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EnCompass®
The AAA Companion
July | August 2005
Volume 79 Issue 4
Volume 79 Issue 4
by Carrie Patrick
If you thought Glenwood Springs was all about the pool, look again. The name and history of this town may have been built on a bubbling foundation of hot water, but as a base for outdoor adventure, it's awash with possibilities. If you haven't visited in a while, you'll find some new thrills there this summer; if you've never visited at all, what are you waiting for? Pool your resources, and let's go.The town sprawls in a rough V along the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Colorado rivers, at the western end of Glenwood Canyon. Arriving from the east is an experience all in itself. The 12-year effort to build a highway through this magnificent canyon, without harming its natural beauty, was a resounding success — at many points, the soaring sweep of the elevated road even seems to enhance the surroundings as it weaves its delicate curves between rock and river.
Stopping in the canyon will introduce you to some of the reasons people come here. Cyclists, walkers and inline skaters cruise past on the Glenwood Canyon Recreation Path, a smoothly paved, flat trail that meanders through 16.2 miles of spectacular scenery between Glenwood Springs and the town of Dotsero. An elderly man walks by with his dog; the faint buzz and splash of a fishing lure being cast is heard from the river bank. A pair of road warriors in brightly colored lycra wave to a little girl on a pink plastic tricycle as they flash past on their own pared-down machines. Kayaks and rafts are being unloaded from car tops and trailers. Further along the path, a couple pauses to watch three bighorn mountain sheep pick their way along the cliff face beside the trail, almost close enough to touch.
The shining jewel in the canyon's crown is Hanging Lake, one of the most popular hikes in the state and always ranked among Colorado's "must-see" sights. The strenuous climb up to the lake will take a maximum of 1.5 hours if you need frequent stops to get your breath back; fitter visitors will make it in an hour or less. The result is more than worth the effort.
The best time to start this hike is at the crack of dawn. You'll reach the lake before the crowds, before the heat, and at the perfect time for photography — although it's probably impossible to take a bad photograph of this pristine site.
Before you head back down, make sure you go just a few steps further up to see Spouting Rock. You can cool off under this unusual waterfall which jets from a hole in the middle of a cliff face.
If you'd rather save some energy for later, simply bike the Recreation Path as far as you like, then catch the Canyon Bikes shuttle back to town. Based at the western end of the trail, the company rents bikes and also provides a pick-up service for weary wheelers.
The leisurely Recreation Path is also a great warmup for some of the more adventurous biking routes you can find around Glenwood Springs. One of the first things you'll notice when you get into town is how many cars are carrying a full rack of bicycles. The area has dozens of trails, ranging in difficulty from paved paths and country roads to rugged double and singletrack mountain bike routes, with the experts-only Scout Trail singletrack down Lookout Mountain topping the list. The information center on Grand Avenue has free maps. If you prefer your thrills without the risk of spills, head for Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Four new attractions have opened this summer at the top of Iron Mountain, firmly establishing the park's position as one of Glenwood Springs' best stops.
The mountain's Fairy Caves reopened to the public in 1999, after 82 years of down time for the cave environment to regenerate. It once took three hours on a donkey to reach the caves, but today a tramway gets you there in minutes. You can even bring your bike, if you're looking for a fun way to get back down. The current owners are dedicated to the preservation of the caves' environment and formations, and have developed three tours to allow visitors to explore this impressive underground setting with minimal impact. Airtight doors and other measures preserve a constant temperature and humidity in the mountain's interior. If you don't want to get down and dirty with the full-on cave- crawling tours, try the one-hour guided walk to see formations and rooms in the first two levels of the cave system. The grand finale is the room dubbed "King's Row," where a stunning array of stalactites and stalagmites are picked out of the darkness by a lovely and understated light show.
After exploring the caves, head for the Giant Swing — if you dare. This newly installed thrill ride at the summit of Iron Mountain launches one, two or three adventurous souls out above Glenwood Canyon for a (literally) breathtaking view as you zoom over the edge of a 1,300 foot drop. A zipline and climbing wall have also been added to the list of adrenaline-pumping options the park offers.
The real star of the show, however, is the new Alpine Coaster. The first ride of its kind in the United States and one of only six in the world, this is no alpine slide. Best described as an individual rollercoaster, it sends you flying back down the mountainside through forests, over jumps and around hairpin turns on 3,400 feet of smooth, silent tubular rails. You can control your coaster's speed — but do you really want to?
If the Adventure Park proves to be either too much or not enough for you, a pocket version of caving can be experienced at Rifle Falls State Park, about an hour's drive west of Glenwood Springs. Exit I-70 at the town of Rifle and follow the signs north to this beautiful park and campground. The lush, almost tropical greenery surrounding the triple falls is an unexpected sight, just a few steps from the parking area. A short loop trail takes you up, down, around, and even behind the falls (do the trail anti-clockwise if you'd prefer to be heading downhill for the steepest part). It winds past cliffs pockmarked with numerous crawl-holes, nooks, tunnels and passageways which are just dark and scary enough for the little ones, while not really going anywhere or being extensive enough to get lost in. There's even one large cave where seats have been carved out of the rock walls — a great place for a secret picnic lunch.
Back in Glenwood, after a lunch break at one of the eateries clustered around the downtown area, a more thoughtful stop is the Pioneer Cemetery. Drive to the intersection of 12th and Bennett Streets to find the path leading to the old graveyard. A half-mile climb up the hillside, the final resting place of many of the town's early settlers provides a quiet location to sit and look out over the valley. Doc Holliday is buried here, and so is a member of the notorious Butch Cassidy gang: Kid Curry, who can be found here under the name of Harvey Logan — quite literally. The broken and weathered tombstones, naming gamblers and gunfighters alongside miners, ministers and mothers, remind us gently that sooner or later everybody's a "member of the underground."
Glenwood Springs' former underworld reputation is hard to imagine when gazing out across this sunny, peaceful town, but in its day that reputation was well-deserved. Stop in at the historic Hotel Colorado and ask about Al Capone's secret room. If you're lucky, and the security guard isn't too busy, he might be willing to take you down in the service elevator and show you the location of the now-sealed speakeasy door. Maybe you'll even see one of the resident ghosts — several guests have claimed that the hotel's tally of spirits isn't restricted to its wine list.
Life, however, is for the living, and there are plenty more ways to remind yourself of that before we finish our tour. Whitewater rafting around Glenwood Springs would make a whole article in itself; numerous companies provide trips to suit all budgets and adrenaline levels. For those who prefer another type of water hazard, the town is a great base for a golfing vacation, with no less than eight top-notch courses (10, if you count mini-golf!) located within a 40-mile radius of downtown. Or fly-fish the gold-medal waters of the Colorado, Roaring Fork and Frying Pan rivers.
After a day spent pushing yourself to the limit — up the hills, down the river, around the town or underground — you'll want to come down off that natural high and get your mind and muscles back on track for tomorrow.
So, what's the best way to wind down after a long day of adventure in Glenwood Springs?
Well, we hear they have a great hot springs pool there.
Carrie Patrick is managing editor of EnCompass.
Planning Your Trip
Glenwood Springs is 157 miles west of Denver on I-70. Amtrak operates a daily rail service from Denver, and two airports within 40 miles of the town have connecting flights from numerous cities.
AAA Connection
AAA Travel offers a Glenwood Springs package which includes roundtrip rail from Denver, one night's lodging and a hot springs pass.
Related Links
Hotel Reservations
TourBook / CampBook Lookup
Internet TripTik (Maps & Directions)