Snowmass Lake Via Buckskin Pass: Hiking and Backpacking into the Maroon Bells
For over eight years, I’ve wanted to do the famous Four Pass Loop through the Maroon Bells outside of Aspen, Colorado. Unfortunately, due to its immense popularity, getting permits now is a headache. But in July 2026, I finally got my first taste of the Maroon Bells backcountry, with a single overnight adventure into the Snowmass Lake Zone via Buckskin Pass.
For most people, this is either the first or last pass they take (though many recommend doing the route clockwise, with Buckskin Pass as the final uphill slog).
For my group, though, it was our only pass, getting to experience going up and down through the magical terrain, soaking up the wildflowers, stunning views of Snowmass Mountain, and the colorful red rocks of the surrounding peaks.
Inside, we’ll dive into my overnighter to Snowmass Lake via Buckskin Pass, getting permits into the Maroon Bells, and photos from the trip. Hopefully this inspires you to get out into nature but also see why places like this and many more across the country need to be protected from human economic greed and why we need to elect public officials that support and protect our public lands.
Backpacking the Maroon Bells Near Snowmass Lake via Buckskin Pass
One-minute trail details
- Distance: 20 miles
- Elevation Gain: 5,500 feet
- Difficulty: Hard
- Time on Trail: 26 hours
- Our route
- Find hotels in Aspen
Important things to know before going
Shuttle and Permit Required
Maroon Bells is HIGHLY regulated. There are three ways to the end of the road: Via Private Car, via Shuttle, or via bicycle.
If you want to drive in your own car, you have to either get camping permits or one of the various parking permits.
- Day Visit (Arrive before 8am, leave before 4:30pm)
- Evening Visit (after 5pm)
- Midnight to Midnight Trailhead Parking (long day trips like a Four Pass loop day)
- Overnight Trailhead Parking (no limit if you stay parked)
The other way in is to get your shuttle permit and take the bus in via the Aspen Highlands Garage. This costs $16 per person and runs from 6am-5pm.
And the only way to stay overnight is to secure permits via Recreation.gov if you are wanting to sleep in the Four Pass Loop zones. You don’t need online permits for areas outside of the specified zones. (But you do have to fill out a form near the beginning of the trail.)
Parking cost at Aspen Highlands Garage is borderline absurd
Oof. This one was rough. For a two-day, one-night parking permit, it was $75. Talk about rough. And there’s not really any other option, unless you plan to park in town, take another bus to the Aspen Highlands Garage, and then get on to the Maroon Bells Shuttle.
This is risky because the in-town bus could be delayed or whatnot, causing you to miss your hiking shuttle.
Drive time from Denver
From Denver, there are two routes to reach Aspen. The first is via Leadville and Independence Pass, and the second is via Glenwood Springs.
The drive time (3.5 hours) tends to be only minutes apart, but the Glenwood Springs route is about 35 miles longer (it’s a faster drive vs the mountain switchbacks of Independence Pass). That said, driving Independence Pass, which crosses the 12,000-foot threshold, is stunning and offers great hiking and sightseeing.
If you feel good about driving a winding road, take Independence Pass.
West Maroon Scenic Area to Buckskin Pass is a long but doable day hike
If you’re seeing the photos and trail details, but don’t want to backpack, you can do this as a day hike. But it’s long and hard, so plan for a full-day adventure in the Maroon Bells. It took us four hours to reach the top (including all of our breaks).
Altitude Will Slow You Down
The starting elevation of Maroon Bells is ~9,500 feet, and you’ll feel it on every incline. For those who have just arrived at elevation, take it slow, drink plenty of water, eat food, and don’t hesitate to take breaks.
Even those who live in Denver (me) still get quite winded when hiking above 10, 11, or 12-thousand feet.
Get off ridges by 2pm
Afternoon thunderstorms are notorious during Colorado summers. Plan to be below passes/ridge lines by 1-2pm, ideally earlier. As you hike and climb, keep an eye on the clouds around you. Storms build fast and without warning, and you do not want to be caught in a hail or lightning storm above 12,000 feet.
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Trip Report Maroon Lake to Buckskin Pass to Snowmass Lake: 26 Hours Inside Maroon Bells
It was a 4 am wake-up in Breckenridge (so tired) before starting the 2.5-hour drive through Leadville, past Twin Lakes, and up and over Independence Pass towards Aspen. I made really good time, so I took a couple of minutes to pull over on one of the switchbacks up the pass to enjoy the morning views.
Once I arrived at the Aspen Highlands Garage, I finalized the last bits of my backpack and headed onto the 7:30am shuttle.
Hiking to Buckskin Pass
After taking a few photos at the scenic viewpoint at the front of the lake, we started our backpacking trip around 8:30am.
The first 1.6 miles were quick and easy, thanks to a gentle incline. At this point, the trail to Buckskin Pass heads right, while the Crater Lake/West Maroon Trail continues to the left. Here, the climb steepens, with about 2,400 feet of gain over three miles. It’s not terrible, but definitely hard as the oxygen decreases.
But my gosh, it was magical up here! After another 1.5 miles or so, the views really open up, and then at the 4-mile mark, if you time it right, you’ll be in a sea of wildflowers. I was blown away by the rugged, steep peaks, babbling brooks, and flowers. Everything was so pristine.
As you’re heading up, you’ll have water access around the 3-mile, 3.5-mile, and 3.8-mile marks. After that, there wasn’t any water available. So, if you’re traveling light and filtering as you go, make sure to fill up when you come across water, or else you’ll have to bide your time until you come down or go over the other side of Buckskin Pass.
Buckskin Pass down to Camp
We took plenty of breaks as we made our push to the pass. It was grueling going up to 12,500 feet with packs on. Eventually, we crested and had the massive white face of Snowmass Mountain in view. One companion summed it up perfectly with a simple “Holy F*ck!”
After hiking for four hours, we enjoyed the views, ate some food, took photos, and began (thankfully) our descent to the other side.
Campsite + Big Afternoon Storm
If you’re looking at the AllTrails Map, we made camp around the 6.1-mile mark. While there’s no creek sign on the map, there were two small but well-flowing creeks right by our campsite. Just after a water crossing, we headed up to the right into a group of trees with plenty of space to pitch three tents.
We quickly learned that the tree grouping would prove incredibly beneficial. After getting set up and eating some beef stroganoff, a massive mountain storm arrived, pummeling us with hail and heavy rains for almost two hours.
Evening Adventure to Snowmass Lake and Beyond
Once the rain had cleared, we continued our adventure day towards Snowmass Lake. We wanted to go a bit up the trail towards Trail Rider Pass to get cool photos above Snowmass Lake. It turns out it’s a lot longer and more exhausting of a hike than we expected.
Plus, they’ve created a new trail that keeps you away from the lake as you hike up (at least from where we were… it eventually goes back to the old trail.) The views were still very nice, but we didn’t move as quickly as we had hoped and realized we wouldn’t be able to make it high enough towards Trail Rider Pass.
Around 7:30pm, the clouds were darkening, and a few raindrops were felt. At this point, we agreed to turn around. (We made it to the left side of the red squiggly – around 11,500 feet.)
Unfortunately, the slog that was in front of us was much harder and more tiring than we imagined. Plus, it started to rain again. By the time we returend ot camp, all three of us were soaked, absolutely exhausted, and morale was zero.
In all, we ended up doing another six miles (in addition to 6+ earlier in the day), and another 1,500 or so feet of gain all above 10,800 feet. Myranda went to bed without even eating dinner. I wolfed down a dehydrated meal, while Brian ate some of his, but was too tired to finish. Eventually, I got out of our wet clothes and went to bed around 10:15.
It was a phenomenal day of seeing some of Colorado’s most magnificent views. But I was feeling it. It was my first backpacking trip of the season and the first time I went above 12,500 feet with a heavy pack since 2020. Still, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. These moments are ones you’ll remember, and the pain quickly falls away.
Day 2 in Maroon Bells – Sunrise at Buckskin Pass
When we crested the pass the morning prior, we decided watching sunrise at the pass would be epic, as the light would hit the face of Snowmass Mountain. So, even though we were all beat, we stuck to our decision and woke up at 4am. A very fast packing process ensued, and by 4:50 we were on the trail.
The first part of the trail back to Buckskin Pass was a gentle incline, giving us a chance to warm up. But tired muscles soon burned hot as the trail steepened. Once we passed 12,000 feet, breaks were frequent, and breathing was heavy. I was exceptionally exhausted going up the switchbacks.
On the final home stretch to the pass, just as the first light started to hit Snowmass Peak, I dropped my pack to take photos. The wildflowers were far better in this area. For the next 25 minutes, I forgot about how tired my legs were and enjoyed watching the sun light up the valley below.
Majestic. Magical. Surreal. Beautiful. Heavenly.
Whatever word you want to use, it would fit for this moment.
Breakfast at 12,500 feet
Once I arrived at Buckskin Pass, I dropped my pack once more, pulled out the bear canister and camping chair, and made coffee and oatmeal. You couldn’t find a more picturesque spot to have your morning coffee and soak up the views.
By 7:13am, packs were on our backs, and we were heading down to finish the final 5 miles of the trail. I made quick work, though we took some photo breaks to enjoy the views. Less than two and a half hours later, the group reached the end of the trail, and Brian and I said goodbye to Myranda and boarded the shuttle back to the parking garage.
All the Gear I Brought On This Trip
- 2-person NEMO Dragonfly
- Nemo Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad
- Sea to Summit Pillow
- 15F Sleeping Bag
- REI Camping Chair
- Bear Vault Bear Canister
- 65L backpacking bag
- Jet Boil Stove
- Water filter
- Hiking Poles
- 2x Backpacking Meals
- 1x Hiking Pants, 1x Sunshirt, 1x Down Jacket, 1x Rain Jacket, 1x sleeping shirt, 1x leggings, 1x beanie and hat, 2x Socks
- Headlamp
- Canon R5 + 25-105 and 16-35 + batteries
More photos from Maroon Bells in Colorado
Enjoy some photos from the trip!
Final thoughts after exploring the Maroon Bells in Aspen
What a fun trip into the Elk Mountains! As this was my first time actually hiking around the Maroon Bells area, I was floored by the beautiful and rugged terrain. The valleys are incredibly steep, with peaks rising above 14,000 feet.
While it felt crowded at the main lake, once you got into the backcountry, we saw few people. We didn’t see another soul from 2pm on Monday until 6am on Tuesday. That’s how I like my backpacking trips!
So, if you’re looking for a wonderful overnight trip into the Bells, I highly recommend the Snowmass Lake area. You’re in for a wonderful time and magnificent views!
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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