For a quick loop with the family, try .7-mile Rabbit Run, accessed from mid-mountain Rabbit Run trail. Or start at the base near Fanny Hill, and climb the moderately gentle Vista Trail, a 2.2-mile ascent that brings hikers to Elk Camp Restaurant. The trail crosses some mountain bike paths, so don’t be surprised to hear hoots and hollers of those getting their kicks on the way down. Fuel up on the delicious salad bar and make-your-own ice cream sandwich at Elk Camp Restaurant, and then perhaps continue up another 1.5 miles to reach the Elk Camp Summit for spectacular Brush Creek Valley views.

From the Village Mall, another favorite stroll is the Ditch Trail, with follows an irrigation ditch past the Campground Lift to stunning vistas in the East Snowmass Creek valley. On the opposite of the resort, park at the Tom Blake Trailhead. This trail is shared with bikers, but the 4.5-mile single-track weaves through enormous aspen groves and climbs up the Two Creeks side of Snowmass. Here you can connect to steeper climbs like Anaerobic Nightmare, or opt to follow the trail all the way to the Base Village for a full loop.

For those who are easily lured up, there are three ways to ascend Aspen Mountain. The steepest, and quickest, is the 3.1-mile 3,200-foot climb up the Ute Trail, accessed from Ute Avenue. The trail sharply snakes up Aspen’s east side, above Jackpot run and under the Gent’s Ridge chair before popping out below the disc golf course. From the west side of the mountain a similar 4-mile trail winds up Lift One and through the Dumps. Both take about 2 1/2 hours. And then there’s the 4.7-mile Summer Road, a leveled dirt approach that can be done on foot, bike or car. The best part about going up any of these is that you must come down, and from 10am to 4pm, hikers can hop on the Silver Queen Gondola for free, saving the knees on what can be a relentless descent.

During the same hours, hikers who want to skip the steep Aspen climb can purchase a $24 ticket to ride the gondola. From the top, the .9-mile Nature Trail and 2.2-mile Richmond Ridge Trail both offer roundtrip experiences at 11,212 feet.

Aspen Center for Environmental Studies’ guides are frequently available at the top for knowledgeable tours as well.