We recommend Basalt Bike and Ski at 970-927-3460 in the Willits Center Mall
Ride Bikes to Basalt for Lunch (and Bus Back to Aspen)
Another popular day trip activity is cycling on the Rio Grande Trail to Basalt, an authentic mountain town with small-town charm located 18.5 miles from Aspen. The Rio Grande Trail is a Rails-to-Trails project managed by the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority. The trail spans 42 miles from Aspen to Glenwood Springs. With Aspen at 8,000 feet in elevation and Basalt at 6,600 feet the ride is (mostly) downhill. If you would rather not tackle the ride back to Aspen, you can load your bike on the front of a RFTA bus that stops by the Basalt Park-n-Ride every 15 minutes and ride in air-conditioned comfort. The cost to ride the bus is $4 (free for those 65 and over), plus $2 per bike. Please note that E-bikes are not allowed to be loaded on the bus because they are too heavy and bulky for the racks.
A few rules of the trail:
• Be sure to ride at a safe speed, single file.
• Keep your speed under 20 mph.
• Slow down and announce yourself before passing by ringing your bell and informing pedestrians “on your left.”
Visit the RFTA website for more information about bus schedules and the Rio Grande Trail. While in Basalt you can have lunch in one of the charming restaurants along Midland Avenue, Two Rivers Road, or at the Tipsy Trout along the river. There are river parks, art galleries and shops to explore as well.
