Glenwood Canyon Page 3 of 4 Next Page


Hike to Hanging Lake

Just a few miles east of Glenwood Springs the Hanging Lake trailhead invites hikers to climb to one of Colorado's most exciting spots. The Hanging Lake trail will take you to Hanging Lake, which is accessible year-round. In the summer, hikers will climb to the lake beside a gently flowing creek. Navigating the winter ice proves to be tricky at times, and I have heard stories of hikers who have had to crawl part of the way to the lake. Nevertheless, a view of the frozen Hanging Lake is something you don't want to miss. One look at the lake and you will understand its name: there are two levels to it, and the higher level, perched on rock maybe twenty feet above the lower level, pours itself into the lower level, creating a thin wall of water connecting the two halves. The configuration of the lake and the fall gives the impression of water hanging, as the lower legs hang from the body when a person sits in a chair.

Regardless of the season, the trail is steep and littered with rocks and more than a few boulders. Signs at the bottom warn you to take two to three hours to make the 1.2-mile hike, to take ample amounts of water, wear sturdy shoes, and protect your ankles. A reasonably healthy adult can make the climb in 45 minutes, but because it is so short and beautiful, this trail is a Mecca for young families. Children make up at least on third of the people you will meet on the trail. School-age children should have no problem on the trail if allowed to rest periodically.

Travelers with furry, four-footed children should know that there are no dogs allowed on Hanging Lake Trail. When we climbed to Hanging Lake for the first time this past October, my husband and I brought our agile, energetic, frenchy-pug, Smidgen. The poor dog was ready to eat the trail, but as soon as we saw the signs prohibiting pets, we had to disappoint him. His highly anticipated romp in the forest turned into a 100-yard stroll and an afternoon keeping watch over the car.

Transportation to Hanging Lake Trail by Car

The route to the trailhead is slightly tricky. You can't access the trailhead from the westbound lane of 1-70, so if you're going west on I-70, signs for Hanging Lake will direct you to the hanging Lake/Grizzly Creek exit. You will get off at that exit only to see signs directing you to get back on the interstate going east. Don't panic, but follow the directions, which will take you to the actual Hanging Lake exit. There is a rest stop with paved parking and restroom facilities.

Glenwood Canyon

In addition to access to the trailhead, the Hanging Lake exit also provides access to bike trails that run through Glenwood Canyon and along the Colorado River.

For those who don't have the stamina to bike the canyon, or those just passing through, driving through Glenwood Canyon not only affords travelers a great view of Colorado's natural beauty, but from a more anthropocentric perspective, it provides an image of a sort of condensed history of modern human use of the canyon. In the early nineteen nineties, the 1-70 corridor through the canyon became the last leg of the federal interstate project, started almost fifty years before, to be completed. The stretch of interstate through the canyon is one of the greatest public works achievements of the twentieth century, rivaling Hoover Dam. Responding to conservationist and environmentalists who opposed the government's plan to build the interstate through the canyon, the highway's engineers designed it to complement the jagged rock formations and steep cliffs that characterize the land. The resulting dual-level interstate follows the canyon's undulating curves down the Colorado River like two ribbons on the hem of a dress.

Transportation to Glenwood Springs, Colorado by Car

Take I-70 to exit 116. The town hugs the highway, and is small enough for you to be able to orient yourself fairly quickly. As you drive toward the exit you will see the big sulfur pools on the north side of the highway. For a map of Glenwood Springs, visit the Glenwood Springs Chamber of commerce at http://glenwoodsprings.net/mapglenwood.htm.

Glenwood Canyon Page 3 of 4 Next Page