Connecting Aspen: Redi-Rock Supports Maroon Creek Trail

The Challenge: Multi-use Trail in Mountain Terrain

It’s no wonder that citizens of Aspen, Colorado, are avid outdoor enthusiasts. With beautiful alpine terrain, mountain landscapes, and flourishing villages, the area is a natural beauty. To make their community more accessible to all, the City of Aspen proposed a paved, ADA-accessible, multi-use trail system to connect the city to its recreation center, Highlands Ski Area, and the Maroon Bells Scenic Area. An ambitious undertaking that would require a retaining wall solution to handle tough mountain soils and steep slopes–the perfect challenge for Redi-Rock.

Why Redi-Rock? Support That Extends Beyond The Wall

The project involved many Aspen and Colorado local stakeholders: Otak Engineering, Gould Construction, Miller Wall Company, and local Redi-Rock producer Signature Stone, who came together to engineer and build the Redi-Rock retaining wall required for a section of the Maroon Creek Trail.

A Redi-Rock gravity wall solution was ultimately selected for its ability to be installed with minimal excavation, preserving nearby sensitive natural areas during construction.

When installed, the wall would deliver big-block strength and long-term durability, performing reliably through harsh freeze-thaw cycles and alpine weather events. The City of Aspen landed on a solution with a long lifespan and minimal maintenance requirements.

Wall Specs:

• Redi-Rock gravity wall
• Standard gravity blocks with a 5-degree setback and top garden corner blocks
• Ledgestone Texture
• Signature Stone’s custom “Rustico” color

Project Awards:

• 2025 Colorado Contractors Association (CCA) Infrastructure Construction Excellence (ICE) Award for the Pedestrian/Bike Infrastructure category
• Honor Award at the 2025 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Colorado

Retaining wall installer Gould Construction received the 2025 Colorado Contractors Association (CCA) Infrastructure Construction Excellence (ICE) Award for the Pedestrian/Bike Infrastructure category and shared project photos featuring the Redi-Rock solutions used on the project in an Instagram post.

The project also received an Honor Award at the 2025 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Colorado event, where Otak Engineering and the project were recognized for improving community connections and using low-impact methods to protect the environment in a sensitive area.

Otak Engineering provided its own spotlight on the project, adding, “The Maroon Creek Multi-Use Trail connects the SH 82 roundabout with the Aspen Recreation Center and its busy transit station, where a previously poorly defined mixture of pathways created potential conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. With updates providing the ability to clear snow, the path is now available for use in all seasons.” View the trail’s preliminary plans and construction photos in Otak's archives.