You may have heard about the wonders of Snowmass Mountain. The world-class terrain and ski instructors, the Gold Medal downhill bike park, the ziplines and alpine coaster in the Lost Forest, the tubing and bonfire and s’mores at Elk Camp, the hiking trails, the climbing wall, the Base Village shops and eateries… The exhaustive list of activities from which you can choose won’t delight just you alone — Snowmass is also the perfect base camp for a kid-friendly Colorado vacation.
Family vacations take you out of your daily routines, allowing you to reconnect and enjoy new experiences that will soon become treasured memories. A family vacation at Snowmass gives you access to an enormous outdoor playground that will delight family members of all ages year-round.
Exploring Snowmass Base Village and Mall
The Snowmass Base Village Plaza isn’t just a base village; it’s a base camp of sorts. Here, you’ll find a winter ice rink, summer lawn games, a 5-story rock climbing wall, a Selfie Den, restaurants and shops and more. The Mall can be accessed via a short hike or mini gondola ride up Fanny Hill from Base Village, and has its own sculptures and shops to enjoy.
When anyone in your family gets hungry or needs a break from your adventures, Snowmass is full of restaurants and snacks so you can refuel.
Here are our top three kid-friendly foods to try at Snowmass:
— Delight the kids with crepes and crepe pops from The Crepe Shack by Mawa's Kitchen.
— Try the delicious duck wings at Sake.
— Sit down for some chili on the Mall at The Stew Pot.
Skiing at Snowmass with Kids
The 3,362 acres of terrain at Snowmass are available so that everyone in your family can find something to ski. If the kids need instruction, you can enroll them in ski school or private lessons with certified quality ski coaches.
The Treehouse at Snowmass for Kids
For kids who need a break from skiing in the winter (or who need childcare during the summer), the multilevel, 2,300-square-meter Treehouse Kids' Adventure Center in Snowmass Base Village is a perfect fit. The Treehouse offers Colorado-themed play rooms and activities for children up to 4 years old. The staff truly loves children, so your kids will be nurtured and enjoy themselves thoroughly.
Camp Aspen Snowmass offers age-appropriate adventures for kids ages 12 and under. Your offspring can try art, rocket building, rock climbing, ropes courses, downhill biking, rafting, fishing, hiking, and more under the supervision of a more-than-competent team.
Elk Camp at Snowmass with Kids
Ride the Elk Camp Gondola from Snowmass Base Village up to Elk Camp during any time of year for a fun family adventure.
In the summer, you can hike, bike, play disc golf on one of two 18-hole courses, or ride the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster. Besides the Breathtaker, the Lost Forest also offers a Canopy Run Zipline Tour, a Treeline Trial Challenge Course and a climbing wall. Thursday nights, bring the family up to Elk Camp for the annual series of Farm-to-Table evenings with a fresh gourmet meal accompanied by live music.
During the winter, ride the gondola up to Elk Camp every week to celebrate Ullr Nights (named for Ullr, the Norse God of Snow) in a sparkling winter wonderland. Enjoy ice skating, tubing, guided snowshoe tours, snowbiking, s’mores, and more — all accompanied by live music and a bonfire.
Hiking at Snowmass with Kids
When the snow has melted, the ski terrain at Snowmass becomes a hiking family’s paradise. Snowmass offers more than 50 miles of hiking trails from which you can choose a hiking adventure that both you and your kids will enjoy. Start from Base Village or take the gondola to your desired starting point and you’ll be ready for both adventure and stunning, unforgettable views.
The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) offers a number of free guided nature tours, including hikes. At 10am each day, an ACES Naturalist will lead your family from the Snowmass Mall through meadows and forests while learning about the history of the area. You’ll also learn about local wildflowers and spot wildlife. Another tour, the Wildside Tour, features live animals such as a great horned owl, boa constrictor, or tarantula.
At the top of the Elk Camp Lift, kids will enjoy the Wapiti Wildlife Center, where they can learn about the animals living in the surrounding area.
Biking at Snowmass with Kids
At Snowmass, you’ll find some (over 90 miles) of the best downhill mountain biking trails in all of Colorado. Families can choose from gentle cross-country trails to steeper, more technical downhill runs, and there are various levels of trails (rated green to black, similar to skiing) so that everyone stays in their comfort zones. One of the biggest perks at Snowmass is being able to take your bikes up the Elk Camp Gondola and Elk Camp lift so that you can cruise downhill without breaking a sweat, over and over again.
If your family prefers to road to the dirt, take a casual ride from Snowmass to Woody Creek or Aspen on paved paths (including the Aspen-to-Glenwood Rio Grande trail). You can also hop on a Roaring Fork Transit Authority (RFTA) bus to bring you back “home,” since the buses allow bikes and often act as rider shuttles.
Snowmass Summer Rodeo with Kids
Take your kids on the free Snowmass Shuttle from Base Village to the Rodeo Lot for the weekly Wednesday Snowmass Rodeo. While strictly a summer event, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of the season if you’re here. Your kids will delight in events such as bull riding, roping, and barrel racing. If they’re feeling brave, they can also ride the mechanical bull, practice roping a steel steer, or meet the horses and their riders. Stay afterwards and join in the traditional campfire sing-a-long.
Where to Stay with the Kids in Snowmass
If you’re excited to spend as much time as possible adventuring with the kids, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got a nearby place to stay where you can relax and recharge in ultimate comfort. Explore our available Snowmass vacation rentals.
