Hiking, Aspen Maroon Bells/ Durango San Juan Mountains

I did Maroon Bells last summer, and staying in Durango this summer.

1) Durango -
a) Drive the Million Dollar Highway
b) Take the train to Silverton
c) See Telluride and Ouray
d) Do a hike south of Lake City. You're limited in June, but you might be able to hike to Cataract Lake south of Lake City.
e) Ice Lakes hike is phenomenal, but you need a 4wd, and probably need to wait until July :(
Cataract Lake Trail
Ice Lakes Basin Trail
Literally anything accessible in the Weminuche Wilderness will be gold. That's the closest wilderness area to Durango, and it's one of the most stunning in the country.

Road trip? Bring your bikes!
Animas Bike Trail...I think you can rent as well

2) Aspen
a) Eat at Creperie du Village. GREAT experience
b) Arrive at the Maroon Bells parking lot around 5:30 AM. You will not regret this. There will only be 5-10 people instead of 50-100. DO go on to see Crater Lake. It's the more breath taking view, and just a short hike away.
c) Eat breakfast at Peach's Corner Cafe after your Maroon Bells hike.
d) An ambitious person can do the Four Pass Loop near the Maroon Bells.
Maroon Lake to Crater Lake Trail
Four Pass Loop ~28 miles

Matsuhisa in Aspen for sushi that will change your life. Also the eye candy in there is just as incredible as the food.

Sit at the upstairs bar before you go down to eat. We sat by Mandy Moore and her huge husband a few years back at the bar waiting for our table and talked with them for about an hour, super cool people.

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ETA: There's probably going to be snow cover on the trail till at least mid-june.

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"This is a beautiful trail! The first 1.25 miles have the steepest uphill gradients. At about the halfway point you will have to cross a stream which is impossible without getting your feet wet. After the stream there is A LOT of snow which is deep and slippery in places and harder to manage going down, My GPS showed at least 7.5 miles roundtrip and 1800 ft gain of elevation."

That review is from last June, and this June will likely be much worse.

Relevator: I'm doing most of my June hiking in far northern Colorado where the snow is actually melting quicker and the mountains aren't quite as tall.

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Relevator: I'm doing most of my June hiking in far northern Colorado where the snow is actually melting quicker and the mountains aren't quite as tall.

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Thanks for the heads up

That pic is gorgeous, and yes a I have a great full frame camera and part of the reason for the trip is landscape photography.

Did you do the whole 4 pass loop?

That's on my list of things to hike one day.

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Wow, thanks for the comprehensive list Bayoubengal!

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Glad to help. Just so you know, we're doing Devil's Causeway, Zirkel Circle, and Never Summer Wilderness Loop in Northern Colorado. All beautiful and slightly different.