Maroon Bells – Backpacking Questions
The most visited areas of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness require an advanced reservation for an overnight permit, year round. This includes, but not limited to, The Four Pass Loop, Conundrum Hot Springs, Capitol Lake, Crater Lake, Snowmass Lake, and Geneva Lake.
For more information and to make your reservation please visit the US Forest Service website.
An overnight permit fee, from May 1st through October 31st, is $10.00 per person, per night. There is also a non-refundable reservation fee of $6.00 for each overnight permit. Children 16 and under are free.
For dates outside of May 1st through October 31st, there is no permit fee, but an overnight permit reservation is still required, and you will still be charged non-refundable reservation fee of $6.00 for each overnight permit.
Since 2006, there has been a 400% increase in use that has caused environmental damage, biohazards from human waste and trash, and visitor conflicts. The fees allow the Forest Service to address the significant impacts caused by high recreation use in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, and helps ensure the area remains a sustainable backcountry destination.
The Four Pass Loop is a great hiking trail that goes over meadows and mountain passes around the famous Maroon Bells. Snow will be on the passes until June, so it is recommended to bring warm layers and micro-spikes in case of snow travel. There are many online resources that describe the loop, and how the trails look throughout the year.
Getting your Overnight Permit to Backpack
To camp overnight on The Four Pass Loop, you will need a Wilderness Overnight Permit. This is done
through Recreation.gov.
Step 1 : Look over the Overnight Permit Zone Map before the opening dates, and plan your trip. The pink areas require a permit in order to camp. The blue zones mean that dispersed camping is allowed without a permit. Keep in mind it is hard to get back to the four pass loop if you leave the trail to camp in the blue zones.
Step 2 : You need a permit for every zone you plan to camp in. You don’t need a permit for the zones you will only be walking through. Determine how fast of a hiker you are, taking into account going over mountain passes, and how many miles you can hike in a day to find the zones you will be camping in. Remember, lightning occurs in the afternoon so plan to be off high terrain during this time of day.
Step : Familiarize yourself and understand where to camp in your reserved zones. In the Crater Lake and Capitol Lake Zones, you are required to camp in your reserved numbered campsite. In all other zones, you will not reserve a specific site, you can select a campsite within the zone that is already established and is 70 big steps away from trails and water.
Step 4 : The permits have two release dates for the season: February 15th at 8:00 AM for April through July, and June 15th at 8:00 AM for August through November. Permits are reserved online at Recreation.gov. It is recommended to get online early and make sure you account is created and you are able to log in without issues.
Getting to The Loop
There are two ways to get into the Maroon Bells Scenic Area:
1. Car- Trailhead Parking reservations are available on this website
2. Shuttle Bus- Available on this website
No, camping in the parking lot is not allowed.
You should be fully prepared for any situation by having proper gear, food, and water for your trip. There is no cell service or Wi-Fi, and search and rescue services cannot enter the area with machinery or helicopters. They will have to hike in and hike out with you. The weather changes abruptly in the mountains, so you should have rain and cold weather gear with you regardless of the time of year. Carry a first aid kit, extra food, extra water, and shelter even if you are day hiking. Always tell someone where you are hiking and when you plan to return. Safety is your responsibility, not the forest service’s. You must be prepared to self-rescue.
There is no rule stating you can’t, but this is a high altitude ecosystem, and the vegetation and biotic soil crust that covers the landscape takes decades to develop and taking shortcuts or going off trail destroys them. Please follow the leave no trace principles by leaving with what you brought and leave no sign of your visit. During hunting season, wear orange if going off trail as hunters are allowed to hunt on the scenic loop.
Yes, an IGBC approved bear resistant container is required. You can rent or buy them at outdoor gear shops. Anything with a scent has to go in: food, toothpaste, deodorant, trash, and needs to be stored at least 100 feet from camp.
Most permits allow up to 4 people per group. Some zones have large group permits that allow up to 10 people. Group size is limited to a maximum of 10 people in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.
Wilderness permits are required year round in the Conundrum Hot springs permit zone, and can be reserved at Recreation.gov.
Campfires are prohibited at all designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs, Crater Lake, Capitol Lake, and above 10,800 feet anywhere in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness (including Snowmass Lake).
The annual passes are not valid for Overnight Wilderness Permits.
However, they will cover your entrance fee into The Maroon Bells Wilderness area when parking at the Maroon Lake Trailhead. Reservations are required for parking at the Maroon Lake Trailhead, and can be reserved on this website.