Limited overnight permits available for Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness starting Feb. 15
Even though registering for overnight permits in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness is still two weeks away, information to help you plan your trip is online now at www.recreation.gov.
"While permits will not be available for reservation until Feb. 15, we wanted to share information about how to plan a trip through the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness because we know people are already making summer plans," said Aspen-Sopris District Ranger Kevin Warner in a statement.
New this year, the White River National Forest will require an overnight permit and fee in the most heavily used areas of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. That includes Conundrum Hot Springs, the "Four Pass Loop" (which includes Crater Lake and Snowmass Lake), Geneva Lake, and Capitol Lake.
Additional Information from the White River National Forest:
Permits for the limited overnight areas for trips occurring Feb. 15-July 31 will be available on https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4675333 beginning 8 a.m. (MST) on Feb. 15, with limited overnight permits for Aug. 1-Nov. 30 available June 15.
"The overnight permit and fee program is critical to effectively manage and restore this premiere backcountry destination," Warner said.
Revenues generated by the fee program will provide a sustainable funding source for restoring heavily damaged areas, increasing ranger presence and public education, and improving trails.
A $10 per person, per night fee is required for the limited overnight permit areas from May 1 through October 31. No fee is required for children 16 years old and younger or for approved school groups. A $6 processing fee per permit will be charged by recreation.gov.
Recreation in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness has exploded over the past decade, with a quadrupling of overnight use since 2006. This has led to significant management challenges with crowding, large amounts of trash and human waste, user conflicts, and large-scale environmental impacts including campsite damage, human/bear conflict, and loss of vegetation.
The overnight permit and fee are specifically for overnight camping in certain areas of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and do not apply to day hikers or the Maroon Bells Scenic Area, which has a separate parking and shuttle reservation system. Parking and shuttle reservations for the Maroon Bells Scenic Area will be available at www.aspenchamber.org for the months of May and June beginning March 1, for July and August beginning April 1, and for September and October beginning May 1.
