Colorado · Hiking · Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

Capitol Ditch Trail

Capitol Ditch TrailPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
5.4 mi
round trip
298 ft
climb
9,731 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Capitol Ditch Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Capitol Ditch Trail is a 5.4-mile out-and-back hike in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, part of the Aspen Ranger District of White River National Forest in Colorado. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail sits within designated wilderness, so plan on a natural surface and a moderate climb of about 300 feet from the low point at 9,470 feet to the high at 9,731 feet. The most comfortable stretch for a visit runs from June through September. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Aspen put July highs around 76°F with lows near 48°F. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. The trail is rated moderate, and the route is set for horses. Bikes are not allowed. Nickelson Creek and Williams Lake both lie within about a mile, and Capitol Creek offers paddling about 3 miles away. Avalanche Campground is about 6 miles off for an overnight stay.

Go with a guide

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Capitol Ditch Trail

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      32° / 10°

      13 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 13°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      43° / 20°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 27°

      12 wet

    5. May

      60° / 35°

      11 wet

    6. Jun

      71° / 42°

      8 wet

    7. Jul

      76° / 48°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      73° / 47°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 40°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      55° / 30°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 19°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      32° / 10°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Aspen 1sw, CO, 13.9 mi away at 8,175 ft. The station sits about 1,600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Nickelson CreekPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Nickelson Creek

~1 min drive

15.38-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 2,267 ft elevation gain.

Williams LakePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Williams Lake

~2 min drive

1.48-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 416 ft gain.

Capitol Peak: Approach to 12,100 ftPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Capitol Peak: Approach to 12,100 ft

~2 min drive

Approach to Capitol Peak (14,137 ft) from Capitol Creek, mapped to about 12,100 ft. The summit is about 2,100 ft higher, off the mapped line.

Lower Capital TrailPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Lower Capital Trail

~2 min drive

5.28-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 2,394 ft gain/loss.

Capitol CreekPhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Capitol Creek

~7 min drive

17.85-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 2,260 ft elevation gain.

Hardscrabble LakePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Hardscrabble Lake

~2 min drive

0.17-mile out-and-back trail to Hardscrabble Lake in Colorado.

Snowmass Mountain: Approach to 12,300 ftPhoto: rjones0856, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Snowmass Mountain: Approach to 12,300 ft

~13 min drive

Approach to Snowmass Mountain (14,099 ft) from Snowmass Creek, mapped to about 12,300 ft. The summit is about 1,800 ft higher, off the mapped line.

Capitol Peak RoutePhoto: lamblukas, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Capitol Peak Route

~6 min drive

1.32-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 956 ft gain.

HIKE

West Snowmass

~8 min drive

9.83-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado's White River National Forest with 3,192 ft gain.

Maroon-Snowmass Trail 1975Photo: jofwooster, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Maroon-Snowmass Trail 1975

~10 min drive

0.07-mile out-and-back trail in Colorado with 12 ft of elevation gain.