2 Nights Camping Aspen, Colorado 3.6 mi Crater Lake Hike Reservations Required Best June to Early October Dog Friendly: Yes, Leashed

MAROON BELLS COLORADO WITH A DOG Quick Facts:

Location

Maroon Bells Scenic Area, about 10 miles from Aspen, Colorado

Getting There

Parking reservation and arrive before 8am, shuttle from Aspen Highlands or passenger drop off from 6am to 8am

Best Time to Visit

Summer (July and August) for wildflowers, mid to late September for golden aspens, winter only by ski or snowshoe since the road closes to cars. Go at sunrise for fewer crowds

Where We Stayed

Silver Bell Campground, site 5

Trip Length

3 days, 2 nights

Budget Level

Budget friendly if camping, Aspen lodging is pricey

Good For

Sunrise chasers, fall colors, hikers, campers and dog owners

Reservations

Required May 15 to Oct 31, access included with nearby campsites

Cell Service

Almost none, download maps and QR codes ahead

Nearest Airport

Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE)

Dog Friendly Hike

Crater Lake Trail, 3.6 miles round trip on leash

Skip With Dogs

Maroon Lake Scenic Loop, dogs are not allowed

Dog Friendly

Yes. Leashed dogs can ride the Maroon Bells shuttle and hike most trails, including Crater Lake. Silver Bell Campground is dog friendly too, and Tira loved everything from the hike to the creek sounds at camp. Just skip the Scenic Loop with your pup.

Planning a trip to Maroon Bells Colorado with a dog? It is one of the best fall experiences in the state, and it was the first stop on our fall road trip (we went the week of September 21-24). Seeing the Maroon Bells in fall had been at the top of our Colorado list for a long time. Waiting was hard, and we were so tempted to go in the summer, but we are so glad we held out for late September. It was worth it and everything we hoped for.

This trip does take some planning, especially with reservations and if you want to camp near the Bells. This guide covers everything we learned: how the Maroon Bells parking reservation works, the dog rules, the Crater Lake hike and what it is really like camping at Silver Bell Campground just outside Aspen, Colorado.

This post is part of our Colorado fall road trip itinerary from Aspen to Telluride. Along with Maroon Bells, we spent a day in Aspen, drove the Million Dollar Highway, and spent a day in Telluride.

Can You Bring Your Dog to Maroon Bells?

Yes! Maroon Bells is dog friendly, with a few rules to know before you go:

• Dogs must be on a leash at all times. This applies everywhere in the scenic area and the surrounding wilderness.
• Dogs can ride the Maroon Bells shuttle from Aspen Highlands, so you can still bring your pup even without a parking reservation.
• Dogs are not allowed on the Maroon Lake Scenic Loop trail because of the dense brush and the chance of surprise wildlife encounters.
• Dogs are allowed on the Crater Lake Trail and along the Maroon Lake shore near the trailhead, on leash.

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Visiting Maroon Bells in fall

Pictures do not do it justice. The golden aspens are absolutely stunning. Standing at the edge of Maroon Lake in the early morning, with the aspens glowing yellow and the Bells reflecting in the water, was one of those moments where we just stopped and stared. It is a must see in the fall.

When to go for peak color

Fall color at Maroon Bells usually peaks from mid to late September, sometimes stretching into the first days of October depending on the year. We visited on September 21, and most of the aspens had turned a brilliant gold, with a few patches of green still mixed in. Peak can shift by a week or more depending on weather, so if your dates are flexible, keep an eye on local fall foliage reports before you go. If you are chasing full peak, the last week of September through the first week of October is usually a safe bet.

Go early (really early)

Sunrise is the magic hour here. The lake is usually calm, which gives you that mirror reflection of the Bells, and you will beat most of the crowds. By mid morning the lakeshore filled up quickly with photographers and tour groups.

Pack for cold mornings

Even when the afternoons are pleasant, fall mornings at nearly 9,600 feet can be close to freezing. We layered up and it helped a lot. So bring layers, a warm hat and gloves, especially if you are heading out for sunrise. Tira loves crisp fall weather, and he was completely in his element.

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How to Get to Maroon Bells: Parking Reservations and Early Arrival

Getting there from Denver: Aspen is about 3.5 to 4 hours from Denver. In summer and early fall you can take the scenic Independence Pass, which closes in winter, so check before you go.

From mid May through October, you need a reservation to visit Maroon Bells by car or by shuttle. All reservations are made through the official Visit Maroon Bells site. Between 8am and 5pm the road is open to shuttles only, so if you want to drive yourself and catch sunrise, you will need a trailhead parking reservation ($10 per vehicle) and you will need to arrive before 8am. Spaces are very limited, so book as early as you can.

Shuttle season and cost: The Maroon Bells shuttle from Aspen Highlands runs May 22 through October 18 in 2026, but parking reservations are still required through October 31. If you visit in late October, plan on a parking reservation since the shuttle will not be running. Shuttle tickets are $16 for adults and $10 for seniors and kids. You can park at the paid garage at the Maroon Bells Welcome Center at Aspen Highlands, or check the shuttle parking options for free and lower cost lots.

No parking reservation? Private vehicles can drop off passengers between 6am and 8am without a parking reservation. Anyone dropped off will need a one way shuttle ticket to ride back down after 8am.

We arrived around 5:30am to 6am. At the Welcome Station on Maroon Creek Road, you scan your reservation QR code and then continue up to the Maroon Bells Scenic Area parking lot. We had no trouble finding a spot at that hour. There are restrooms and a picnic area near the lot, and from there it is a short walk until the Bells open up in front of you.

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Hiking to Crater Lake With a Dog

If you have the time and energy, the Crater Lake hike is a must. You start at Maroon Lake and follow the Maroon Snowmass Trail, which splits off toward Crater Lake about three tenths of a mile in. The full hike is about 3.6 miles round trip with roughly 500 to 700 feet of elevation gain, and Crater Lake sits at about 10,076 feet.

The trail climbs steadily and gets very rocky, so durable hiking shoes are a must for you and paw protection is worth considering for your dog. On our hike most of the trail was glowing gold. Not every aspen had turned yet, but it was still stunning.

What makes Crater Lake so special is how close you get to the Maroon Bells. The view from Maroon Lake is iconic, but at Crater Lake the peaks tower right above you.

Visiting Maroon Bells in the Evening

On our second day, before heading back to camp, we drove back up to Maroon Bells hoping to make it for sunset. It had been a rainy day, so we knew a colorful sunset probably was not going to happen. What we got instead was just as memorable.

Clouds and fog were drifting across the Bells, wrapping around the peaks and then slowly pulling away again. It was moody, quiet and absolutely beautiful, a completely different sight from the glowing sunrise we saw that first morning. If you are camping and have the time, we would recommend seeing the Bells at both ends of the day.

Planning an evening visit: The road is shuttle only from 8am to 5pm, so after 5pm you can drive up in your own car. Evening parking still requires a reservation unless you are camping at Silver Bell, so book ahead at visitmaroonbells.com. Evenings tend to be much quieter than sunrise, and do not let a cloudy forecast keep you away. Some of the most striking views of the Bells happen when the weather rolls in.

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Camping at Silver Bell Campground Near Maroon Bells

If you want to be close to the Bells, camping on Maroon Creek Road is the way to do it. Silver Bell Campground sits along Maroon Creek at about 8,460 feet, just past the Maroon Bells Welcome Station. It is a small campground with 14 sites, and only some of them can be reserved ahead of time. The rest are first come, first served, and the campground usually fills before noon in summer and fall. We booked our site back in April.

What to Know About Silver Bell

• •No running water or electricity. Bring all your water in, and a power station if you want to charge phones and camera gear.
• •Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and bear receptacle, with vault toilets in the campground, and trash bins are also close to the vault toilets. Use the bear receptacle for all food and anything scented. Rangers highly recommend it.
• •Dogs must be leashed. We used a dog tie out cable so Tira could roam around our site safely while staying secured.
• •Parking and campsite passes. You will get one pass to hang in your car and one for your campsite.
• •Access to Maroon Bells is included. Your campsite reservation gives you access to the Maroon Lake parking area during your stay, so you do not need a separate parking reservation. We only booked one because we wanted to arrive before our campsite check in time.
• •Fire restrictions. There were fire restrictions during our stay, and at the Welcome Station we were told to keep any fire inside the fire ring. Always check current restrictions before you go.
• •Leave no trace. Pack everything in and out, and leave your site better than you found it. Rangers also said not to hang anything on the trees. There was a lantern pole at our site, which is also how we hung Tira’s tie out cable.

Our Campsite: Silver Bell Campground Site 5

We stayed at site 5 and really liked it. It is close to the vault toilets and to where we parked, which made hauling gear easy. Sites 4 and 6 are closer to the creek, and site 4 has the best creek access. From our site the creek was more of a walk, but we could still hear the water flowing all night, and it was so relaxing.

One thing to know: at Silver Bell, sites 2 to 4 and 8 to 14 are first come, first served and cannot be reserved ahead. If you want site 4, arrive early. Site 6 is reservable and also close to the creek.

Tip: If no sites are open when you look, you can set an alert on Recreation.gov to email you if a site opens up. When we set ours, a spot opened up and we booked it immediately.

It Gets Cold at Night

Even in September, nights got cold. Layer up and bring warm blankets. On our coldest night, our tent’s outer chamber made a big difference, since we could cook and eat inside it after a long day exploring downtown Aspen.

Close to Aspen

The drive into Aspen is only about 15 minutes, so it is easy to grab groceries and essentials at City Market or spend a day exploring downtown Aspen. And since the campground sits about 4 miles below Maroon Lake, it is perfect if you want to do more hiking or just soak in the Bells without the drive from town.

Camping here is not for everyone, but if you are up for it, we highly recommend it.

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Tips for Visiting Maroon Bells With a Dog

• Plan months ahead. Reservations for fall dates go quickly. This trip was on our calendar since April.
• Go early. Sunrise is magical and the trail is much quieter before the shuttle starts.
• Download everything. There is almost no cell service, so save maps, reservations and QR codes ahead of time.
• Wear sturdy shoes. The Crater Lake Trail is rocky.
• Bring water and snacks for you and your pup. There is no food in the scenic area.
• Pack layers. Mornings and nights are cold, even in early fall.
• Keep your dog leashed and skip the Scenic Loop with your pup.
• Pack out dog waste. Bring plenty of bags and carry them out with you. Leave No Trace keeps these trails and lakes beautiful for everyone.

Grab our free road trip packing checklist before you go.

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