Woody Creek, Colorado

Woody Creek is a little mountain village most known for its legendary tavern. The census-designated place (CDP) is located 8 miles north of Aspen on the banks of the Roaring Fork River.

A post office serves the town with a zip code of 81656 and a population of 290 in 2020. Woody Creek is situated at an elevation of 7,346 feet in the Roaring Fork Valley of Pitkin County, a bit hidden from Highway 82 off a county road.

There is no downtown area, however, the town’s heart is the Woody Creek Tavern which operates within a 1940s log cabin. The Lee Jones family built it and today the tavern serves as a watering hole for locals and guests alike. There are also several homes in town, some new, some old, and a trailer park.

Main Attractions

Woody Creek Tavern – Notorious hangout of Woody Creek local Hunter S. Thompson, a legendary author, portrayed by Johnny Depp in the movie Fearing and Loathing in Las Vegas. The Woody Creek Tavern is open year-round serving up classic American bar fare. Ask to take a Polaroid photo of yourself or your group to hang on the wall somewhere.

Woody Creek is a small community, so you won’t find any accommodations in town, but Basalt has hotels and Snowmass Village has hotels too.

Recreation

Camping –

• On Forest Service Roads 534 and 523 near the town, you’ll find a number of primitive dispersed camping spots. Always be sure to use a pre-defined site and leave no trace.
• Head north to Ruedi Reservoir and camp at one of their many campgrounds. All sites are just a short walk to the reservoir for fishing and boating. You’ll find various campsite options for RVs, trailers, and tent camping as well as essential amenities like vault toilets and potable water.
• Read about camping near Aspen and Woody Creek.

Fishing –

• The Roaring Fork River is a prime spot for fishing any time of year, and it runs just past Woody Creek. Trout are a common catch in these waters.
• Ruedi Reservoir is a peaceful place to fish for brown, rainbow, and book trout by boat or from the shore. There is a boat ramp located on the western shore of

Hiking –

• Wilton Jaffee Sr. Park is a nice open space by the Roaring Fork River, with access points to the AspenMass trail and Rio Grande trail via connectors.
• Buttermilk Summit via Snowmass is 4.6 miles with 1,800 feet of elevation gain, not for the faint of heart. However, once you’re at the summit you’re rewarded with sweeping views and serenity.
• Highline, Viewline, and Lowline trails in Snowmass Village are great moderate trails to spot wildflowers and other flora. Be aware of mountain bikers, and don’t use Deadline to descend as it is biker-only.

Snow Sports – Nearby Aspen offers four separate mountains for skiing and snowboarding, only about 15-20 minutes from Woody Creek: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, and Buttermilk.

Activities near Woody Creek

Federal Lands:

• Roaring Fork River
• White River National Forest

Landmarks:

• Hunter S. Thompson Shrine (6mi)

Towns:

• Aspen (8mi)
• Basalt (18mi)
• Carbondale (29mi)
• El Jebel (22mi)
• Glenwood Springs (41mi)
• Marble (58mi)
• Paonia (88mi)
• Redstone (45mi)
• Snowmass Village (8mi)

Transportation:

• Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (4mi)
• RFTA Roaring Fork Transportation Authority

Whitewater Rafting:

• Roaring Fork River Rafting