Driving the scenic Castle Creek Road in Colorado with beautiful aspen trees
Usa, north-america
21.24 km
3,602 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're cruising down Castle Creek Road (aka County Road 15) in Colorado's Pitkin County, surrounded by a sea of shimmering aspen trees. Seriously, it's an Instagram dream come true!
This windy road is paved smooth as butter, winding its way up into the Rockies, specifically the Elk Range, south of Aspen in the Ashcroft Valley. The views? Absolutely magnificent, and the best part is, you won't be fighting hordes of tourists for a parking spot. The road leads to Ashcroft, a cool little ghost town with restored buildings from its silver mining heyday back in the 1880s.
Keep in mind, though, that Old Man Winter usually shuts this beauty down around November 15th, and it doesn't reopen until around May 15th. But when it's open, get ready for some unforgettable hikes right off the roadside. The drive itself has some steep climbs and hairpin turns to keep things interesting! The main paved road is about 13.2 miles long, climbing 1,844 feet from Aspen. If you're feeling adventurous at the end of the pavement, a gravel road, Cooper Creek Road, climbs up even higher.
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Length
- 21.24 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,602 m
- Difficulty
- hard
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