Denver to Aspen drive: Best stops, distance & time

The best road trip stops on the Denver to Aspen drive are Idaho Springs, Vail and Glenwood Springs. The distance from Denver to Aspen by car is 198 miles, with a 3h38m driving time.

Planning a Denver to Aspen road trip itinerary

The Denver to Aspen drive takes you from the capital of Colorado to one of the world’s great ski resorts.

Top Denver experiences include Rocky Mountain National Park day tours, downtown Denver food tours and chilling guided ghost walks around the Cheeseman Park cemetery.

Also worth considering are whiskey and history tours, guided mountain hikes and craft beer tours.

Memorable Denver accommodation options include the charming Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast and the strikingly stylish Ramble.

Of the Colorado ski resorts, Aspen is the one with the star power. But it also has a sense of heritage grandeur, and cultural leanings. You’ll find ballet, art museums, concerts and theatre here, alongside the snow.

For skiers, four mountains are linked together with 336 trails and 46 lifts. For non-skiers, there are ghost tours, history tours, yoga classes, fat biking, ice climbing and fly fishing.

You will almost certainly need to book your Aspen accommodation in advance. Look for the best deals here.

Denver to Aspen distance and driving time

For most of the year, you’ll have to go the long way from Denver to Aspen. This is via Glenwood Springs on the I-70, then CO-82. The shorter route over the Independence Pass is only open during the summer months. This guide assumes you’re going via Glenwood Springs.

By car, the distance from Denver to Aspen is 198 miles. You can expect a driving time of around three hours and 38 minutes.

The best stops to add to a Denver to Aspen road trip itinerary are Idaho Springs, Vail and Glenwood Springs.

Denver to Aspen road trip attractions: Idaho Springs

Idaho Springs is a former gold mining town in the mountains. You can learn about that gold mining past on a tour to the ARGO Gold Mill and Mine.

These days, however, the town is something of an adventure sports hotspot. Whitewater rafting on Clear Creek is particularly popular, and you can try it at beginner, intermediate or advanced level.

Other Idaho Springs experience options include via ferrata climbing on Mount Evans, the cliffside zipline and Jeep tours.

Best stops between Denver and Aspen: Vail CO

Purpose-built, European-style ski village Vail is the biggest ski resort in Colorado, and arguably gets the best of the conditions. This is particularly the case with the legendary powder in the Back Bowl.

But a major part of the appeal is that you don’t have to strap on the skis at all. Top Vail experiences include Segway tours, snow sledding and downhill mountain bike tours. You can also try fly-fishing trips and escape rooms.

Compare prices for Vail accommodation here.

Denver to Aspen drive: Glenwood Springs CO

Glenwood Springs CO is a mountain resort town, famous for its hot springs. For a soak, try the Iron Mountain Hot Springs or Glenwood Hot Springs Resort.

Walkers can take on the hikes to Doc Holliday’s Grave or the photogenic Hanging Lake, while the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park offers cave tours and thrill rides.

It’s also a great spot for rafting on the Colorado River. Choose between a gentle half day float through the canyon or tackling the rapids on a whitewater adventure.

Due to the massive hot springs pool, the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is the best place to stay in Glenwood Springs. But you may be able to get better deals on alternative accommodation in the town.

Aspen, Colorado, outside the ski season.
Aspen, Colorado, outside the ski season. Photo by Lyndsey Duffer/ Unsplash.

More Denver road trips

Denver to Albuquerque | Amarillo to Denver | Denver to Arches National Park | Atlanta to Denver | Denver to Beaver Creek | Denver to Breckenridge | Denver to Cedar Rapids | Denver to Cheyenne | Denver to Chicago | Cincinnati to Denver | Denver to Colorado Springs | Denver to Copper Mountain | Dallas to Denver | Denver to Des Moines | Denver to El Paso | Denver to Estes Park | Denver to Flagstaff | Denver to Fort Collins | Denver to Frisco CO | Denver to Garden of the Gods | Denver to Glenwood Springs | Denver to Granby CO | Grand Junction to Denver | Houston to Denver | Denver to Idaho Springs | Indianapolis to Denver | Kansas City to Denver | Denver to Keystone | Denver to Laramie.

Denver to Madison WI | Denver to Moab | Nashville to Denver | Oklahoma City to Denver | Denver to Omaha | Philadelphia to Denver | Denver to Phoenix | Denver to Pikes Peak | Denver to Pittsburgh | Pueblo CO to Denver | Denver to Salt Lake City | Denver to San Antonio | Denver to Santa Fe | Denver to Scottsdale | Denver to Sedona | Denver to Silverthorne | Denver to Springfield MO | Denver to St Louis | Denver to Topeka | Tucson to Denver | Tulsa to Denver | Denver to Vail | Denver to Wichita | Denver to Winter Park CO.

More Aspen road trips

Boulder to Aspen | Breckenridge to Aspen | Chicago to Aspen | Colorado Springs to Aspen | Dallas to Aspen | Grand Junction to Aspen | Vail to Aspen.