Over the summer Jess and I ventured West to Colorado, my favorite travel destination! We packed as much as we could into what felt like a pretty short ten-day trip, but my favorite spot? Hanging Lake, a beautiful trail that offered unforgettable views! Check out my post below and let us know some of your favorite hiking spots!
A popular trail for locals and tourists alike is Hanging Lake, just outside of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. During our trip, we visited several of the more popular trails, but this one was my favorite. It is not very long, about 3 miles round trip, but the terrain is considered moderate to difficult and takes about 2 hours to get there and back. That doesn’t account for the time you spend when you reach the lake at the end of the trail. Believe us, you are going to want to stop and take some pictures! The view is incredible, the water is crystal clear, and you can actually walk behind the waterfall, which we recommend checking out! After a long hike, it was a nice place to cool off!
The trail follows the path of the Colorado River and takes you along Dead Horse Creek Canyon. The elevation is about 7,300 feet. It is steep and rocky so make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes that are well broken in and provide adequate grip. The rocks can be slippery and you don’t want to sprain an ankle halfway up, it won’t make for a fun trip back down! The great part about this hike is that it is well shaded, and in most months, the shade and breeze are a welcome relief when you’re making your way up. Do keep in mind the difficulty level of this hike when considering who you bring with. We saw several people struggling along the way, having to either stop and sit down, turn back, or in some cases get abandoned by the rest of their group who continued on! We saw plenty of kids on the trail though, so if your kids are used to hiking, it’s probably safe to bring them along.
The scenery along the way is beautiful – in the summer it can be muggy and feels almost like a rain forest with the cascades and river. Several bridges allow easy crossing of the riverways that pass through. You will know you’re close to the end when you reach a staircase, which will be your final ascent up to the lake. At busy times, traffic slows to allow everyone up and it’s very narrow and steep, so take your time. This is a great place to stop and take a picture, the view is amazing as you’re looking down into the canyon below – it was absolutely breathtaking!
On your trek back, there’s also another trail you can hit up called Sprouting Rock Falls. If you’re not too tired, we recommend checking it out – it’s only 200 yards further. You won’t have the pretty lake view here, but these falls are pretty cool because they shoot water out from the rock face. We’ve heard it’s amazing in the winter as well – the water freezes before it hits the base! Crampons are highly recommended for either trail if you plan to visit in the winter.
We’ve left some advice below regarding travel and parking so take heed! The trail is open year-round and is 24 hours, but it does get busy.
If you’re in the area and check out this trail, let us know your thoughts! We’d love to hear tips and share thoughts on other great hikes in Colorado for our next adventure!
Some tips on getting to the trail:
Hanging Lake is quite a “hike” from Denver, if that’s your starting point. It’s about a 2.5 hour drive. But, if you plan to be in the area trekking around a bit and trying other trails, it’s well worth the visit. If you are coming from the East, make sure you do some quick research online on getting to the entrance, it’s a bit confusing.
Note: The following may change in 2019 as a permit and shuttles system is planned to begin to alleviate some of the congestion with this trail. Don’t let it deter you, it’s worth the visit!
If you plan to go on a weekend, we recommend you get there as early as possible (or even at the end of the day if you plan well and can descend before dark). The lots fill up fast and the gates will close once the lots are full. We easily got a spot at 8am but within an hour the trail was starting to get congested and the traffic had definitely increased. Getting there first thing not only helps guarantee you a spot, it also helps keep your pace on the trail if you aren’t having to stop or slow down for other hikers!
https://www.visitglenwood.com/things-to-do/hanging-lake/
