Crossing the Roaring Fork River before sunrise on the Stein Trail is a beautiful thing. This section joins the Rio Grande Trail, named from the railroad that used to follow the river. Despite the mountainous surroundings the trail grade never exceeds 3%. Looping back through residential completes the circuit on the Pitkin County Open Spaces and Trail system. My route began across the hiway from the Aspen airport on ABC road in the Business Park. Even in August the early morning air has a chill and a pair of gloves
would have been useful. The trail surface is hard packed crushed rock and sand. The multi-purpose greenway is concrete. 5.5 miles.