Active Pursuits

Your best source for information on a wide variety of outdoor activities in the mountains around Aspen, including hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, four-wheeling, fishing, and camping, is the White River National Forest.

There's no lack of guides, outfitters, and sporting-goods shops in Aspen. Among the best one-stop outfitters is Blazing Adventures (tel. 800/282-7238 or 970/923-4544; www.blazingadventures.com), which offers rafting, mountain-biking, hiking, four-wheeling, hot-air ballooning, and horseback-riding excursions.

Bicycling -- There are two bike paths of note. One connects Aspen with Snowmass Village; it covers 13 miles and begins at Seventh Street south of Hopkins Avenue, cuts through the forest to Colo. 82, then follows Owl Creek Road and Brush Creek Road to the Snowmass Mall. Extensions link it with Aspen High School and the Aspen Business Park. The Rio Grande Trail follows the Roaring Fork River from near the Aspen Post Office, on Puppy Smith Street, 2 miles west to Cemetery Lane.

Fishing -- Perhaps the best of a great deal of good trout fishing in the Aspen area is to be found in the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan rivers, both considered gold-medal streams. The Roaring Fork follows Colo. 82 through Aspen from Independence Pass; the Frying Pan starts near Tennessee Pass, northeast of Aspen, and joins the Roaring Fork at Basalt, 18 miles down valley.

Stop at Taylor Creek Fly Shop in Basalt at 183 Basalt Circle (tel. 970/927-4374; www.taylorcreek.com), for your fishing needs. Guided fishing trips are offered by Taylor Creek and Blazing Adventures .

Golf -- Public 18-hole championship courses in the Aspen valley include Aspen Golf Course, 9461 Colo. 82, 1 mile west of Aspen (tel. 970/925-2145), one of the longer courses in Colorado at 7,165 yards, charging $45 to $90 for 18 holes plus $18 per person for the cart; and The Snowmass Club, 239 Snowmass Club Circle (tel. 970/923-5600), charging about $175 for 18 holes, including a cart and range balls, with lower rates after 4pm.

Hiking & Mountaineering -- Among the best ways to see the spectacular scenery here is on foot. You can get maps and tips on where to go from White River National Forest offices . One popular trail is the route past the Maroon Bells to Crested Butte; the trek would take 175 miles by mountain road, but it's only about 30 miles by foot -- 14 miles from the end of Aspen's Maroon Creek Road.

Hikers can also make use of two hut systems for multiday trips -- the 12-hut 10th Mountain Trail Association's system toward Vail, and the six-hut Alfred A. Braun and Friends Hut System (tel. 970/925-5775 for both; www.huts.org) toward Crested Butte. Huts are basic, with bunk beds, but do have wood-burning stoves, propane burners, photovoltaic lighting, kitchen equipment, mattresses, and pillows. A bed in one of the huts costs $28 per night. Association offices are at 1280 Ute Ave., Suite 21, in Aspen.

Horseback Riding -- Several stables in the Aspen valley offer a variety of rides, and some outfitters even package gourmet meals and country-and-western serenades with their expeditions. A wide variety of adventures are offered; rates for day trips usually start at about $50 per person for a 1-hour ride or $100 for a half-day. Inquire at Aspen Wilderness Outfitters (tel. 970/963-0211; www.aspenwilderness.com), Capitol Peak Outfitters (tel. 970/963-4402; www.capitolpeak.com), and OutWest Guides (tel. 970/984-3801; www.outwestguides.net).

Mountain Biking -- There are hundreds of miles of trails through the White River National Forest that are perfect for mountain bikers, offering splendid views of the mountains, meadows, and valleys. Check with the Forest Service and local bike shops for tips on the best trails. Among full-service bike shops offering rentals are Aspen Velo Bike Shop, 465 N. Mill St. (tel. 970/925-1495; www.aspenvelo.com), and Aspen Sports, 408 E. Cooper Ave. (tel. 970/925-6331; www.aspensports.com). A half-day rental is $20 to $50.

River Rafting -- Rafting trips are offered on the Roaring Fork, Arkansas, and Colorado rivers with several companies, including Colorado Riff Raft (tel. 800/282-7238 or 970/923-4544; www.riffraft.com), Up Tha Creek Expeditions (tel. 877/982-7335 or 970/947-0030; www.upthacreek.com), and Blazing Adventures . Rates are usually about $50 to $90 for a half-day.