Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ASPEN & THE MAROON BELLS
Located at the south end of the Roaring Fork Valley, Aspen is Colorado at its most sublime
(the scenery) and glamorous (the people). Although you can get here over Independence
Pass in summer, for most of the year the town is hemmed in by the towering Sawatch
Range and the rugged Elk Mountains, with the only access via Hwy 82, south from I-70.
Glenwood Springs, at the north end, is commonly referred to as 'down valley,' while
Aspen is considered to be 'up valley.'
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Glenwood Springs
POP 9594 / ELEV 5763FT
Let's start with the fun stuff. Doc Holliday - gunfighter, gambler, Wild West legend and,
uh, dentist - died here. Why he died here is the first clue to Glenwood Springs' long-stand-
ing appeal to travelers: thermal hot springs. In Holliday's day they were thought to have
restorative powers; he hoped they'd ease chronic respiratory ailments.
Perched at the confluence of the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers at the end of gor-
geous Glenwood Canyon, these hot springs have been a travel destination for centuries. Ute
Indians sat in steamy thermal caves, then called yampah (Great Medicine). A mild climate
and a range of summer and winter activities have rounded out the city's appeal, but the
springs and large outdoor pools remain the town's primary draw. Glenwood Springs also
represents an inexpensive down-valley winter alternative to Aspen and Vail - it's only one
hour from each, which makes it a reasonable budget base for some of Colorado's best ski-
ing.
Since 1896, Grand Ave, which extends due south from the river and now doubles as
Hwy 82, has crossed the Colorado River and formed the main business street. The resort
spa and pool are north of the river, reached by a highway and pedestrian/bicycle bridge.
 
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