East Maroon Portal Picnic Site

East Maroon Portal Picnic Site is situated next to Maroon Creek, offering spectacular views of towering red stone cliffs, lush wetlands and evergreen forests. It is an excellent gathering spot for families, group gatherings and parties. The picnic area is available for use by the general public but can also be reserved for private events, and it is the only site in the Maroon Bells Scenic Area available for wedding receptions. It has three large picnic tables and can accommodate up to 70 people. Parking is severely limited at the Bells and public access is the first priority. Parties who reserve the site are issued five vehicle passes, which allow travel by motorized vehicle to the site; parties reserving both the amphitheatre and the picnic site for the same event are still issued five passes in total. Renting one or more high-occupancy vehicles that hold 12 or more guests is recommended. Because vehicle traffic is restricted on Maroon Creek Road from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. past the Maroon Bells Welcome Station, anyone not accommodated by the five passes rides the shuttle up to the picnic site. Riding the shuttle requires an advance ticket reservation, and the cost is $16 per adult and $10 for seniors 65 or older and children under 6. The shuttle operates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., parks at Aspen Highlands Ski Area, and permits dogs. Vault toilets are available at this site. Running water is not available at the picnic area. A bear-proof food locker and bear-proof waste receptacles are provided, and all food, beverages, scented items and trash must be properly stored or removed when not attended. Bird seed, confetti, electric music and PA systems are prohibited at the site, and visitors are required to remove or dispose of decorations and all trash after events. Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the 2.3 million acre White River National Forest is one of the top recreation forests in the nation, and for hikers and backpackers the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness epitomizes the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Starting from the East Maroon Portal, the Maroon Creek Trail winds through aspen groves and across boulder fields. After about a mile the East Maroon Trail branches off and enters the wilderness, climbing to alpine terrain where backpackers will find high mountain lakes and a smattering of wildflowers in early summer. Check the specific regulations for camping in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area. This wilderness is one of the five original Colorado wilderness areas designated by the 1964 Wilderness Act. Its scenic value exudes from its aspen groves, meadows of wildflowers, and dark forests of spruce and fir that rise up from the valleys to alpine landscapes, and bighorn sheep, pika and ptarmigan find habitat above timberline. Towering over glacial valleys at over 14,000 feet in elevation, the Maroon Bells are the most recognizable peaks in the Elk Mountains, and are unique in the Rockies in being made up of metamorphic sedimentary mudstone, which gives them both their maroon color and their unstable nature for climbing. The nearby town of Aspen is a popular destination, with downhill skiing, world-class fly fishing, dining and resorts.