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In 1975, a bunch of hot air balloon pilots gathered in Aspen and took to the sky, a kaleidoscope of color and pattern slowly rising to meet the surrounding Elk Mountains. Fifty years later, the scene that will unfold in Snowmass Town Park on the mornings of September 13 and 14 won’t be all that different. “The beauty in the Snowmass Balloon Festival is that it stays the same year over year,” says Sara Stookey Sanchez, public relations manager for Snowmass Tourism.
For the big anniversary, however, there will be more balloons—40-plus, compared with around 30 the past few years—plus coffee vendors and food trucks. Although there are no public rides at the free event, Stookey Sanchez says that if you offer to help a pilot, you may get invited to hold a line or even hop in for a flight. Otherwise, choose your optimal vantage point from these four on-the-ground options.
Editor’s note: As of September 12, festival organizers intend to allow the balloons to fly. Earlier in the week, there was a contingency plan to inflate the balloons but keep them grounded due to fire restrictions, which have now been lifted.
Where to See the Snowmass Balloon Festival
1. The launch field
The balloons loom up to 80 feet tall and 60 feet wide, and there’s no better way to appreciate their enormity than by standing right next to one as it fires up and lifts off from Snowmass Town Park’s softball fields. Arrive early to chat with the pilots and collect trading cards featuring their aircraft.
2. Airline Trail
This 2.5-mile stretch of intermediate singletrack takes mountain bikers to 8,314 feet in elevation. Park at the Buttermilk ski area and hop on a dirt connector to meet up with the trail, where you can sneak glances at the rising sun and balloons as you climb up—and zoom down—Airline’s berms and rollers.
3. Brush Creek Bike Path
The paved, pup- and stroller-friendly Brush Creek Bike Path parallels the main road into Snowmass Village; connect to the Owl Creek Trail and follow it to Cathy Robinson Playground so your antsy tots can slide and swing while you wait for the balloons to crest the surrounding trees.
4. Viewline Trail
From the Tom Blake trailhead, Viewline rises 740 feet over 1.89 miles to live up to its name, affording hikers—and photographers—panoramic vistas of the balloons dotting the valley below. You don’t have to go all the way to the top to find a great angle, but be sure you’re in place before takeoff (typically between 7 and 7:30 a.m.).
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