Visit
Visit Basalt, Colorado
Where two Gold Medal rivers meet.
Cast for trout on the Frying Pan, ride the Rio Grande Trail, browse a historic Midland Avenue of galleries and cafés, and reach Aspen in twenty minutes — all from the quiet side of the Roaring Fork Valley.
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A Perfect Day
One Day in Basalt
Morning
Coffee on Midland Avenue, then wade into the Frying Pan — the Gold Medal water below Ruedi Reservoir fishes best before the wind picks up.
Afternoon
Ride the paved Rio Grande Trail toward Carbondale under Mount Sopris, or point the car twenty minutes up-valley to Aspen and Snowmass.
Evening
Spanish tapas and a bottle from the 300-label cellar at Tempranillo, then a nightcap where the locals go after the resort towns have closed.
Things To Do
Gold Medal water and quiet trails
Basalt sits where the Frying Pan meets the Roaring Fork — two Gold Medal rivers, a rail-trail through the valley, and Aspen close enough to ski but far enough to escape.
Frying Pan River Fly Fishing
Fourteen miles of Gold Medal water below Ruedi Reservoir — some of the finest trout fishing in the West.
Rio Grande Trail
42 paved miles from Aspen to Glenwood Springs — Basalt is the halfway point for walking, running or biking.
Ruedi Reservoir
Boating, paddleboarding and lakeside camping 15 miles up the Frying Pan valley.
Aspen & Snowmass
Four world-class ski mountains, 20 minutes up-valley — ski the resorts, sleep in Basalt for a fraction of the price.
Historic Midland Avenue
Galleries, the Sunday Market and 1890s storefronts along the old railroad main street.
The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW)
Live music, film and performances at the valley's modern arts venue.
Where To Stay
Sleep downvalley from Aspen
Riverside lodges and a modern Hilton — Basalt beds cost a fraction of Aspen's, twenty minutes away.
Rates shown include Booking.com Genius and partner discounts where available.
Basalt Mountain Inn
Check today's lowest price →Aspenalt Lodge
Check today's lowest price →Element Basalt-Aspen
Check today's lowest price →Not sure where to stay?
Ask Abbi →Cabins & Camps
Sleep by the water
Lakeside sites on Ruedi, riverside rentals and forest campgrounds up the Frying Pan valley.
Cabins around Basalt
Check today's lowest price →Vacation rentals on Vrbo
Browse rentals →Ruedi Reservoir Campgrounds
Directions →Dispersed & forest camping
Ask Abbi →Browse Every Stay
The full Basalt map
Every bookable hotel, cabin and rental around Basalt — live prices, one map.
Map not loading? Browse all Basalt stays →
Where To Eat
A valley that eats well
Twenty-plus restaurants for a town this size — Spanish tapas, farm-to-table and a French room that's been here two decades.
Tempranillo
Directions →Cafe Bernard
Directions →Heather's Savory Pies & Tapas Bar
Directions →The Brick Pony Pub
Directions →The Hoffmann House
Directions →Can't decide?
Ask Abbi →Explore Colorado
More Colorado Adventures
Explore scenic drives, historic places, protected landscapes and iconic peaks throughout Colorado.
Shop Local
Take Basalt home
Midland Avenue keeps its storefronts local — fine art, fly shops and river-town galleries.
Ann Korologos Gallery
Directions →Taylor Creek Fly Shop
Directions →Keating Fine Art
Directions →Move Here
Could Basalt become home?
Learn about housing, winter, work and daily life, then connect with a local broker through the Basalt relocation page.
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Nearby Towns
The Roaring Fork Valley
Basalt sits mid-valley — Aspen twenty minutes up, Glenwood Springs twenty minutes down, and Carbondale right next door.