Maroon Bells

Maroon Bells is a pair of 14,000-foot peaks reflected in the still waters of Maroon Lake, widely considered the most photographed mountain scene in North America. Their deep burgundy hue, caused by iron-rich mudstone formed 300 million years ago, creates a color palette unlike anything else in the Rockies.

The area sits within the Elk Mountains outside Aspen and offers a range of trails from a flat lakeside loop to the demanding Four Pass Loop, a 26-mile circuit that crosses four alpine passes above 12,000 feet. Wildlife sightings of elk, marmots, and black bears are common.

The surrounding Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness is one of Colorado's most beloved backcountry areas, with wildflower meadows in late summer — fields of blue columbine, yellow sunflowers, and purple asters blanketing the slopes beneath the peaks.