that non-skiers enjoy as much as any skier in attendance.
Ride the Silver Queen Gondola for Scenic Views
The Silver Queen Gondola is an iconic attraction in Aspen that provides a scenic ride and a gateway to breathtaking views and outdoor adventures on Aspen Mountain. The gondola, which starts its ascent from the heart of Aspen, takes visitors on a picturesque journey to the summit of Ajax, providing unparalleled panoramic vistas of the surrounding Rocky Mountains. This 14-minute ride is a year-round attraction, offering a bird’s-eye view of Aspen’s charming town, lush alpine meadows, and snow-capped peaks in the winter. Sightseeing Tickets are available from ticket offices and at aspensnowmass.com. Gondolas run from 9am until 3:30pm daily. Don’t miss the last ride down at 4pm.
Go Ice Skating at the Silver Circle Rink
Ice skating is one of our favorite activities in Aspen besides skiing. Aspen and Snowmass offer fantastic indoor and outdoor skating rinks throughout winter. Just a short walk from the Aspen Mountain Gondola, you’ll find an outdoor rink. For indoor fun, visit the Aspen Ice Garden or the Lewis Ice Arena at the Aspen Recreation Center. Snowmass Base Village offers free ice skating outside the Limelight hotel, steps from the Elk Camp Gondola, while the newly opened Hotel Jerome’s winter ice rink in downtown Aspen provides a picturesque, glow-lit skating experience complete with seasonal ambiance. In Aspen, the Silver Circle Ice rink offers skating under the stars. Skate rentals are available from CP Burger, along with burgers, tots and spiked shakes, which make the skating a little more fun and the falls a bit more bearable.
Snowshoe with an ACES Naturalist Guide
Guided snowshoe tours led by professional Naturalists from the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies offer a glimpse into the high alpine ecosystem and a moderate workout over the course of a 1.5-mile excursion. Tours are available daily at 10am and 1pm and depart from the Silver Queen Gondola on Aspen Mountain, and the Elk Camp Gondola on Snowmass. Gondola ride, snowshoes, snowshoe instruction, and a knowledgeable guide are all included. Warm, waterproof boots are highly recommended. Snowshoeing is an exhilarating option for everyone. Both Aspen Mountain and Snowmass Mountain offer guided snowshoeing tours that delve into Aspen’s rich history and the fascinating Rocky Mountain ecology.
Cross-Country Ski the Free Nordic Trail System
Cross-country skiing lets you explore Aspen’s stunning snow-covered trails on flatter terrain. The Aspen Nordic system is one of the best, with about 60 miles of groomed trails, one of the largest free Nordic systems in the U.S. These scenic trails open in late November and run through mid to late March, and no passes are required to access them. We love cross-country skiing because it offers an intense workout and opens up Aspen’s scenic trails that few others can experience. The free Nordic trail system is the most genuinely accessible winter activity in Aspen for visitors of every fitness level because the flat groomed terrain and the zero-cost access remove every barrier between a first-time visitor and one of the most beautiful cross-country skiing experiences available anywhere in Colorado.
Take a Horse-Drawn Sleigh Ride to Pine Creek Cookhouse
Aspen offers delightful horse-drawn sleigh or carriage rides, perfect for all ages and any occasions. The Pine Creek Cookhouse takes it up a notch by offering sleigh-drawn rides to their luxurious Alpine restaurant during the winter months. With both public and private options available, these carriage and sleigh rides promise to create an unforgettable experience in our own Winter Wonderland. Take a horse-drawn sleigh under the stars to Pine Creek Cookhouse for dinner. The horse-drawn sleigh dinner experience at Pine Creek Cookhouse is the most romantically memorable and most uniquely Aspen dining experience available this winter. Gliding through the snow-covered Elk Mountains under a clear Colorado night sky before arriving at a warm and beautifully lit alpine restaurant is an experience that guests consistently describe as the highlight of their entire Aspen trip.Dine at a Snowcat-Accessed Mountain Restaurant
Experience a truly magical Colorado dinner adventure aboard a snowcat this winter season. Both Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro atop Aspen Highlands and The Cabin at Snowmass offer snowcat-accessed dinner experiences after dark for Winter 2025 to 2026. Cloud Nine’s legendary alpine atmosphere paired with Swiss-inspired cuisine and stunning mountain views makes for an unforgettable evening, while The Cabin delivers cozy lodge charm with western-influenced fare deep in the Snowmass woods. Reservations are required for snowcat dinner departures, which typically occur on select evenings throughout the season. The snowcat dinner is the most adventurously exclusive dining experience in Aspen this winter and reservations should be made weeks in advance.
Enjoy Après Ski at Ajax Tavern and the Aspen Scene
Après ski is a must when vacationing in an alpine village, and in Aspen the culinary delights don’t stop there. We have over 80 restaurants offering up everything from burgers to sushi, with expertly paired wines and hand crafted cocktails to warm you up on a cold winter’s evening. In Aspen check out Ajax Tavern, located on the sunny side of Gondola Plaza, for DJs, dancing, and drinks, all of which start well before the mountain closes and continue through dinner. In Base Village, Limelight Snowmass offers live music, wood-fired pizzas, and s’mores. Aspen’s après ski scene is the most sophisticated and most consistently celebrated mountain town social culture in the American West and a genuine destination experience in its own right regardless of whether you skied that day.
Ride the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster and Tubing at Snowmass
Feel the rush of speeding down Snowmass mountain at speeds of up to 28mph on the Breathtaker, starting at $66. Unlimited access to one of winter’s best pastimes can be enjoyed by the whole family at Elk Camp on Snowmass. Enjoy the Coaster and Tubing combo for $78. The Breathtaker lives up to its name by hitting speeds of up to 28mph on the elevated downhill track as it winds through the forest. Bundle up, as it’s a brisk ride regardless of how much you use the brakes. For those who don’t meet the height requirements for the Coaster, or who are just looking for something a little less speedy, try the lift-served tubing lanes carved into the slopes of Elk Camp Meadows. The Breathtaker Alpine Coaster is the most exhilarating non-ski winter activity available in Aspen for families and non-skiers.
Attend the Ullr Nights Family Evening at Elk Camp
The beloved family-friendly event series, Ullr Nights at Elk Camp Snowmass, is back for 2025 to 26, on select evenings: December 26th, January 2nd, February 13th, February 20th, March 13th, March 20th from 5:00pm to 7:30pm. Activities include tubing, alpine coaster, gondola rides, bonfire and s’mores, and option to dine. Why it’s a highlight: A magical après-ski experience that’s ideal for families and non-skiers too. The Ullr Nights evening series at Elk Camp is the most family-friendly and most warmly atmospheric evening event available in Aspen this winter, combining the mountain activities of the day with the cozy bonfire and s’mores magic of a perfect Colorado winter evening.
Snowmobile Through the White River National Forest
A fun and exciting way to explore Colorado’s beautiful winter landscapes, several companies provide snowmobile tours in the Snowmass and Aspen area. One option is T-Lazy-7, which has tours to a few different locations in the area, including the Maroon Bells wilderness and Independence Pass. T-Lazy-7 even offers snowmobile lunch tours that include spectacular views through the White River National Forest, as well as Wagyu beef cheeseburgers. The snowmobile tour into the White River National Forest is the most expansive and most wilderness-immersive non-ski winter activity available in Aspen, accessing terrain and mountain views that no other winter activity can reach and producing an exhilarating backcountry experience that remains one of the most consistently memorable activities available in the area.
Visit the John Denver Sanctuary
Another highlight of Aspen is the John Denver Sanctuary, which pays tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter and environmental activist John Denver. At the John Denver Sanctuary, you can find beautifully landscaped gardens, winding stone paths, and engraved lyrics from some of Denver’s most iconic songs. The centerpiece of the John Denver Sanctuary is a series of large granite rocks, each etched with the lyrics of Denver’s songs, creating an immersive and lyrical experience that harmonizes with the natural surroundings. The sanctuary is tucked just a short walk from the heart of downtown Aspen. A true tribute to the beloved singer-songwriter. The sanctuary offers peaceful dirt and stone walking paths, lush landscaping, and the soothing sound of a nearby river.
Day Trip to Glenwood Hot Springs
For a luxurious hot springs experience, consider heading to Glenwood Springs, where several hot spring resorts offer visitors to escape the cold in hot, relaxing pools. Options include Yampah Spa and Salon, which features vapor caves as well as a full-service spa, and Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, which has lodging, a spa, and some hot spring pools. There’s also the day resort, Iron Mountain Hot Springs. It has many hot spring pools overlooking the Colorado River. The Glenwood Springs hot springs day trip is the most restorative and most physically therapeutic activity available from Aspen this winter. After several days of skiing, snowshoeing, or any of the other physically demanding activities in this guide, a soak in the world-famous Glenwood Hot Springs or the Iron Mountain Hot Springs pools overlooking the Colorado River provides the specific physical recovery that makes the remaining days of any Aspen winter trip feel like the best skiing of the trip.
Explore the Aspen Art and Dining Scene Downtown
Aspen’s vibrant arts community continues with the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies presenting the exhibition Sculpting the Environment through April 18, 2026. Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village continues to be a cornerstone of Aspen’s vibrant arts community. The 2025 to 26 winter season features the fifth annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition. The 2025 edition of the MICHELIN Guide Colorado confirms that several Aspen restaurants maintained or achieved recognition. Bosq is Aspen’s first and only Michelin one-star restaurant. Element 47 at The Little Nell continues as a recommended restaurant. From the thriving arts and culture scene to the downtown pedestrian malls full of art galleries and shopping, to a plethora of restaurants, explore all that Aspen has to offer.
Planning Your Winter Trip to Aspen Colorado
Aspen’s public transportation is unbeatable for a mountain town. Getting to the mountains is a breeze whether you’re staying slopeside or in town. Booking early, November or early December, may yield better snow, less crowding, and the novelty of new lifts onsite. The Winter X Games weekend from January 23 to 25 is the most energetic and most event-dense single weekend of the Aspen winter season. The Ullr Nights dates in February and March are the best evenings for families to plan around. Peak season from Christmas through New Year’s and again during Presidents’ Week delivers the highest energy and the highest prices simultaneously. Pass options include single-day tickets, multi-day passes, and season passes for frequent visitors.
Conclusion
Aspen in winter rewards every type of traveler who arrives with curiosity and openness to what this extraordinary mountain town offers beyond its legendary slopes. Many of our arts and culture institutions, famous in the summer, offer winter programming. Even if you don’t ski, there is plenty to be enjoyed in our winter wonderland: ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, fly fishing, and more. The 16 best things to do in Aspen Colorado this winter in this guide collectively demonstrate why this town consistently attracts visitors who return year after year, not because the skiing is the best they have ever experienced but because the complete Aspen winter experience, the mountains and the culture and the food and the events and the specific magic of being in one of the most beautiful places on earth covered in snow, is something that no other winter destination in America quite replicates.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time to visit Aspen Colorado in winter?
Skiing this season in Aspen kicks off on Thanksgiving Day, with Aspen Mountain and Snowmass opening first on November 27, 2025, as part of the annual tradition. The ski season runs through mid-April, with Aspen Mountain remaining open until April 19, 2026. Booking early in November or early December may yield better snow, less crowding, and the novelty of new lifts onsite. January and February are the most consistently snow-reliable months and the period when the full range of winter activities and festivals including the Winter X Games and Ullr Nights are operating simultaneously. March delivers spring skiing conditions and the quieter crowds that make it one of the most enjoyable and most affordable periods of the entire Aspen winter season.
What can non-skiers do in Aspen in winter?
Even if you don’t ski, there is plenty to be enjoyed in our winter wonderland: ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, fly fishing, and more. The Silver Queen Gondola and the Elk Camp Gondola offer scenic sightseeing rides throughout the winter season for non-skiers to experience the same mountain beauty that skiers and snowboarders enjoy. Ice skating, snowshoeing with ACES naturalist guides, horse-drawn sleigh rides to Pine Creek Cookhouse, the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster, Ullr Nights at Elk Camp, the John Denver Sanctuary walk, the Glenwood Hot Springs day trip, snowcat dinners, and the downtown art and dining scene collectively provide a completely full and genuinely extraordinary winter trip for visitors who have no interest in skiing.
Is the Winter X Games free to attend in Aspen?
Whether you’re a sports fanatic or just looking for jaw-dropping action and live entertainment, the Winter X Games is an event you can’t miss. The Winter X Games return to Buttermilk Mountain from January 23 to 25, 2026, featuring top international athletes in skiing and snowboarding, live music and festival-style energy. Free concert and fireworks at the Winter X Games on Buttermilk Mountain are available to all visitors. The general spectator areas at the Winter X Games are free to access and include live music and the fireworks finale. Premium seating and hospitality experiences are available for purchase for visitors who want a closer view of the competition and additional amenities.
How far is Glenwood Hot Springs from Aspen Colorado?
For a luxurious hot springs experience, consider heading to Glenwood Springs, where several hot spring resorts offer visitors to escape the cold in hot, relaxing pools. Options include Glenwood Hot Springs Resort which has lodging, a spa, and some hot spring pools, as well as the day resort Iron Mountain Hot Springs with many hot spring pools overlooking the Colorado River. Glenwood Springs is approximately 42 miles from Aspen and the drive along Highway 82 through Glenwood Canyon takes approximately 45 minutes to one hour depending on road and traffic conditions. The RFTA Valley Bus also connects Aspen to Glenwood Springs providing a convenient and affordable public transportation option for day trip visitors who prefer not to drive.
Can you do cross-country skiing in Aspen for free?
The Aspen Nordic system is one of the best, with about 60 miles of groomed trails, one of the largest free Nordic systems in the U.S. These scenic trails open in late November and run through mid to late March, closing March 22, 2026, and no passes are required to access them. The Aspen Nordic trail system is completely free to access, making it the most remarkable free outdoor winter recreation offering available in any major American ski resort town. Equipment rental is available at several locations in downtown Aspen and at the Nordic Center for visitors who do not bring their own cross-country skiing equipment. Lessons are also available for first-time cross-country skiers who want guided instruction before their first solo trail experience.