Best Family Activities in Aspen Snowmass This Summer

Aspen and Snowmass may be famous for world-class skiing, but summer in the Roaring Fork Valley is its own kind of magic. From the banks of a Gold Medal trout river to the tunnels of a 19th-century silver mine, the valley offers families the kind of experiences you simply can’t find at a typical resort destination.

Whether you’re renting a home in Snowmass Village or staying in downtown Aspen, these are the outdoor adventures and local activities worth building your trip around.

Tour the Historic Smuggler Mine

If your family is looking for something genuinely unlike anything else in the valley, the Smuggler Mine Tour is it.

Located just two minutes from downtown Aspen at 100 Smuggler Mountain Road, the Smuggler Mine is one of Colorado’s most storied silver mines and home to one of the largest silver nuggets ever discovered. Knowledgeable guides lead groups 1,200 feet into the mountain, through original shafts and tunnels, past authentic mining equipment, and through the story of the silver boom that transformed Aspen from a remote camp into one of the most famous mountain towns in the world.

Details families should know:

• Price: $50 per person
• Duration: 1.5 hours
• Start times: 10am, 12pm, and 2pm
• Minimum age: 6 years
• Season: May through October
• What’s included: Knowledgeable guide, hard hat, free on-site parking
• What to bring: Closed-toe shoes (required), warm layers (it’s 55–60°F inside), sunscreen, a camera, and a water bottle

It’s one of the few Aspen activities that are equally engaging for a curious 8-year-old and a history-loving grandparent, and it’s a great option when daytime temperatures soar or wildfire smoke affects other outdoor activities.

Go Fly Fishing on the Roaring Fork or Frying Pan

The Roaring Fork Valley sits at the heart of some of Colorado’s most celebrated trout water. The Roaring Fork River and the Frying Pan River offer families a chance to experience fly fishing the way it’s meant to be done: with a local guide who knows exactly where the fish are.

Elk Mountain Expeditions offers both guided wade fishing and guided float fishing trips, with options running a half day or a full day. Wade fishing is available year-round and has a minimum age of 8, making it one of the more accessible family options on the water. First-time casters get patient instruction; experienced anglers get local knowledge they wouldn’t find on their own.

What makes a guided fly fishing trip work for families:

• Guides tailor the experience to every skill level in the group
• Kids learn to read water, identify insects, and make their first cast
• You’re on some of Colorado’s most scenic rivers — not a stocked pond
• Wildlife sightings (great blue herons, osprey, occasional deer along the bank) are common

Ride the Gondola — at Snowmass or Aspen Mountain

Both mountains offer gondola sightseeing, but if you’re traveling with kids, Snowmass is where the on-mountain family programming is centered.

The Elk Camp Gondola carries you from Snowmass Base Village at 8,475 feet up to Elk Camp Meadows and the Elk Camp Restaurant at 9,765 feet, and what’s waiting at the top is a full day’s worth of activity. The Lost Forest adventure zone includes the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster, a challenge ropes course, a climbing wall, and a trout pond, alongside hiking trails and open-air dining at the Elk Camp Restaurant. For families who want something a little more low-key, the aerial approach disc golf course inside Lost Forest is one of a kind, featuring two 18-hole courses, a genuinely fun option for kids and adults who want to cover some ground without it feeling like exercise. On Sunset Tuesdays throughout the summer (June 24 through August 5), Elk Camp hosts extended hours for Lost Forest activities plus dinner service, making it an easy way to anchor a full evening on the mountain.

Aspen Mountain’s Silver Queen Gondola is the classic sightseeing ride — a quick 13-minute journey from downtown Aspen to the summit, with panoramic views of the Elk Range, hiking trails, and mountaintop dining. It’s a beautiful 90-minute experience, but the activity options at the top are more limited compared to Elk Camp. Worth doing, especially if you’re based in Aspen and want to orient the kids to the landscape around them, but if you’re choosing one mountain day, Elk Camp gives families more to do.

A Family Sightseeing Package ($149) covers one ride up and down for two adults and up to four children ages 7–12 on either the Silver Queen Gondola or the Elk Camp Gondola. Sightseeing is free for children 6 and under.

Explore the North Star Nature Preserve by Stand-Up Paddleboard

For a slower-paced water experience, Elk Mountain Expeditions also rents stand-up paddleboards and inflatable kayaks at the North Star Nature Preserve — a quiet stretch of the Roaring Fork just five minutes from downtown Aspen. The preserve’s calm, meandering current is beginner-friendly and genuinely beautiful. Kids 5 and up can participate with an adult in a kayak; SUP rentals start at age 10. It’s a particularly good option for Snowmass families who want water time without committing to a half-day raft trip.

Visit the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES)

ACES offers guided nature walks, wildlife programs, and hands-on exhibits designed for children. It’s a grounding complement to more active adventures — a place where kids can slow down and actually learn why the Roaring Fork ecosystem looks and functions the way it does.
Hike a Trail That Fits Your Family
Aspen’s trail network ranges from stroller-friendly to genuinely challenging. A few family favorites:

• Rio Grande Trail — A flat, paved path that runs along the Roaring Fork from Aspen toward Basalt, ideal for bikes or an easy walk
• North Star Nature Preserve loop — Short, flat, and full of wetland wildlife
• Maroon Lake Scenic Trail — One of the most photographed locations in Colorado; easy walking with views of the Maroon Bells that will stay with your kids for years

Snowmass Village has its own trail network, including the popular Snowmass Nature Trail, which offers easy access to wildflower meadows and mountain views without driving into Aspen.

Spend Time in Downtown Aspen and Snowmass Base Village

Downtown Aspen is compact and walkable, with playgrounds at Herron and Wagner Parks, public art, ice cream at Paradise Bakery, and seasonal events throughout the summer. The free Snowmass Thursday Concert Series, reachable via RFTA bus from Aspen, is a laid-back family evening that feels genuinely local. The Snowmass Rodeo is another summer staple worth catching if the timing lines up.

Build Your Itinerary Around What’s Actually Here

The best Aspen and Snowmass family trips aren’t built around a checklist, they’re built around the specific things this valley does better than anywhere else: gold medal rivers, silver mine history, elk-filled meadows, and guides who grew up fishing and running these waters.

If you’re planning a summer trip, consider anchoring a day around a Smuggler Mine Tour in the morning and a guided wade fishing trip on the Roaring Fork in the afternoon. Elk Mountain Expeditions offers both, along with rafting, SUP, and inflatable kayak options to round out the week. You can us directly at 970.456.6287 or book directly at elkmtnaspen.com.

Aspen Snowmass Summer Family Trips FAQs