How do you get a Four Pass Loop permit, and is Maroon Lake trailhead parking separate?

Two separate reservations, and you need both. The overnight permit itself is reserved through Recreation.gov at $12 per person per night, with camping restricted to designated zones (Maroon, North Fork, and Snowmass Lake). Summer dates are heavily contested for Colorado's most famous loop, so book the moment your dates firm up and watch for cancellations if you miss.

Separately, the Maroon Bells Scenic Area restricts private vehicles during peak season, roughly mid-June to early October, from 8am to 5pm. Getting to the trailhead means either the RFTA shuttle from Aspen Highlands or an advance parking reservation, also booked on Recreation.gov. Plenty of parties have held a valid overnight permit and still scrambled on trip morning because they never sorted the trailhead piece. Overnight hikers should confirm current rules for early starts and multi-day parking when booking.

The other non-negotiable is the bear canister: hard-sided, IGBC-approved canisters are required for all overnight visitors, and rangers do check. Group size caps at 15, campfires are banned above treeline, and wag bags are the expected practice at high-use camps like Snowmass Lake.

One workaround for full calendars: the East Fork Trailhead on the Crested Butte side bypasses the shuttle system entirely, at the cost of a rough 4WD access road.