Enjoy the relaxed pace of train travel and a visit to the historic Railroad Museum at the train depot. Amtrak has year-round daily arrivals into Glenwood Springs from various points throughout the West and Midwest. The California Zephyr travels from Chicago to San Francisco with stops in Denver and Grand Junction.
Looking for a new thrill? ATV adventures are exciting for beginners and experienced riders alike. Ride on trails through mountain terrain with High Canyon Adventures at Bair Ranch, located in Glenwood Canyon, just south of the Colorado River. The best views on the ranch can be seen from the ATV trails. Combine the tour with a chuck-wagon dinner and experience a full day of adventure.
The easiest and most efficient way to get around Glenwood Springs is on two wheels, not four, thanks to the large network of trails and paths. Bring your bike or rent one here, and enjoy the River Trail along the Roaring Fork River—it now merges with the Rio Grande Trail which takes cyclists on a scenic ride south toward Carbondale.
Camping is available in town at commercial, improved campgrounds, as well as in the neighboring White River National Forest in several improved and rustic campgrounds in the Sopris Ranger District.
Glenwood Springs commercial campgrounds offer new fully-furnished resort cabins, camper cabins, Big-Rig RV sites with full hook-ups, group tent areas and additional sites for RV's, campers, pop-ups and tents. Reservations for commercial sites and cabins may be booked in advance on this website or by calling 888-445-3696.
You can rent "sit-on-top" kayaks and canoes for calm water activities at nearby Ruedi Reservoir, Harvey Gap and the Colorado River. Rent equipment at both Summit Canyon Mountaineering and Glenwood Adventure Company.
Fans of the Colorado Mountain College Spring Valley Campus disc golf course say it's one of the best courses anywhere.
The course is designed by PDGA Pro player TJ Laurence and is maintained by the Roaring Fork Disc Golf Club. It is approximately 2 miles long and winds through moderate mountain terrain, sage, pine and cedar trees. Majestic Mount Sopris is clearly visible in the distance.
From fly fishing the top-rated waters of the Roaring Fork River to casting a lure from a drift boat in the Colorado River; the fishing in and around Glenwood Springs is hard to beat. In fact, in 2008 Field & Stream magazine designated Glenwood Springs as the top fishing town in America!
The best way to explore Glenwood Springs, is to learn about Glenwood's rich history first.
The Frontier Historical Society was created in 1964 to preserve the pieces of Glenwood Springs’ past. A small museum was opened at that time, continued to grow and in 1972 a larger museum was opened in its present location at 1001 Colorado Avenue in Glenwood Springs.
Museum Hours
May through September: Monday - Saturday, 11:00 - 4:00
October through April: Monday and Thursday - Saturday, 1:00 - 4:00.
A day of excitement and exploration is waiting for you on top of Iron Mountain, where Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park brings out the kid in everyone. From the fully enclosed gondola you can take in the views almost 50 miles to the south, over Glenwood Springs and the Roaring Fork Valley, past majestic Mt. Sopris, to the peaks in Aspen. Once you’re at the top, it’s time to choose your adventures.
The Glenwood Hot Springs Pool is famous for its enduring appeal and for its size—the largest in the world at over two blocks long.
Native American Utes regarded it as a sacred healing place. Over the past century famous visitors including Al Capone, Titanic-survivor Molly Brown, and President Theodore Roosevelt called it Spa in the Rockies. Today thousands of visitors enjoy the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool in all four seasons.
Since the late 1800s, vaudeville variety shows have entertained audiences with song, dance, magic, comedy and all-around silliness. One hundred years ago, Vaudeville was the only entertainment available in the West. Acts traveled around the country performing in quaint theaters and were often the highlight of the year. The Glenwood Vaudeville Revue revives this time-honored tradition at the Blue Acacia Theatre in the Masonic Lodge located at 9th and Colorado.
There are eight public golf courses within 40 miles of Glenwood Springs, making it the perfect headquarters for your Rocky Mountain golf getaway.
In town, play the nine-hole municipal course at the Glenwood Springs Golf Club. It’s open daily, usually from March through November. Lakota Canyon Ranch is a world-class 18-hole course open nine months of the year, and just 10 miles west of Glenwood Springs in New Castle, Colorado.
Public Notice - Hanging Lake Trail will be CLOSED September 19 – 20, 2010
Hanging Lake is a crystal-clear, turquoise blue lake that is a short, steep, but rewarding hike that starts in Glenwood Canyon. Read more about hiking at Hanging Lake.
Glenwood Springs boasts alpine meadows, rivers, creeks, crystal-clear lakes, wildlife and waterfalls. Glenwood Springs has a wide variety of trails and paths that cater to all athletic abilities.
Soak in the stunning views on high-country trails through pristine forest and meadows dotted with wildflowers. Choose from short trail rides, day-long adventures and wilderness pack trips.
Glenwood Springs is in the heart of some of the best big game hunting area in the U.S. With the largest elk and mule deer herds in the country, the regional opportunities for big game hunting are impressive. Colorado is the only state to offer an over-the-counter bull elk tag to residents and non-residents alike.
Marvel at beautiful Glenwood Canyon and learn about its geological history on an open-air jeep tour with Ancient Excursions.
Knowledgeable guides take you to the serene tranquility and breathtaking vistas of a working ranch in an open-air vehicle. Tours feature history, wildlife and thousands of private acres of Colorado backcountry. A variety of tours including half day, full day, sunset and customized tours are available. Tours suitable for all ages.
The stretch of Colorado River through Glenwood Canyon is one of the finest in the state with Class III and IV rapids, and calmer stretches with incredible canyon scenery. If you want to explore the river and play in the waves, bring or rent a kayak locally.
There's nothing "mini" about mini golfing in Glenwood Springs! Enjoy spending time together on the putting greens at Glenwood Hot Springs' 18-hole miniature golf course. Open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
"Rent the Dream" either by the day or by the week at Aspen Valley Harley Davidson
All rentals are late-model Harley-Davidson® motorcycles that have been serviced and maintained according to Harley-Davidson® Motor Company standards. Renters must have a valid motorcycle operator's license and at least one year of riding experience on heavyweight motorcycles and be 25 years of age or older.
Soar like a bird in the sky on a tandem paragliding ride with Adventure Paragliding. Experienced pilots provide instruction and guidance, making it a safe—albeit
adrenaline-charged aerial activity. Flights typically take place May through October.
Commercial rafting companies annually guide thousands of visitors down the Colorado and Roaring Fork Rivers through rapids with names like Upper Superstition and Tombstone, substantiating Glenwood Springs’ stature as one of the country’s premier whitewater destinations. Calmer waterways, such as South Canyon Rapids, are suitable for families with younger children.
Rafting trips typically run mid-April through mid-October, and vary from adrenaline-charged Class III and IV whitewater adventures to scenic float trips for the whole family through Glenwood Canyon. Guided trips range from a few hours to a full day.
Glenwood Canyon offers rock climbers easy access. All of the sites are east of Glenwood Springs off I-70. Also, check out the indoor rock climbing wall at the Glenwood Springs Community Center as well as the outdoor climbing walls at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and Glenwood Canyon Zipline Adventures.
Challenge Ropes Course - Glenwood Canyon Zipline Adventures offers personalized team building activities for a variety of groups. Experienced staff will guide your group through the Challenge Ropes Course, including a thrilling Zipline ride, Vertical Playground and Rock Climbing Walls.
Glide through Glenwood Springs on your two-wheeled Segway Personal Transporter. Guided tours take you wheeling through downtown streets, or climbing 2,000 vertical feet off-road for some aerial views of town. Helmets and training are included in the price of the tours.
Glenwood Springs has been known as a healing destination for well over a century, because of the world’s largest natural Hot Springs Pool and naturally formed Vapor Caves. Today you'll find spas, fitness centers, and health and beauty treatment centers which complement Glenwood Springs’ natural spa atmosphere. Enjoy a massage, facial, pedicure or other pampering body treatments during your stay.
Glenwood Springs has a wide variety of trails and bike paths that cater to all athletic abilities. From steep singletracks and rugged hikes to miles of smoothly paved bike paths, you can enjoy playing in the mountains all year round! View a complete list of trails.
The Vapor Caves are said to purify body and spirit as they soothe away aches and pains. They are the only known natural vapor caves in North America, in which hot mineral waters flow through the cave floors to create a natural geothermal steam bath.
Yampah, which translated from Ute dialect means "big medicine", is the namesake of the Yampah Spa Vapor Caves—the only natural hot springs-fed vapor caves in the world.
Just a short drive from Glenwood Springs you can find places that have been set aside specifically for wildlife. The pinyon-juniper, sagebrush, montane shrub, and riparian environments support species from amphibians to large mammals. Elk , mule deer, rocky mountain bighorn sheep, coyote, rabbits, mink and muskrat all thrive here.
The Glenwood Whitewater Park is located on the Colorado River at the Midland Avenue Bridge, at Exit 114 in Glenwood Springs.
The park river improvements and the creation of the wave were completed in 2008, to the delight of the local and regional paddling and stand-up surfing communities. Depending on river flows, there is the G-wave, and also a “hole” at the feature. It is most popular with users from May through September.
After the world-class wave was completed, Glenwood Springs was proud to host the US Freestyle Kayaking Team Trials in May, 2009.
Gear up for an exhilarating Zipline ride in dramatic Glenwood Canyon. Soar across the scenic Colorado River and back on our multiple Ziplines high above the whitewater rapids, a thrilling family adventure.
Other attractions include Rock Climbing Walls, High Adventure Ropes Course and Vertical Playground.
