If you are going to spend your Aspen visit mostly outdoors and lodging is but a mere afterthought, give some consideration to this Basalt lodge. Located 20 minutes north of Aspen, it provides immediate mountain accessibility, but at a lower price.
You can choose from two separate buildings, one of which shadows the Frying Pan River, a gold medal trout stream, making it perfect for those bent on fly fishing. The other building, across the parking lot, lacks the river backdrop but compensates with a lower room rate ($10 less).
Aesthetically there is nothing fancy about the Aspenalt that would distinguish it as a mountain lodge (it shares a parking lot with a grocery store), but it avoids the Aspen crowds, offers plenty of parking, and is just around the block from Basalt's Main Street, which is jammed with cozy, character-rich restaurants and cafes. The riverside Jacuzzi is a perfect balm for sore muscles.
• Hotel Services: television, disabled access, whirlpool, non-smoking rooms
• Special Features: Dogs are slapped with a $50 lodging fee. Small refrigerators are available by request. Ski storage provided.