| Difficulty | III |
| Length | 6.3 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 59 fpm |
| Gauge | Roaring Fork River Blw Maroon Creek Nr Aspen, Co |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 110 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | July 14, 2026 |
This section of the Roaring Fork offers more continuous boating and smaller eddies than the Upper, just above it. Overall, it offers busy Class III to IV- rock-dodging boating in a pretty setting. A higher take out above an ugly CDOT bridge lowers the difficulty somewhat, avoiding ugly bridge pilings and Toothache Rapid.
The nature of the river here is similar to that of Upper Woody Creek, just above. Continuous, cold, busy water. Most of the run is in the Class III range, rising to IV- at high flows. Eddies are smaller and things move more quickly than the section above, with the exception of sections where the river splits, offering up Class II channels for a bit of a rest.
As described below, a higher take out can avoid a hazardous bridge and Toothache, the toughest rapid on the stretch. Or go lower for more spice.
Access: The put in is the same as the Upper Woody Creek take out: the Lower Woody Creek Bridge near mile marker 31 on Hwy 82.
The first take out is at the 16 Road Bridge off of Hwy 82 near Old Snowmass Town, near mile marker 27.5. This avoids an ugly CDOT bridge with narrow and diagonally placed bridge pilings. It's generally not a problem for kayakers, but it's a common site of raft pins.
The lower take out is at mile marker 25, near where a Hwy 82 bridge crosses the river. This adds on Toothache (IV-), which can be scouted from the westbound lanes of Hwy 82 at mile marker 27.5.
RTFA buses also service this stretch, allowing for a bus-based shuttle between the Wingo and Wilton Jaffee park stops.
See also Cemetary (Class II+),
Woody Creek (Class III),
Slaughterhouse (Class IV),
...