Colorado · Cross-country skiing · Near Glenwood Springs

Basalt-Old Snowmass Trail

Basalt-Old Snowmass TrailPhoto: Instagram.com/jamie_fenn jamie_fenn, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.7 mi
distance
43 ft
climb
6,896 ft
high point
Easy
difficulty
May–Sep
best months

The Basalt-Old Snowmass Trail is a short, easy cross-country ski route in Colorado, on Bureau of Land Management land within the Colorado River Valley Field Office. The trail is less than a mile long, from about 6,850 feet to about 6,900 feet, with a total elevation gain of about 43 feet. It is an easy, low-commitment outing for skiers looking to add a leg to a longer day on the Rio Grande Trail. The most comfortable months for skiing are typically late fall through early spring. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Aspen show November highs around 45°F and January highs around 35°F, while July and August run in the low 80s. That station sits roughly 800 feet higher than the trail, so temperatures on the trail run somewhat warmer. The Rio Grande Trail and its soft-surface variant lie about 0.1 mile away. Within about 3 miles are the Arbaney-Kittle hike, the Roaring Fork River for fishing, and the Seven Castles climbing area.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Snowmass Area

    Campground

    Campground · 0.8 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Tempranillo

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 3 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Glenwood Springs

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Basalt-Old Snowmass 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

      35° / 9°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      38° / 12°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 21°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      55° / 28°

      11 wet

    5. May

      65° / 35°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 42°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 48°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 47°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 40°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      60° / 29°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      45° / 19°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      34° / 9°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Aspen Pitkin Co Ap, CO, 10.8 mi away at 7,720 ft. The station sits about 800 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive

Rio Grande Trail Soft SurfacePhoto: Instagram.com/jamie_fenn jamie_fenn, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rio Grande Trail Soft Surface

Next door

0.57-mile trail in Colorado with 184 ft of elevation gain.

Jaffe ParkPhoto: redlegsfan21 from Vandalia, OH, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Jaffe Park

~16 min drive

0.46-mile ski trail in Jaffe Park, Colorado with 6 feet of elevation gain.

Labrador LanePhoto: Hunter Bryant hunterbryant, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Labrador Lane

~16 min drive

1.48-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 172 ft of elevation gain.

Maroon Gorge TrailPhoto: Viktor Lapinskii, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Maroon Gorge Trail

~22 min drive

0.78-mile trail in Colorado with 234 ft of elevation gain.

ButtermilkPhoto: Werdna, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Buttermilk

~22 min drive

Buttermilk has 44 runs, 8 lifts, and 2,008 ft of vertical in Colorado.

Rio Grande TrailPhoto: redlegsfan21 from Vandalia, OH, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Rio Grande Trail

~16 min drive

14.93-mile route in Colorado with 845 ft of elevation gain.

Owl Creek Nordic TrailPhoto: Hunter Bryant hunterbryant, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Owl Creek Nordic Trail

~17 min drive

5.38-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 1,072 ft of elevation gain.

Tom Blake Equestrian TrailPhoto: Hunter Bryant hunterbryant, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Tom Blake Equestrian Trail

~18 min drive

Tom Blake Equestrian Trail is a 0.71-mile route in Colorado with 273 feet of elevation gain.

SEE

Aspen Snowmass

~19 min drive

Aspen Snowmass is a Colorado ski area with 19 lifts, 91 runs, and 4,402 ft vertical drop.

Bernese BoulevardPhoto: Liam Vo, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Bernese Boulevard

~22 min drive

1.34-mile route in Colorado with 71 ft of elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors