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5 Most Iconic Snowmass Views

This blog quickly highlights the top five favorite locations to visit for Iconic Snowmass views including dramatic backroads, wildlife sightings, and mountain vistas.
aerial view of hiking trail vista at sunrise in the fall looking at mount daly in snowmass

No matter where you stand in Snowmass, there are truly views in every direction.

Here, we've detailed the 5 most iconic views in Snowmass that you can't leave without seeing.

1. Zen Views

The views reveal themselves gradually as you ascend the switchbacking Rim Trail. Then, upon reaching the marble yin-yang platform at Spiral Point, the Elk Mountains show off some of their best colors. Nearly 360-degree views include Mount Daly with its distinct diagonal stripe, the pointed peak of 14,137-foot Capitol Peak, and a panorama of Snowmass Ski Area.

aerial view of hiking trail vista at sunrise in the fall looking at mount daly in snowmass

2. Heaven's Bells

There’s nothing more iconic to Aspen Snowmass than the Maroon Bells — and a unique perspective on them can be found at the top of the Elk Camp chairlift. Presiding over the upper end of a glacier-carved valley like royalty, the twin 14,000-foot peaks top off a panoramic alpine view that also includes jagged summits, steep cirques and Snowmass’ rugged Hanging Valley.

mountain valley view from a ski area with a chairlift in the foreground and mt. daly peak in the background

3. Mountain Magic

The lookout point, just one mile into the flat and easy Ditch Trail offers major rewards for minor effort. Looking into the Snowmass Creek Valley, you’ll see a mosaic of aspen and evergreen trees dominated by Mount Daly. It’s like you’ve discovered a natural fairytale kingdom that begs further exploration. Click here for more information about the Ditch Trail.

4. The Ice Age

While it’s fun to point out landmarks from a mountaintop, the view from Snowmass’ Sam’s Knob includes perhaps the most interesting story of all. Ringed by aspen trees and perched on a ridgeline, the nearly perfectly round lake below you is Ziegler Reservoir. Ziegler is the repository for thousands of perfectly preserved fossils of Ice Age animals, including mastodons and ancient camels, accidentally discovered by a bulldozer operator in 2010. In 2027, there will be a secondary dig at the Ziegler Reservoir for more fossils, as the reservoir is expanding its holding capacity.

open meadows in the fall with yellow grass, a barn, and a mountain peak in the distance

5. Western Skyline

Between Snowmass and Aspen, Owl Creek Road winds up and over rolling hills and through a massive pasture with many sights to see. The most photo-worthy features are the bright-colored barn, the horses at pasture, and, if you’re lucky, the neighborhood elk herd that grazes there in the evenings. This road is the picturesque western skyline you’ve been dreaming about.

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