Crested Butte to Maroon Bells Trailhead

You'll need to plan the logistics and shuttles well in advance of this hike unless you intend to do 30+ miles on foot from downtown to downtown. A good start to that planning is to visit the Aspen Chamber website, Maroon Bells Shuttle Service, and the Forest Service's Aspen Ranger District office or website. The route begins near the old mining town of Gothic, at the Copper Lake/Judd Falls trailhead. Check out Judd Falls, soon after you leave the trailhead, which is an impressive little mountain cascade. The route trends northeasterly up Copper Creek, past Copper Lake, and up to the high point of East Maroon Pass. --Before you arrive at Copper Lake, you'll see a junction (or two) with an option to go right. To follow this recommended route, choose the left option to Copper Lake and East Maroon Pass. The right-turn options would bring you to Triangle or Copper Pass, which are alternative, longer ways to get to the Aspen area. --From East Maroon Pass, continue northerly into the picturesque alpine valley of East Maroon Creek, for nine miles of gradual downhill. At the bottom of the valley where the East Maroon valley merges with the West Maroon valley, you'll arrive at a trail intersection that gives you the option of going right or left. The left option (recommended route) will bring you to the Maroon Bells Trailhead where the shuttle bus can pick you up if it is running and if you made a reservation. The right-turn option brings you down valley a little further to the West Maroon Portal Campground. This option can work as well, you just need to get creative with the planning to make sure you have a ride from that trailhead.