It’s wintertime. You and the family want the complete Aspen winter experience which goes beyond skiing and snowboarding. Be sure to save time during your next Aspen vacation for sledding.
The entire Aspen valley is cradled by glorious snow-covered mountain peaks, so you’ll get your scenery fix. And to have fun on a sled, you’ll only need warm (ideally water-resistant) clothes, a sled, and some periodic energy to keep your legs moving while climbing back up the hill.
Sledding at Aspen Recreation Center
At Aspen Recreation Center on Maroon Creek Road, you’ll find the “Whoa Nelly” Sledding Hill. You’ll find “Whoa Nelly” to be the perfect sledding hill for your family. It has the perfect gradient for picking up speed and then safely coasting to a stop in the wide-open stretch of field at the bottom.
You can use the time it takes to hike back to the starting line to watch all of the skiers and snowboarders ripping down Thunderbowl on Aspen Highlands Mountain across the road. When you get back to the top of the hill, push off, and enjoy another ride! Keep repeating until you’re too tired to do it again.
Sledding is free and you'll need to bring your own sleds. If available, you can buy them from the Aspen Recreation Center. Alternatively, you can purchase sleds in town at The Miner’s Building (on Main Street across from Carl’s Pharmacy) or at Ute Mountaineer in the downtown mall. We recommend calling in advance to confirm these businesses have sleds available for purchase.
There’s also an ice skating rink for before (or after), in case sledding isn’t enough winter fun for your family!
Tubing at Snowmass
While not “sledding” per se, and while there’s a limit of one person per tube, tubing can be just as fun! In fact, because the tubing lanes on Snowmass Mountain are served by lifts, it might be even more fun (assuming you’re keen on flying downhill than trudging back uphill when you finally come to a stop).
When you rent a tube at Snowmass, you’ll find multiple lift-served tubing lanes carved right into The Meadows at Elk Camp. If you visit during Ullr Nights, you’ll notice that the lanes remain illuminated by lighting facilities.
The tubing lanes at Snowmass are open during the day at the top of the Elk Camp Gondola, as well as during in-season Ullr Nights when the Elk Camp gondola continues to run. Because of limited tube availability, reservations are highly recommended.
Before or after your tubing adventures, you can add a ticket to the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster to your pass if you haven’t had enough adrenaline for one day!
Sledding Downvalley from Aspen
If you’re ready to explore even more of this breathtaking valley, grab some hot cocoa for the road, then hop in a car (or on the bus) to check out a few more great sledding hills at a slightly lower elevation.
Basalt High School
Behind Basalt High School, you’ll find Willits Park and a favorite local sledding hill. Take a few laps on your sled, and relax on a swing when you need a break
Crown Mountain Park
You’ll find Crown Mountain Park in El Jebel, just slightly of Willits Town Center (where you’ll find Whole Foods, City Market, and the Movieland theatre). Crown Mountain is an open space best known for its soccer games, tennis matches, bike track, and dog-walking trails. But in the winter the hills scattered around the park make great sledding terrain for families and friends. You’ll need your own gear, but you’ll have your pick of places to slide.
River Valley Ranch in Carbondale
If you continue downvalley, you’ll have a blast at the sledding hills at River Valley Ranch. If you park at the River Valley Ranch Golf Course clubhouse, you’ll notice that the summertime driving range has become a winter wonderland of rolling hills, perfect for sweet sled slides. Again, you’ll need your own sled, but these hills tend to be popular with the locals, so you may be able to borrow one if you forget!
Ask Our Concierge
When you’re staying with us Aspen Square Hotels, our concierge is always available to assist you with directions, transportation, gear purchase, and rentals, or anything else you need for your Aspen vacation. Call the Aspen Square Hotel’s concierge team at 1-866-285-7876 EXT. 3515, or send an email to concierge@aspensquarehotel.com.