Snodgrass Mountain
Crested Butte's aspen-cloaked neighbor, with meadow trails and golden fall color just north of town.
About Snodgrass Mountain
Snodgrass Mountain rises just north of Mount Crested Butte along Gothic Road, a rounded, forested peak known for some of the finest aspen groves in a valley famous for them. The Snodgrass Trail starts at a small lot off Gothic Road and climbs through meadows and aspen to a tree-covered summit a little over 11,000 feet.
The hike runs about 5.6 miles round trip with roughly 1,500 feet of gain. Hikers often take the gentler dirt road route through the aspens, while mountain bikers favor the singletrack for the descent.
The summit itself is wooded with limited views, so the photographic rewards are mostly along the way: wildflower meadows in summer, glowing aspen tunnels in fall and open views of Mount Crested Butte and the surrounding Elk Mountains.
The easiest big views near Crested Butte, with Mt. Crested Butte and the Elk Mountains laid out to the north and some of the best aspen groves in the area turning gold each fall. The first mile alone has some of the best scenery on the mountain, so it's a fine shortened hike if you're short on time — come specifically for peak aspen season if fall color is the goal, since the groves here turn earlier than lower-elevation spots nearby.
History
Snodgrass has been at the center of one of Crested Butte's longest land-use debates. The ski resort first proposed expanding lifts onto the mountain decades ago and shelved the plan in the mid-1990s amid strong local opposition. A renewed push ended in 2009, when the Forest Service declined to accept the resort's proposal for the roughly 276-acre expansion for environmental review.
The mountain remains undeveloped national forest land, part of the broad aspen forests that make the upper East River valley around Crested Butte one of Colorado's best-known fall color destinations.
Photographing Snodgrass Mountain
Best light: Fall is the headliner: the aspens usually peak around mid to late September, and backlit morning or late-afternoon light makes the leaves glow. In July, the lower meadows fill with wildflowers in front of Mount Crested Butte.
Shots to look for
- Aspen tunnel along the dirt road route, shot with a normal or short telephoto to stack trunks
- Mount Crested Butte above the wildflower meadows near the trailhead
- Backlit aspen leaves against a deep blue sky with a polarizer
- Telephoto slices of golden hillsides and dark conifers across the valley
- Intimate white-trunk abstracts on overcast days for even light
Photo tips
- Trailhead parking is small and fills quickly during peak fall color; go early
- Expect mountain bikers on the singletrack; hikers should be ready to step aside
- A polarizer saturates aspen leaves, but dial it back to avoid blotchy skies
- Afternoon storms are common in July and August
- Combine with Gothic Road and Kebler Pass for a full fall-color day
Know before you go
- The trail is multi-use and non-motorized
- Dogs must be leashed
- The trail is generally snow-covered and closed to hiking in winter
- The summit is forested with no big panoramic viewpoint; the best views are lower on the route
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Snodgrass Trail?
About 5.6 miles round trip to the summit with roughly 1,500 feet of gain.
When do the aspens peak on Snodgrass Mountain?
Typically mid to late September, though timing varies by year with weather and elevation.
Are there views from the summit?
Not many; the top is tree-covered. The best views of Mount Crested Butte and the valley are from the meadows and openings lower on the trail.
Featured in: Best Fall Color Spots in Colorado · Best Wildflower Hikes in Colorado
Combine it with
Gothic · Kebler Pass · Emerald Lake (Crested Butte) · Crested Butte
More Colorado spots
Sources & further reading: denvergazette.com · 10adventures.com · saminfo.com · hcn.org. Conditions, fees and rules change; check with the managing agency before you go.