The Rio Grande Trail

THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL Glenwood Springs AP 14th Street 27th Street BRT BRT Park and Ride BS BB Walmart 115 Red Ca nyo d nR AP County Road 154 114 CMC Park & Ride y Rd 2 Spr BB 1. COLORADO RIVER TO CMC PARK & RIDE Distance: 6.9 miles. Highlights: This segment begins at Two Rivers Park where the trail crosses over the Colorado River. The trail meanders along the Roaring Fork River utilizing the concrete-paved City of Glenwood Springs River Trail System to 23rd street where the asphalt Rio Grande Trail diverges up-valley along SH 82. Trail parking is available adjacent to the Glenwood Springs Cemetery in a signed lot. The trail continues on to the Colorado Mountain College Park & Ride at CR 154 traveling below the grade of the state highway and passing through protected agricultural and open space lands on its route up valley. V 113 Colorado Mountain College Creek Cattle Creek Cattle Rd 112 Missouri Heights 10.0 109 Aspen Glen Town of Carbondale Campground Satank Bridge 3 108 BB BRT AP P 100 103 Carbondale100 15.0 111 82 4 Princ e Cr eek Rd k ree ce C Crystal Valley Trail El Jebel BRT BRT Park & Ride BB Rock Bottom Ranch Garfield County Pitkin County El Jebel Rd Seasonal Detour Route Catherine Bridge P Carbondale BRT Park & Ride 102 Catherine Store in Pr BB 20.0 Hooks Lane West Emma AP d ek R Cre ris p So Fryingpan River Eagle County Pitkin County Basalt-Old Snowmass Trail Ruedi Reservoir 6 Basalt High School P 25.0 Lazy Glen BB East Sop ris C reek Old Snowmass Rd P BB To help protect wildlife habitat, no dogs are permitted at any time between Catherine Bridge Trailhead & Rock Bottom Ranch. 5. HOOKS LANE TRAILHEAD TO BASALT HIGH SCHOOL TRAILHEAD Distance: 2.9 miles. From the Hooks Lane trailhead continue up valley through ranch lands passing the former rail stop of Emma (historic schoolhouse to south of trail and mercantile across SH82). A pedestrian underpass in the Emma vicinity allows for safe passage under SH82 to the Emma Trail which continues to Basalt. The trail segment ends at the Basalt High School where parking is available. A cross road at the school leads north one mile to the restaurants and services of Basalt, and access to the road up the Frying Pan River toward Reudi Reservoir. 6. BASALT HIGH SCHOOL TRAILHEAD TO ARCIERO/OLD SNOWMASS TRAILHEAD Distance: 3.6 miles. Heading up valley from Basalt High School will take you through the Roaring Fork Club and over the Roaring Fork River on one of the oldest bridges on the Rio Grande Trail, and then over SH82 on one of the newest. A half mile beyond is the junction with the Basalt-Old Snowmass Trail which provides down valley travelers with direct access to the Town of Basalt – use particular care at this trail junction. The Rio Grande Trail winds its way on to the trailhead parking lot on the north side of the Roaring Fork River, accessible from North River Road, in the vicinity of Old Snowmass. 7 Arciero Trailhead Lowe r Ri ver Rd Capitol Creek Rd Sno w P m a 30.0 Gerbaz Way AP Ro arin g Aspen Village BB Up per Riv er Pitkin Iron P Rd For k R iv er Aspen-Mass Trail 8 Woody Creek 82 Brush Creek BRT Intercept Lot Town Park Rd Station/Rodeo Lot eek sh Cr u r k Brush Creek Trail B ush Cree Br ide Rd Div BB Snowmass Mall Snowmass Village L 35.0 BRT BB P BRT - Bus Rapid Transit Station BS - Bustang Stop Jaffee Park Spur P Woody Creek Rd Wo od y d. ts R Fla in La Mc Redstone BB BRT Creek 133 Emma Trail 5 133 BRB Campground Basalt BRT Park & Ride Willits BRT BRT Stop P Seasonal Detour from Dec. 1 to May 1 Basalt ss 2. CMC PARK & RIDE TO CARBONDALE BRT PARK & RIDE Distance: 5.3 miles. Highlights: Continuing up valley from the CMC Park & Ride, the trail crosses over Cattle Creek and passes several excellent wildlife viewing areas along the Roaring Fork. The trail remains in close alignment with the river as it passes the historic Satank Bridge, crossing to the south bank of the Roaring Fork on a former rail bridge, and ending at the Carbondale Park & Ride where trail parking is available. 3. CARBONDALE BRT PARK & RIDE TO CATHERINE BRIDGE TRAILHEAD Distance: 4.0 miles. Highlights: Leaving the Park & Ride, the trail crosses SH 133 at the Village Road traffic light and resumes its up valley course paralleling Carbondale’s downtown where restaurants and services are available by turning south on 8th, 7th, 4th, and 2nd streets. The trail crosses Main Street and continues above CR 100 offering excellent views of Cottonwood Pass and Basalt Mountain to the north and east. The segment ends at the Catherine Bridge trail parking lot. 4. CATHERINE BRIDGE TRAILHEAD TO HOOKS LANE TRAILHEAD Distance: 4.5 miles. Highlights: The first 2.5 miles of this segment from Catherine Bridge to Rock Bottom Ranch closely follows the south bank of the Roaring Fork River. Dogs are prohibited on this portion of the trail year around. This section is closed to all public entry from December 1st through April 30th to protect wildlife habitat. (The signed winter detour utilizes county roads between Catherine Bridge and Hooks Lane trailheads). The trail continues through ranch lands alongside Hook Spur Road for an additional 2 miles ending at the trailhead parking lot located at Hooks Lane. ing Crystal River P 82 alle 5.0 ek Rd d R ile Orrison P Distributing 8. WOODY CREEK TRAILHEAD TO STEIN PARK TRAILHEAD Distance: 6.0 miles. This segment is characterized by short and steep climbs, and superlative views of Aspen Mountain, Snowmass Ski Area and the upper Roaring Fork Valley. From the Woody Creek Trailhead parking lot, climb onto the bluff above Woody Creek village. The 2.5 miles through Woody Creek (Pitkin Iron to McLain Flats) is dual surface. It includes a 1 mile soft-surface section located up on the bench above the hard surface. The dual surface continues for roughly two miles after crossing McLain Flats Road; another two miles is hard-packed gravel only, before the pavement resumes at Stein Park. Shortly after crossing McLain Flats Road is a junction with a spur trail that leads down to Jaffee Park and the Aspen-Mass Trail, which continues to the Brush Creek Intercept Lot, there connecting to the Brush Creek Trail, and hence on to Snowmass Village. From the junction, the Rio Grande Trail then clings to the hillside above the Roaring Fork, passing side trails at the Stein Bridge to the Airport Business Center (Steep - foot traffic only), and the Sunnyside Trail, to the segment end at Stein Park. From here, a trail along Cemetery Lane provides access to Aspen High School and Aspen Valley Hospital. 9. STEIN PARK TRAILHEAD TO HERRON PARK/NEALE STREET Distance: 2.4 miles. This paved segment is very popular with cyclists, walkers and joggers accessing the many parks and trails in the Aspen area. It parallels the Roaring Fork and crosses Hunter Creek near the Aspen Post Office where another spur leads to the popular Hunter Creek hiking trail. Passing the Aspen Art Museum and Rio Grande Park, the trail transects Herron Park to its up valley terminus at Neale Street. The Aspen Trail System can be accessed at this point. y Cre 119 AP Buffalo Valley 3M 7. ARCIERO/OLD SNOWMASS TRAILHEAD TO WOODY CREEK TRAILHEAD Distance: 7.0 miles. Please respect the seasonal closure to dogs in the area from the Arciero Trailhead to one mile to the east. The Rio Grande Trail passes through Snowmass Canyon crossing Lower River Road twice and remaining close to the Roaring Fork River. Just past two old railcars (private residences), the trail crosses Gerbaz Way and veers away from the river to the former rail yard at Pitkin Iron Works. A short distance beyond, cross Upper River Road. The segment ends at a parking lot just east of the crossing of Woody Creek Road. Woody Creek proper is ¾ miles to the east on Upper River Road. Please do not use the Woody Creek Tavern parking area for Rio Grande Trail parking. 9th Street Glenwood Cemetery P 42 miles of continuous multi-use trail. To: Denver ittl eW oo d Colorado 0.0 1 70 r Rive Eagle County BS BB P West Glenwood Two Rivers Park Park & Ride Courthouse BB Canyon Bike Path ASPEN TO GLENWOOD SPRINGS Horse Ranch BB Owl Creek Rd BB BRT AABC - BRT Station Cemetery Lane Trail Creek BB Maroon Roundabout Cre ek 9 Stein Park - Campground AP - Access Point P - Parking To Access Trail BB - Bike Bus Stops - Picnic Tables 00 - State Highway 000 - County Road 0.0 - Mile Markers (approximate) - Vault Toilet N P 40.0 Aspen d kR ee Ma roo n Cr Castle Cre ek Rd od wo en Gl Garfield County To: Grand Junction Rubey Park BB BRT AP Aspen Post Office Herron Park/Neale St. AP 42.0 W E S THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL To ensure the enjoyment of this trail for all users, please observe the following regulations: RIO GRANDE GRANDE TRAIL TRAIL RIO THE RAIL-TO-TRAIL EFFORT This trail is built within the rail corridor of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) Aspen Branch, although Train operations along this line ceased in phases between the 1960s and the mid-1990s. The corridor is being “railbanked” for future transportation uses. In 1997, the rail corridor and track were purchased using a combination of funding from local governments, Great Outdoors Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation, and Pitkin County Open Space and Trails. This purchase presented an opportunity to explore transportation alternatives to State Highway 82 congestion and the challenge of creating recreation connectivity in the Roaring Fork Valley. In 2001, RFTA was formed as a regional transportation district creating a dedicated funding source for transit and trails. Following its completion in 2008, RFTA now manages and maintains the Rio Grande Trail with its partner agencies in the Roaring Fork Valley. WHAT TO EXPECT The Rio Grande Trail treadway is asphalt surfaced with some sections of concrete and compacted gravel. The pavement is 8 to 10 feet wide with soft surface shoulders of 2 to 6 feet. The trail is open to those on foot, those on horseback, and those using human-powered equipment such as bicycles, in-line skates and skateboards. Wheelchairs, both motorized and nonmotorized, are permitted. Other Power Driven Mobility Devices (OPDMDs) are permitted with restrictions. Call 970-384-4975 for more information, or go to www.rfta.com. Picnic tables and benches are provided at various locations, as are trash cans, recycle bins and dog waste stations. There are no potable water sources on the trail. Vault toilets are installed at the vicinity of Cattle Creek and Catherine Store Bridge. A number of spur trails lead to services in the towns adjacent to the Rio Grande Trail corridor. During the winter months, the trail is plowed when snowfall exceeds 3” between Glenwood Springs and Main Street, Carbondale. Other sections may be groomed for cross-country skiing or remain unmaintained. Call 970.384.4975 for the current trail conditions, or go to www.riograndetrail.com or www.rfta.com. For nordic grooming reports between Aspen and Basalt, call 925-2145 or visit www.aspennordic.com TRAVEL RIGHT! Please walk and ride to the right and pass only on the left. 2. Use a bell! Cyclists must alert other users before passing. 3. Observe all warning signs and closures, and be alert to the 20 m.p.h. speed limit. 4. This is a human-powered trail! No motorized equipment or vehicles, regardless of power source, are permitted; with the exception of wheelchairs and approved OPDMDs. 5. Enjoy wildlife at a distance – approaching or harassing wildlife is prohibited. 6. Use a leash! All pets must be on a leash and under physical control of their guardian – please keep leashes to six feet or less for the safety of your pet and other trail users. 7. Pick up the poop! Pet wastes must be disposed of properly. 8. Respect adjacent private property by remaining on the trail. 9. Camping, open fires, fireworks and discharging firearms are prohibited. 10. Respect the Solitude – the making of excessive or obnoxious noise is not allowed. 1. WALK. BIKE. RUN. ENJOY! BIKES ON BUSES RFTA provides bicycle racks on its valley fleet, allowing cyclists to ride the bus with their bikes between Aspen and Rifle and points in between. There is room for two or four bicycles on RFTA buses, depending on the bus and route. It is a first-come, first-served system. If the racks are full you will have to wait for the next bus or ride your bike to your destination. No three wheelers, tag-alongs, or trailers are permitted. This is a seasonal service (midApril to mid-November) and no bike loading is allowed after dark. PITKIN COUNTY OPEN SPACE AND TRAILS constructed and manages the Rio Grande Trail from Emma to Aspen. Please contact them with any inquiries for that portion of the trail at 970.920.5232 or http://pitkincounty.com/443/Open-Space-Trails There is a $2.00 per bike user fee, regardless of the distance traveled, in addition to the regular passenger fare. Punch passes may be used for payment. Season Pass and Monthly Pass holders must also pay the $2.00 fee. GLENWOOD SPRINGS TO ASPEN 42 miles of continuous multi-use trail. BIKE LOADING STOPS INCLUDE: Rifle - Metro Park Silt - Highway 6 New Castle - 6th Street Glenwood - Meadows Glenwood - Court House Glenwood - 27th Street BRT Station Glenwood - CMC Carbondale - Park & Ride BRT Station Catherine Store El Jebel Park & Ride BRT Station El Jebel - Willits BRT Station Basalt Park & Ride BRT Stattion Pitkin Cty - Lazy Glen Pitkin Cty - Old Snowmass Pitkin Cty - Aspen Village HWY 82 Brush Creek/Intercept Lot Snowmass - Rodeo/Park Snowmass - Base Village Snowmass - Village Mall Aspen - Buttermilk BRT Station Aspen - AABC BRT Station Aspen - Maroon Creek Aspen - Rubey Park Transit Center See RFTA Bikes on Buses Brochure for more information and details about biking and riding. FOR ROUTES, SCHEDULES AND TRAIL MAPS PLEASE VISIT WWW.RFTA.COM OR CALL 970.925.8484 RIO GRANDE TRAIL MAP www.RFTA.com PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER - REVISED JULY 2015