Days Left Until Reservations Open For Visiting Maroon Bells
PITKIN COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Reservations to visit one of Colorado's gems this summer will open soon. Starting April 11, you can book a spot on a shuttle or reserve a parking spot at the base of Maroon Bells.
Parking reservations cost $10 and are required until the popular site closes ahead of fall. The shuttle will cost $16 and is available between May 27 and Oct. 24. The shuttle runs every 15 minutes between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Aspen Highlands.
The free Roaring Fork Transportation Authority bus can be accessed from Ruby Park in downtown Aspen which will taken them to Aspen Highlands.
"The reservations system we have used for the past two years has been very successful in reducing overcrowding and improving visitor experience at this iconic Colorado location," said Shelly Grail, Recreation Manager for the USDA Forest Service Aspen-Sopris Ranger District.
The road straight to the bells opens May 15.
Those being dropped off by private vehicle between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. will need to have a shuttle ticket ahead of their departure.
"The advance downhill ticket reservations are critical because they allow us to anticipate how much space will be needed each day for one-way downhill passengers who have been dropped off in the morning or who have hiked over from Crested Butte or other locations," said RFTA CEO, Dan Blankenship.