A Photographer’s Favorite Event: The Snowmass Balloon Festival
Each September, as the golden aspens begin to turn and the air grows crisp in the Roaring Fork Valley, something magical happens in Snowmass Village. For three days, the Brush Creek Valley becomes a canvas for color—not just from the changing leaves, but from dozens of vibrant hot air balloons drifting across the morning sky. As a local Colorado landscape photographer, this is hands down my favorite event to photograph each year.
One of the Highest Balloon Festivals in the U.S.
Launched in 1976, the Snowmass Balloon Festival is one of the longest-running and highest-altitude balloon events in the country. Pilots from around the West gather to fly in the thin mountain air, launching their balloons from Town Park at over 8,000 feet above sea level. With Mount Daly rising in the background and the rugged ridgelines of the Elk Mountains surrounding the scene, it's hard to imagine a more photogenic setting.
Spectators arrive early, often bundled in blankets and sipping coffee as the balloons are slowly inflated in the valley. As a photographer, this moment—when glowing colors begin to rise in the soft dawn light—is pure magic. Then, as the sun peeks over the ridge and the sky turns cobalt, the balloons lift off, creating one of the most spectacular sights in Colorado nature photography.
The Best Places to View (and Photograph) the Festival
One of the unique aspects of the Snowmass Balloon Festival is how accessible and open it feels. You don’t need a ticket or a press pass to get amazing photos—you just need to wake up early.
Some of my favorite vantage points include:
Brush Creek Trail: A winding path that gives you elevated views of the entire launch field
Sky Mountain Park: If you're up for a short hike or bike ride, this ridge offers stunning angles of the balloons rising with the valley below
Town Park: For close-ups of the inflating balloons and candid moments with pilots and spectators
Whether you're photographing from the trail or simply soaking in the view, there’s nothing quite like it.
Featured in My Photography Book
The Snowmass Balloon Festival has played an important role in my visual storytelling over the years. Some of my most recognized images—including magazine covers—have come from this event. It’s also featured prominently in my upcoming photography book, Four Seasons in Snowmass, which documents the rhythm of life, light, and landscape in this unique part of the Rockies. The balloon festival perfectly symbolizes the vibrancy and playfulness of the fall season in Snowmass.
Capturing the Magic of Fall in Snowmass
For photographers, artists, and travelers alike, the Snowmass Balloon Festival is a dream. It combines the grandeur of mountain landscapes, the fleeting beauty of Colorado fall colors, and the surreal visual appeal of floating orbs of color. If you’re planning a visit to Snowmass in September, don’t miss this event—and bring your camera.
Looking for hot air balloon photos or autumn landscape prints of Snowmass?
Explore my Fall Meets Winter Collection
View my Aspen in the Fall Prints
If you're interested in licensing images, commissioning a project, or purchasing fine art prints from the Snowmass Balloon Festival, get in touch — I’d love to help you bring a piece of Colorado’s autumn magic into your space.
