Hiking at A-BaSin
Explore our trails on your own, or join a guided wildflower hike
Hikers are treated to breathtaking views with every step as they ascend through pine trees up to open meadows of wildflowers and an uninterrupted backdrop of mountains blanketed in bright green. Visitors can quickly feel like they’re away from it all thanks to A-Basin’s more remote setting apart from multiple roads and towns.
Guided Wildflower Hikes
WHEN: Most Sundays and Mondays (but not all; please see calendar or call 888-ARAPAHOE). The hikes utilize the Black Mountain Express lift on Sundays and hike from mid-mountain. On Mondays, the hikes begin from the base area.
DATES: July 22 – August 19, 2019. Hikes begin at 11:00 a.m. in the Mountain Goat Plaza (base area). Visit our event calendar to see the exact dates and register for a hike.
- Sundays: $40 (includes lift ticket and $20 lunch voucher)
- Mondays: $30 (includes $20 lunch voucher)
- Kids under 14 are FREE for the hike and lift (does NOT include a lunch voucher)
Please note: Summer events are non-refundable and happen rain or shine. Dogs are NOT allowed on the hikes. Please check in to the season pass office by 10:45 a.m.
BE PREPARED
Our terrain is steep, challenging and at very high elevation. Afternoon thunderstorms with lightening and hail can be daily occurrences in the summer, and can materialize without much warning. Come hike in the morning and work up your appetite to enjoy BBQ on the deck of Black Mountain Lodge, or lunch and a beer in the 6th Alley Bar & Grill. Don't forget to hang out for live music on Saturdays from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.!
THE ROUTE TO THE TOP
Arapahoe Basin has a little over 6 miles of hiking trails and one route to the top of its lift-served terrain. The Argentine North Fork Trail is 1.8 miles of singletrack ascending 750 feet to Black Mountain Lodge at mid-mountain. From there, a steep service road takes hikers another 1.5 miles to 12,500 feet (2,000 feet above the base area) and panoramic mountain views. Enjoy being surrounded by 14'ers and looking out at the Continental Divide.
During your hike, you will cross beneath the Black Mountain Express lift and over the North Fork of the Snake River. The trail opened in 2012 but its name is a historical one dating back to the 1950s, with nods to nearby Argentine Pass and the spur of the river that provides water to Arapahoe Basin and Summit County.
TWO MORE OPTIONS
From the top, a strong hiker can descend 2,168 feet off the backside of the mountain on the 3.3-mile Lenawee Trail, ending at County Road 260/Peru Creek Road. It’s steep; it’s rocky and it requires a shuttle or a full day to hike back out. This should only be attempted by strong, experienced and well-prepared hikers who have planned ahead!
A slightly easier option is to hike along our disc golf course. The course loops around the lower mountain with a distance of approximately 1.6 miles. Please be courteous of people playing the course, keep your dog leashed and watch out for flying discs.
TRAIL USE RESTRICTIONS
Arapahoe Basin sits entirely on U.S. Forest Service land. Trails are open to hikers, mountain bikers and well-behaved animals. Please pick up after your pet! Poop bags are available in the base area; please pick one up before your hike.
While the land is open to public exploration, there are several ecologically-sensitive areas that are best left undisturbed. Please consider the potential impacts to the environment before venturing off our trails.
