The Darien Ranch Lodge is surrounded by the Elk Mountain Range, with the Maroon Bell/Snowmass Wilderness Areas to the North and the Ragged Wilderness Area to the South. There are many possible activities. Some of them include:
level permitting (Additional Guide Charge); Crystal Fly Shop, Carbondale, Co
(970) 963-5741
i. Roaring Fork & Colorado Rivers Dory Boat Fishing
ii. Wade Fly Fishing on the Frying Pan and Other River
b. Hiking Trails
- Historic Marble Railroad Grade on Darien Ranch (Moderate)
- Lily Lake trail: Starts on the Darien Ranch. Please check in with Larry Darien (Moderate)
2. Nearby Hiking Trails & Horseback Riding Trails
- Carbonate Creek Trail near Marble (Difficult)
- Huntsman Ridge Trail (Moderate)
- Old McClure Pass (Moderate)
- McClure Pass via Ragged Mountain (Moderate)
- Raspberry Creek Trail # 1968 (Difficult)
- Yule Creek Trail/Anthracite Pass (Difficult)
- Braderich Trail near (Intermediate)
- East Creek Trail, near Redstone (Difficult)
- Others available upon request
3. Horseback Rides
- Outwest Guides: (970) 963-5525
- Avalanche Outfitters at Redstone Stables: (970) 963-1144
4. RPS ATV Rentals, Marble, Co: (970) 306-1107
5. Marble Quarry: Scenic short hike to view Marble Quarry Operation
6. Marble Quarry
Company Information: per Internet, “Located along and above the east and west side of Yule Creek,
from an elevation of 9,000 feet to 10,000 feet, where five quarries, of which only one on the west
side is in operation today. Those on the west, being the John Osgood quarry, (pit type started in the
early 1890’s) and the present-day quarry started in 1905 by the Colorado Yule Marble Company
inside the mountain. The east side quarry, started in 1904 by the Strauss brothers, was quarried
inside Whitehouse Mountain”.
7. River Rafting, Glenwood Springs on Colorado, and Roaring Fork Rivers
8. Crystal River Jeep Tours (Opening Depends on years snowpack)
- Town of Crystal, “Crystal is a ghost town on the upper Crystal River in Gunnison County, Colorado. It
is in the Elk Mountains along a four-wheel drive road 6 miles east of Marble and 20 miles northwest
of Crested Butte. Established in 1880, Crystal was also known as Crystal City. The town boomed as
a mining camp for several decades with an average population of around 500 but was nearly a
ghost town by 1917.” Today, there are some homes the owners visit when accessible. There are
picnic tables if you would like to soak in the surrounding beauty.
- Crystal Mill is located adjacent to town of Crystal. Located in confluence of North and South Crystal
River. This site is near Crystal, this is one of the most photographed sites. Per the Internet, “This
wooden powerhouse was built in 1893 as the Sheep Mountain powerhouse on an outcrop of the
Crystal River”. To visit the Crystal Mill, a 4x4 with high clearance is recommended.
9. Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale, Redstone: Quaint towns for Restaurants, Bars, Shopping and Sightseeing.
10. Glenwood Springs Hot Springs: (970) 945-6571
11. Nearby Restaurants
- Slow Groovin BBQ (3 Miles from Lodge)
- Propaganda Pizza Pie (8.5 miles from Lodge)
- Raspberry Café (3 miles from Lodge)
- Redstone Inn (8.2 miles from Lodge)
- Redstone General Store: (8.2 miles from Lodge)
- Activities on the Darien Ranch
level permitting (Additional Guide Charge); Crystal Fly Shop, Carbondale, Co
(970) 963-5741
i. Roaring Fork & Colorado Rivers Dory Boat Fishing
ii. Wade Fly Fishing on the Frying Pan and Other River
b. Hiking Trails
- Historic Marble Railroad Grade on Darien Ranch (Moderate)
- Lily Lake trail: Starts on the Darien Ranch. Please check in with Larry Darien (Moderate)
2. Nearby Hiking Trails & Horseback Riding Trails
- Carbonate Creek Trail near Marble (Difficult)
- Huntsman Ridge Trail (Moderate)
- Old McClure Pass (Moderate)
- McClure Pass via Ragged Mountain (Moderate)
- Raspberry Creek Trail # 1968 (Difficult)
- Yule Creek Trail/Anthracite Pass (Difficult)
- Braderich Trail near (Intermediate)
- East Creek Trail, near Redstone (Difficult)
- Others available upon request
3. Horseback Rides
- Outwest Guides: (970) 963-5525
- Avalanche Outfitters at Redstone Stables: (970) 963-1144
4. RPS ATV Rentals, Marble, Co: (970) 306-1107
5. Marble Quarry: Scenic short hike to view Marble Quarry Operation
6. Marble Quarry
Company Information: per Internet, “Located along and above the east and west side of Yule Creek,
from an elevation of 9,000 feet to 10,000 feet, where five quarries, of which only one on the west
side is in operation today. Those on the west, being the John Osgood quarry, (pit type started in the
early 1890’s) and the present-day quarry started in 1905 by the Colorado Yule Marble Company
inside the mountain. The east side quarry, started in 1904 by the Strauss brothers, was quarried
inside Whitehouse Mountain”.
7. River Rafting, Glenwood Springs on Colorado, and Roaring Fork Rivers
8. Crystal River Jeep Tours (Opening Depends on years snowpack)
- Town of Crystal, “Crystal is a ghost town on the upper Crystal River in Gunnison County, Colorado. It
is in the Elk Mountains along a four-wheel drive road 6 miles east of Marble and 20 miles northwest
of Crested Butte. Established in 1880, Crystal was also known as Crystal City. The town boomed as
a mining camp for several decades with an average population of around 500 but was nearly a
ghost town by 1917.” Today, there are some homes the owners visit when accessible. There are
picnic tables if you would like to soak in the surrounding beauty.
- Crystal Mill is located adjacent to town of Crystal. Located in confluence of North and South Crystal
River. This site is near Crystal, this is one of the most photographed sites. Per the Internet, “This
wooden powerhouse was built in 1893 as the Sheep Mountain powerhouse on an outcrop of the
Crystal River”. To visit the Crystal Mill, a 4x4 with high clearance is recommended.
9. Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale, Redstone: Quaint towns for Restaurants, Bars, Shopping and Sightseeing.
10. Glenwood Springs Hot Springs: (970) 945-6571
11. Nearby Restaurants
- Slow Groovin BBQ (3 Miles from Lodge)
- Propaganda Pizza Pie (8.5 miles from Lodge)
- Raspberry Café (3 miles from Lodge)
- Redstone Inn (8.2 miles from Lodge)
- Redstone General Store: (8.2 miles from Lodge)