Snowmass Colorado, Hike Spiral Point for Sunset during the fall

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Aspennn, One of the best places to visit during the fall in Colorado. While a lot of people may be inclined to visit the Maroon Bells, there’s still a number of different hikes in the area if your unable to get a reservation for the Bells. While I was visiting the Maroon Bells, I stayed at the Stonebridge Inn located in Snowmass and after almost just watching TV for the night at the last minute I decided to hop on the All Trails app and look for trails in the area. I found Spiral Point, a shorter hike, perfect for sunset and about a ten minute walk from the hotel. I’ve done a number of hikes in Colorado, but I’d have to say this one had to be one of my favorites. The views, location, and length of the hike made it perfect for an evening fall sunset.

In this post I’ll be going over how to get to Spiral point, trail details, and the best time of year to hike it. Alright lets do thissss!

Where is Spiral Point

The trailhead for Spiral Point is just outside of Snowmass Village in Aspen Colorado. You’ll want to go up Brush Creek Road veer right onto Divide road, then on the right will be a small parking lot and the trailhead. The ski resort will be to your left as well as the Snowmass Mall area.

What is parking like

There is a small lot at the trailhead and if that gets full, in the fall and summer months day parking is free at the Snowmass Mall lots. These are about a ten minute walk to Spiral Point.

Is this a challenging Hike

What I liked about this hike was that it wasn’t too far of a hike to the summit, 2.6 miles out and back with 590 feet of elevation gain. It takes around 1.5 hours depending on speed. Just make sure to watch out for Mountain Bikers as this is a shared trail! If you have kids or a dog, this is also a good easy-moderate trail to do with the whole family. Just make sure your dog is on a leash!

What is the trail like

It’s not very rocky and is going to be mostly switch backs on a dirt path. Look left and you will notice part of the Snowmass Ski resort and the Maroon Bells wilderness as you hike up. This is an awesome trail for shooting photos so whether you have a digital, phone, or film camera there’s a number of spots as you make your way to the top. (including the summit!)

Best time of day and season to hike

Sunset is going to be the best time of day to hike this trail in my opinion and I would have to say in the fall because of all the golden colors that Aspen is known for. If you’ve never been to the Colorado mountains in the fall, I highly recommend making a trip out to Aspen for all of the fall foliage!

Is the trail hard to navigate and why is it called Spiral Point

The trail is easy to navigate as there will be signs at the beginning of the trailhead and at the top. You’re going to want to take the Rim Trail South and then eventually a left onto Spiral Point! You’ve made it to the summit if you see a giant marble floor with a Ying and Yang. I believe the name of the Trail comes from the 360 degree views you have at the top!

Mt Daly, Clark Peak, and Capitol Peak (a 14er that sits at 14,131 feet) will be some of the mountain peaks that you see straight ahead. The views are pretty breathtaking at sunset and definitely worth hiking for in the evening!

Tips for Hiking Spiral Point and what to Pack

Know the Sunset time

Make sure to leave yourself enough time to get up to the top and back down before it gets completely dark. Packing a headlamp with you will be very helpful for the trek back down if needed.

Wear the proper outdoor clothing and footwear

• Hiking shoes/boots- Look for anything with good traction and support. Remember to size up a little bit as your feet do swell up when hiking. I recently started hiking in La Sportiva’s and really like the designs and function of the boots.

• Beanie- Pack one of these for any sunset hike in the mountains

• Lightweight Down Jacket- Burtons AK Baker Down is packable, lightweight, and warm. Once the sun starts to set in the mountains you’ll want to bring this jacket out of your bag for warmth.

• Hiking pants- I like anything made by Fjallraven. Lightweight, moisture wicking, and fabric that stretches for easy movement when hiking.

Pack a camera

The lighting is incredible, use a phone, digital, or film camera!

Looking for other fall adventures in Aspen? Check out Maroon Bells and Crater Lake, not far from Spiral Point! Thanks for checking out the blog, and if you have any questions or comments to add, please leave a comment below.

Colorado Hiking, a complete guide to Black Powder Pass Off Boreas Pass Road

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One of the best things about Colorado in the spring, summer, and fall is the hiking. What seems like endless amounts of trails through out the state, there’s always a new path to explore. I’ve always loved the history that the state has including old mining history and historic buildings that are still standing. One of my favorite hikes that I’ve done so far is Black Powder Pass, just outside of downtown Breckenridge.

The drive to the trailhead on Boreas Pass Road is one of the best parts, especially in the fall! In this post I’ll be going over directions to the trailhead, what the trail is like, best times of the year to hike, where to camp, and what to expect. Cool, letsss goooo.

What’s the story behind Black Powder Pass

Originally Boreas Pass was part of a railway that connected Breckenridge to Leadville crossing over the continental divide, seen at the trailhead. However by the late 1930’s with the decline of mining and the rise of cars and trucks, the railway became abandoned. It wasn’t until 1952, that a road was installed on Boreas Pass.

The group of small houses at the top called the Section house were built in 1881 and served as the housing for workers who maintained the section of the Boreas Pass Railway. Today the Section house is a hut for back country skiers, splitboarders, and people who snowshoe in the winter

How to get to the trailhead

Depending on what direction you are driving from you’ll want to turn onto Boreas Pass Road and take that all the way to the top until you hit a dirt road, with a parking lot on your left. The road overlooks the ski resort and town as you drive up. There’s a couple pull offs, so grab a few photos before you drive to the trail! (the drive and hike are great for photography).

This road is somewhat narrow, with steep drop offs, so drive carefully! AWD isn’t required, but it helps to have. As you start driving on the dirt road you’ll go around a couple corners before you come up on a group of Aspens, from there you’ll go past Bakers Tank (A Giant Red water Tank) all the way to the top until you come up on a parking lot with an old railroad track.

The dirt road gets a lil bumpy towards the top, so drive slower.. Below I’ve listed major areas including downtown Breckenridge with distances and times. The two major highways you can take to get to the trail are either I70 or 285 South.

Trailhead Coordinates: 39.410310, -105.968420

Denver- 2 hours/87 Miles/140 km

Boulder- 2 hours and 20 minutes/96 miles/154 km

Downtown Breckenridge- 35 minutes/9 miles/14 km

Vail- 1 hour and 20 minutes/46 miles/74 km

Colorado Springs- 2 hours and 20 minutes/103 miles/166 Km

What should we pack

• Water Bottle- Stay hydrated, especially at high altitudes! I like Hydro Flask because they keep your water cold for up to 24 hours.

• Hiking Boots- Make sure you have good support and grip when out hiking. Colorado trails can get rocky, therefore I recommend a good pair of hiking boots such as Merrell! If you don’t like boots, they also make great hiking footwear.

• Sunscreen-If you’re outside in Colorado, especially at a higher elevation it’s important to protect your skin. I like Sun Bum, based out of California, because it is none greasy.

• Sunglasses- Often overlooked, if you plan on hiking during the day at high altitudes, you must have sunglasses. I’ve always been a fan of Dragon shades because they are easy on the wallet and have great depth perception and clarity.

• Hat- Always pack a hat when going for a hike!, I love Burton hats, especially the tech, lightweight ones.

• Backpack- I always like to hike with a bag to keep my water bottle, camera, and snacks for the trek, maybe even a beer or two for the top :) Burton makes amazing outdoor bags, backed with a lifetime warranty!

Any tips for hiking Black Powder Pass

• Be careful when driving to the trailhead as there are steep drop offs with no guardrail on the dirt road, AWD and vehicles with good tires is a plus.

• Bring a rain jacket and extra layers, even in the summer!

• Visit in the Fall, mid to late September is one of the best times to be on Boreas Pass Road

• Avoid weekends if you can due to more vehicles and people

• Summer is a great time to catch the Wildflowers

• You are at a higher elevation (11,482 Feet) take it easy and drink plenty of water!

• Thunderstorms can pop up in the afternoon, however if the weather looks good, later afternoons in the evening are one of the best times to be on this trail!

Trail Stats

Trail Type: Out and Back

Distance: 3.4 miles/5.5 km

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation Gain: 1,000 feet/305 meters

Dogs: On leash

Trail Time: Depending on speed and how long you stay at the top 2-3 hours

Is there parking and restrooms at the trailhead

There are no restrooms at the top, however there are two smaller parking lots on both sides of the road. Both lots are pretty empty on weekdays in the afternoon.

When is the best time to hike this trail

The best time to hike this trail is Late Spring to Early fall. Due to snowfall, Boreas Pass Road will close after the first parking lot at the top. You can still access the cabins in the winter by booking the Section House.

The busiest time of the year will be on weekends during the Fall when the leaves are changing. A lot of people will come up from Denver or the front range area to check out the fall foliage (leaf peepers). Try to come up midweek if you can as the fall colors are one of the best times of the year to hike in Summit County. Summers are great because of the wildflowers and there are a lot off Boreas Pass Road mid summer.

My favorite time of day to hike this trail is in the late afternoon-early evening because you get really cool golden light surrounding the hike and the sun is also not as intense as a mid day hike.

What is the trail like and is the hike difficult

The trailhead will be at the base of the historic Section House and old railroad tracks at the top of the continental divide. The continental divide is the line that runs from Alaska to Mexico and on one side water drains into the pacific ocean and on the other side the Atlantic ocean. The trail itself is part of the White River National Forest, but as you look to the right when driving up towards the top, that is the Pike National Forest.

You’ll start your hike at the base of the Section House and is worth walking around and checking out! As you start hiking you’ll notice most of the trail is exposed with a couple of portions that walk through pine trees and dead tree stumps. The trail overall isn’t too strenuous and doesn’t take too much time either which is what I liked.

As you make your way towards the top, turn around and you’ll notice most of the ten mile range and next to it Mt Helen and Mt Quandary! It is one of the best views in the area in my opinion. Once above tree line, the trail itself is pretty straight to the top and you’ll be able to see Baldy Mountain to your left. Pack a lunch, snacks, or even a couple beers and enjoy the views at the peak.

At the peak you’ll also notice the backside of the mountain has views too, this portion overlooks the White River National Forest!

Is there camping in the area

Yep it is all dispersed camping (free), but with numbered camp sites. First come, first served and no public facilities. Pack out what you packed in and make sure to check weather and fire restrictions ahead of time.

Is the Boreas Pass Overlook worth checking out too

Yep, If you are in Breckenridge I highly recommend driving up to Boreas Pass road, and walking along the road. You can do this regardless of the time of year. Winter can be one of the best times to head up to Boreas Pass, as the town and surrounding peaks are covered in snow. Park in the first parking lot you arrive at and walk part of the road. In the fall walk along the road while checking out the fall colors or hang out and enjoy a sunset view over the ski resort.

That’s it for the Black Powder Pass Trail. If you’re vacationing in Breckenridge or even just passing through I highly recommend this hike! If you done this hike before or having any questions, leave a comment below. Looking for more information on outdoor trips, hikes, tips, and gear information, feel free to subscribe to our email list below! Thanks for reading the blog and I’ll see you on the next post.

Looking for other Colorado Hikes? Check out the Ptarmigan Lake trail, just outside of Buena Vista.