Everything from Glenwood Springs to Aspen and Beyond

West Elk Loop - a 205 mile drive following Highway 133 south from Carbondale right past the Crystal River Resort, to Hotchkiss, south to Gunnison over Highways 92 and 50, then north to Crested Butte on Highway 135, and back to Highway 133 on Kebler Pass Road.

The West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Route has a lot to see and do along it's route. It's a full day's drive to make the 205 mile trip. What a great outing to plan from your Cabin at the Crystal River Resort… a day of adventure and mountain splendor here in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Other area attractions include:

  • McClure PassRedstone Castle - just less than 11 miles south of Crystal River Resort Cabins and Campground on Highway 133 is the historic Redstone Castle, a 42-room mansion built between 1892 and 1902 by John Cleveland Osgood. 970-704-1430
  • View from Highway 133 near McLure Pass, 19 miles south of Crystal River Resort Cabins and Campground
  • Penny Hot Springs - Just 7 miles south of Crystal River Resort Cabins and Campground on Highway 133 Right off the road on the Crystal River. This is not a commercial location. It's just a place where hot spring water temperature exceeding 130 degrees feeds into the Crystal River. Over the years people have built rock-rimmed pools on the riverbank. Be careful hiking down to the river, it's somewhat of a challenge and one should be in good shape before attempting to access and use the Penny Hot Springs.
  • Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and Historic Fairy Caves - 51000 Two Rivers Plaza Road, Glenwood Springs, 81601 phone: 800-530-1635, 970-945-4228. One of the top ten Caves in the US! During the summer an Aerial Tramway departs Iron Mountain Station daily beginning at 8:30 a.m. . Tours are available of the original Fairy Caves, which opened in 1895 but closed during World War I. The tour trail winds through subterranean caverns and grottos.
  • Glenwood Hot Springs PoolGlenwood Hot Springs Pool - 401 North River Road, Glenwood Springs, phone: 970-945-6571, 970-945-7131. Possibly one of the most popular attractions in the area, the pool is more than two blocks long making it the world's largest outdoor natural hot-springs pool.
  • Yampah Spa and Vapor Caves - 709 E. 6th Street, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, 970-945-0667. Hot mineral water flows through the caves. Pamper yourself with one of their massages.
  • Glenwood Canyon - a scenic and engineering wonder. After more than 13 years the reconstruction of I-70 Glenwood Canyonin the canyon between Glenwood springs and Dotsero was completed. With this, the canyon now has a 16-mile path that winds along the Colorado River, popular for hiking, kayaking, rafting, and fishing. Hanging Lake is accessible from a canyon trail that rises 1000 feet in one mile. Better make sure you take your time along with water and energy snacks. The scenic beauty of the canyon is something no one should miss while in the area. Check with the Glenwood Springs Chamber and Resort Association, 970-945-6589.
  • Aspen - World famous hideout for the rich and famous, where movie stars wander the streets and shops. Cher, Dennis Weaver, Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Bill Gates among other famous personalities have homes nearby. They have discovered the year around splendor offered by this beautiful little mountain town. Aspen is home to three ski areas that offer all the varied terrain that Colorado has become famous for. Aspen Mountain, Aspen Buttermilk, and Aspen Highlands offer the winter sports enthusiast a wealth of seasonal fun. An amazing winter wonderland enjoyed by all who visit. The apre' skiing is some of the best in the world and naturally the facilities for it are wonderful! Located 220 miles West of Denver on I-70 then South on Hwy. 82, the drive itself is beautiful and passes through the magnificent splendor of the Rocky Mountains. Aspen is also served by a great number of flight connections at it's well appointed regional airport. Film festivals and music festivals from Jazz to Classical, and all sorts of cultural activities highlight the almost boundless opportunities for the visitor. All these venues have made Aspen Colorado a mecca for world travel.
  • Crystal Mill - 6 miles above the town of Marble. It's accessible by hiking or 4-wheel drive only.
  • Independence Pass - Highway 82 between Aspen and Leadville. The road is closed during the winter months. During the summer make sure to take your time and care driving up to the pass since the road is a classic example of a narrow and winding mountain road. It's well worth the trip since the road takes you well above timberline over 12,000 feet, one of the highest continuous highways in the country.
  • Marble - 29 miles south of Carbondale (about 23 miles south of the Crystal River Resort Cabins and Campground) Also, check with Carbondale Community Chamber of Commerce, 970-963-1890. Visit the Marble Finishing Mill, the museum and the quarry. Many of the statues in the country were sculpted out of marble mined in the historic Yule quarry. The marble used in the Colorado State Capitol, for the terminal walls of the Denver International Airport and that used for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (the largest single block ever produced in the United States at 110 tons trimmed to 55 tons in 1931) and the Lincoln Memorial (1916 & 1917) in Washington DC is from this famous quarry. Make the Yule quarry a must on your list of attractions.
It just keeps getting better… Maroon Bells
  • Maroon Bells - South of Highway 82 on Maroon Creek Road from Aspen. Check with the Forest Service at 970-925-3445..The Maroon Bells are the most photographed mountains in Colorado, possibly anywhere. Nothing beats them for sheer mountain beauty. Private vehicles are restricted during summer season, but bus service is available from the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority. Well worth the bus ride!
  • Harvey Gap State Park - Off CR 237 15 miles northeast of Rifle, Colorado, 970-625-1607. Sailboard, swim and boat in this 340 acre park.
  • Heritage Aspen - 620 West Bleeker St., Aspen, Colorado, 970-925-3721. "The Spirit of Aspen" exhibit shows the history of Aspen. Walking tours and children's programs are offered in summer with the museum open year-round.
  • Wheeler Opera House - 320 E. Hyman Avenue, Aspen, Colorado, 970-920-5770. Built in 1889, the opera house is listed on the national and state historic registers. This Victorian opera house offers drama, dance, concerts, and slide shows year-round.
  • Wheeler-Stallard Museum - 620 W. Bleeker Street, Aspen, Colorado, 970-925-3721. Housed in a restored 1888 home, the museum preserves artifacts from the silver-mining, ranching and ski industries.
  • White River National Forest - 900 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, 970-945-25212.3 million acres with 8 wilderness areas and a ton of ski areas and lakes and fishing and sailboarding and kayaking and sailing and mountain biking and hiking and climbing and… and the Crystal River Resort Cabins and Campground is located less than a mile from it's border!
HISTORY AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
  • Independence Ghost Town - 15 miles east of Aspen on Independence Pass, 970-925-3721. This ghost town was established during the 1882 gold rush.
  • Ashcroft Ghost Town - 12 miles south of Aspen on Castle Creek Road, 970-925-3721. Tours of the mining camp, abandoned in 1890, are conducted from June through September. The Blue Mirror Saloon has artifacts and photographs of miners and other colorful characters.
  • Doc Holliday Tombstone - It's ¼ mile climb from 13th and Bennett Streets in Glenwood Springs. Check with the Glenwood Springs Chamber and Resort Association, 970-945-6589. Visit the grave of gunslinger and gambler John "Doc" Holliday.
  • Frontier Historical Museum - 1001 Colorado Ave., Glenwood Springs, 970-945-4448.

BRIEF HISTORY

Old SchoolThe first human use of the area occurred between 5,000 and 10,000 years B.C. The Ute Indians were the most recent Native Americans inhabiting the region until the late 19th Century, when they were removed to live on a reservation. Evidence of their presence can still be found in the form of an extensive trail system. The main Ute Trail from Meeker to Dotsero is being re-marked so that hikers will know they are treading where the Utes once roamed. Early day ranching, mining and agricultural uses developed on the lands after the Native Americans. Signs of these early uses are old mines, pack trails, wagon roads, narrow and standard gauge railroad routes, and prospector, trapper and homestead cabins. If you discover any remnants and relics of our past, leave them in place for the next visitor to appreciate. Cultural artifacts may not be collected from Federal Lands. Check with the White River National Forest Ranger in Carbondale for information about the Ute Trail and other Forest access - 620 Main, Carbondale, 970-963-2266. Also check back from to time to time for more area mining and mountain history. We'll also be adding a paragraph on the 1884 school building located right here at our Crystal River Resort Cabins and Campground.