Glenwood Springs

A hot-springs town at the mouth of the Colorado River's canyon, home to one of the world's largest hot springs pools, emerald Hanging Lake with its waterfalls, and a canyon-top cave adventure park.

Glenwood Springs sits in western Colorado at the confluence of the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers, at the western mouth of Glenwood Canyon. At about 1,750 m above sea level, it is the county seat of Garfield County. The town grew up around its hot springs: the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool and Hotel Colorado, both built in the late 19th century, turned it into a Rocky Mountain health resort, and both President Theodore Roosevelt and the Old West gunslinger Doc Holliday have ties to the town. The main sights fall into three areas. First is the old town around the train station and the pool, where you can walk between the Hot Springs Pool, Yampah Vapor Caves, Hotel Colorado and Iron Mountain Hot Springs. Second is Glenwood Canyon to the east, with its canyon bike path, rafting on the Colorado River and the permit-only hike to Hanging Lake. Third is Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on top of Iron Mountain, north of town. Farther afield, you can drive west to Rifle Falls, or south to Sunlight Mountain Resort and the Crystal Mill. The climate is semi-arid highland: summer days reach about 30°C with cool mornings and evenings, ideal for rafting and hiking; aspens turn gold from late September to early October; winters are cold and snowy, when the main draws are soaking in the hot springs amid the snow and skiing at Sunlight or in Aspen, an hour's drive away. Getting there: Amtrak's California Zephyr stops at Glenwood Springs daily, about 6 hours from Denver on a spectacularly scenic route; driving I-70 takes about 2.5–3 hours, though in winter keep an eye on conditions over the mountain passes. The nearest airports are Aspen and Eagle County. Plan on 2–3 days. Note: Hanging Lake permits must be booked in advance on the official website, and the Glenwood Canyon stretch of I-70 occasionally closes temporarily due to rockfall or mudslides, so check CDOT road conditions before setting out.

Top sights

• Glenwood Hot Springs Pool – A century-old hot springs resort that opened in 1888. Its main pool is about 123 metres long and is considered one of the largest mineral h…
• Hanging Lake – An emerald-coloured travertine lake perched on a canyon cliff, with a waterfall curtain pouring into it. It is one of Colorado's most famou…
• Glenwood Canyon & Recreation Trail – A roughly 20-kilometre deep canyon cut by the Colorado River. The I-70 highway clings to the cliffs, and a paved bike path follows the rive…
• Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park – A cave adventure park reached by cable car to the top of Iron Mountain. Visitors can tour stalactite caves, swing off a cliff on the Giant…
• Yampah Spa & Vapor Caves – Steam chambers inside natural geothermal caves, with a temperature of about 43°C inside. A traditional “sweat cave” used by the Ute people…
• Iron Mountain Hot Springs – Sixteen small hot-spring pools on the banks of the Colorado River, each at a different temperature. You can soak while watching the river a…
• Colorado River Rafting (Shoshone) – A classic whitewater rafting run through the middle of the canyon, with Class II–III rapids between steep cliffs. It is Glenwood's most pop…
• Hotel Colorado – A century-old hotel built in 1893 in the style of an Italian villa. Theodore Roosevelt called it the “Western White House”, and legend says…
• Doc Holliday's Grave (Linwood Cemetery) – A memorial to “Doc Holliday”, a legendary Western gunfighter, reached by a hike up a mountain trail with views over the town of Glenwood Sp…
• Rifle Falls State Park – Three limestone waterfalls side by side tumble from a 21-metre cliff, with small caves behind the falls to explore. An easy half-day outing.
• Sunlight Mountain Resort – A family-oriented ski resort 20 minutes' drive from town, with affordable prices and smaller crowds. It can be combined with hot springs as…
• Crystal Mill – A wooden water-powered mill built in 1892, perched above a cliff and rushing river. It is one of the most photographed scenes in Colorado.

Where to eat

• Slope and Hatch – A counter-service spot opened in 2013, offering creative tacos and Colorado-raised hot dogs. It is among the town's top…
• The Pullman – Farm-to-table restaurant run by chef Mark Fischer, named one of Esquire's best new restaurants in America in its first…
• Riviera Supper Club – Long-running supper club, open since 1947, with live piano nearly every night; named the best local restaurant in 2025.

Itineraries

• Colorado's Four National Parks: 13-Day Grand Loop – A clockwise grand loop from Denver, linking Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Rocky Mount…
• Colorado Mountain Towns & Hot Springs – Depart from Denver to explore Estes Park, Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Vail, and Breckenridge.