What are the bear-proof trash rules in Aspen and Snowmass?

Aspen, Snowmass Village, and Pitkin County all require trash to be stored in a certified wildlife-resistant or wildlife-proof container that stays latched and secured at all times. Bins may only be set out after 6 a.m. on pickup day and must be brought in by 7 p.m. the same day, and the same applies to compost, which bears are drawn to.

What are the fines for improper trash storage under Aspen's bear ordinance?

Under the City of Aspen's trash ordinance, penalties escalate quickly: roughly $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and just under $1,000 for a third. The third offense carries a mandatory court appearance, and total penalties can reach $1,000.

What time can I put my trash out in Aspen?

Trash bins can be set out after 6 a.m. on your pickup day and must be brought back in by 7 p.m. the same day - the 6-to-7 rule - including compost.

What attracts bears to homes in Aspen and Snowmass?

Common attractants include unsecured trash and compost, fruit trees and windfall fruit, bird feeders (especially in late summer and fall during hyperphagia), grills and recycling with food residue, and open garage doors or unlocked ground-floor windows.

Is it illegal to take a bear selfie in Aspen?

Approaching wildlife too closely - including stopping for a bear selfie - can be treated as wildlife harassment and now carries the same escalating fines as the trash ordinance. Give bears plenty of room.

BE BEAR AWARE

Q: What should I do if I encounter a bear?

Stay calm, don't run, and give the bear a clear escape route. Make yourself look big, speak firmly, and back away slowly. Never get between a sow and her cubs. If a bear won't leave or has entered your home, contact Colorado Parks & Wildlife or local authorities.

Local insights

Jul 1

Written By Susan Plummer

Local info you simply can NOT google

What every Aspen and Snowmass homeowner should know about sharing the valley with bears, and staying on the right side of the trash ordinance.

Bear Aware: An Aspen & Snowmass Homeowner's Guide

Last fall, while golfing with my favorite Aspen Valley Ski Club (AVSC) coaches, we watched a very large black bear strolling the 13th fairway of the municipal golf course like he owned the place: practically a course marshal reminding everyone to keep up the pace of play. Yes, it's a charming mountain-lifestyle moment, and also a useful reminder: up here, we share the valley with serious wildlife, and how we handle our trash is quite literally a matter of life and death for our bears.

Black bear walking across the Aspen municipal golf course fairway, the self-appointed course marshal — The Aspen Muni's self-appointed course marshal.

If you live in Aspen or Snowmass, own a home here, or are thinking about buying, this is the kind of local knowledge that saves you headaches (and fines).

At a Glance

Container: a certified wildlife-resistant can or dumpster, latched and secured at all times.
The 6-to-7 rule: bins out after 6 a.m. on pickup day, back in by 7 p.m., compost included.
Fines escalate: roughly $250, then $500, then just under $1,000; the third offense means a mandatory court appearance.
Bear selfies count: getting too close is wildlife harassment, carrying the same fine structure.

A fed bear is a dead bear

It sounds harsh, and it's true. When a bear learns to associate humans with an easy meal (an unlatched dumpster, a bird feeder, fruit left on the ground), it loses its natural caution and keeps coming back. Habituated bears that break into homes or turn aggressive often have to be euthanized; in a tough year, more than a dozen bears in Pitkin County have been put down. Almost every one of those conflicts traces back to human food. Keeping bears wild starts with us.

The trash rules locals follow

Aspen, Snowmass Village, and Pitkin County all require wildlife-resistant containers, and they're enforced. Using the City of Aspen's ordinance as the benchmark (Snowmass Village and the County have their own, similar rules):

Trash may only be left outdoors in a certified wildlife-proof container or wildlife-resistant dumpster, latched and secured at all times.
Put bins out after 6 a.m. on pickup day and bring them in by 7 p.m. the same day. This includes compost, which bears love.
Fines escalate fast: roughly $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second, and just under $1,000 for a third. The third comes with a mandatory court appearance, and total penalties under the City's trash ordinance can reach $1,000.

The same fine structure now applies to wildlife harassment: yes, that includes stopping for a too-close "bear selfie." Give them room.

The attractants people forget

The trash can is only part of it. Bears have an extraordinary sense of smell, and Aspen and Snowmass properties are full of temptations:

Fruit treesthose pretty crab apples are a magnet; pick up windfall fruit, and consider non-fruiting varieties when landscaping.
Bird feeders, especially in late summer and fall when bears are fattening up for winter (a phase called hyperphagia).
Compost, grills, and recycling with food residue: rinse containers and keep them secured.
Open garage doors and unlocked ground-floor windowsbears are smart, curious, and strong enough to let themselves in.

If you meet a bear

Stay calm, don't run, and give it a clear escape route. Make yourself big, speak firmly, and back away slowly. Never get between a sow and her cubs. For a bear that won't leave or is in your home, contact Colorado Parks & Wildlife or local authorities. Most encounters end peacefully when people stay composed and don't crowd the animal.

Bear Basics

Get a certified container, mind the 6-to-7 rule, pick up the fruit, and you'll rarely have a problem. I walk every new owner through this. Keep our bears wild, and your house (and wallet) bear-free.

Buying or selling a home in Aspen or Snowmass? Call a local since 1989.

See what my clients say → or call 970-948-6786.

Susan Plummer, Realtor®
Christie's International Real Estate, Aspen & Snowmass
520 E. Durant Avenue, Suite 205, Aspen, CO 81611
970-948-6786 · susan@susanplummer.com