Aspen Community Vision

Printed From: http://www.aspencommunityvision.com/page_15

Open Space & Trails

One of the key elements of Open Space and Trails is the ability to work with a long list of partners to achieve overriding community goals.

Since the 2000 AACP, Pitkin County and the City of Aspen have worked with Great Outdoors Colorado, Town of Basalt, Eagle County, Aspen Valley Land Trust, Roaring Fork Conservancy and Aspen Skiing Company Environment Foundation, to preserve significant open space parcels and to connect existing trails.

Twenty-two miles of paved and unpaved trails wind their way through Aspen, connecting a number of the parks and offering easy access to outlying areas like the Marolt Open Space, the golf course, the Aspen Recreation Center, the White River National Forest, Northstar Nature Preserve, and to housing developments like Aspen Highlands and Marolt seasonal housing.

Among the biggest accomplishments since 2000 were:

The City and County have jointly acquired 455 acres of open space, including the 269 acre Smuggler Mountain acquisition.
In 2006, the Aspen Snowmass Nordic trails System was added to the Pitkin County Open Space and Trails program.
In 2008, the Rio Grande Trail was completed, providing a continuous trail linkage from Aspen to Glenwood Springs. (More than 600 people day use the City portion of this trail.)

Linkage to other issues

There are precious few issues in the Aspen area that exist in a vacuum. Here are a few topics that are directly related to the topic of open space and trails.

Sustaining the Lifelong Aspenite. The extensive open space and trails network are part of every day recreation for year-rounders that reinforce an active lifestyle.

Transportation. City and County trails are literally a way for many people to bike or walk to work, to the grocery store, the post offi ce and other "everyday" locations. The trail system takes cars off local roads and highways.

The Economy. While year-rounders love the area's open space and trails, these extensive holdings also symbolize the area's commitment to preserving the outdoors. Visitors can easily get on bicycles and enjoy nature.