Intercept Lot to Rodeo Lot via Sky Mountain Park

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Scenic hike for those without a car/taking the bus. Views of Snowmass town and mountains as well as of the Aspen valley, Ajax, Highlands, Buttermilk and the airport. See the ASE radar up close. This hike provides a great and easily accessible introduction to the area to help get your bearings with beautiful views. No dogs. Shared-use with mountain bikers (both directions) and horses.

Start at the Brush Creek Park & Ride aka Intercept Lot which is free to get to by bus from Aspen or Snowmass (bus fare required from down valley) and also has free parking and bike racks.

From the lot, follow the paved path on the south side of the lot to cross underneath highway 82. From here, stay on the paved Brush Creek Bike Path then turn left just before the bridge to get on the Cozyline Trail. Continue climbing on this curvy, serpentine, well-maintained shared use dirt trail past the Airline Trail until you reach the intersection with the Skyline Ridge Trail.

From here, turn left to take the optional out-and-back to Cozy Point and the Aspen Airport (ASE) radar. Turn back to reconnect with with the Skyline Ridge Trail heading southwest while taking in the great views and optionally taking a short scramble to the pinnacle of Sky Mountain Park and/or a break at the picnic table. Skip the turn-off for Deadline on your left and instead take the right immediately afterwards to start your descent on View Line Trail.

As you near the bottom, skip the turnoff for Ditchline Trail (unless you want to hike back to the starting point) and continue down to exit the trail at the roundabout where a short hike on the south side of the road on the paved Brush Creek Bike Path will get you to a bus stop. From here you can catch a free bus heading east/northeast back to where you started at the Brush Creek Park & Ride / Intercept Lot.

For the best views, hike it in the suggested direction.

Wildflowers in early summer. No real shade - wear sunscreen. Be prepared for changing weather.

No dogs allowed!

This trail is shared with both horses and mountain bikers traveling in both directions! There are many blind turns and narrow sections so keep your ears open and free of any distractions / earbuds as this is a very popular mountain biking area. While technically mountain bikers must yield to hikers, it's pretty rude to stop a biker's flow so you really should step off the trail and let them pass you. You must yield to horses.

No restrooms on the trail but there is one at the Rodeo lot / main bus station at the end of the trail on the north side of Brush Creek Road and there could be one at Intercept too I just can't remember.