Biking through Glenwood Canyon
Ah! Glenwood Springs! Glenwood (elev. 5,758 ) is sixty miles west
of Vail on Interstate 70 (exit 116). It's a beautiful drive down
the Colorado River through Glenwood Canyon, or down from Aspen
along the Roaring Fork River. Glenwood being at a lower elevation
than Vail or Aspen, enjoys a milder climate and usually even in
bad weather, the drive doesn't get bad until you approach the
higher elevations. Glenwood should be considered as either a side
trip while staying in Vail or Aspen, or as a less expensive place
to stay. Because Glenwood is 60 miles from Vail and 40 miles from
Aspen it would be a perfect staging area for seeing both areas.
But...I've left out the most important thing ..... The Springs.
Glenwood Springs is the home of the Yampa
Springs.
The Ute Indians named the springs "Yampa," which means
"Big Medicine", and long before the coming of the White
Man, the Indians enjoyed these, natural, hot-mineral springs.
Many locals and tourists head down to Glenwood after a hard day
of skiing or mountain biking for a long soak. Children under two
are admitted free. Suits and towels are available to rent.
At the Springs you'll find a giant hot therapy pool, kept at 104 Deg. F. a one foot deep toddlers' pool and, a large swimming pool. The large pool is 405 feet long and 100 feet wide, at its widest point
The Yampa Springs
are open 9 am to 10 pm daily, during the winter and, 7:30 a.m.
to 10:00 p.m. through the summer. They are closed on the second
Wednesdays of each month for maintenance. For more information
call 970-645-7131.
Glenwood also offers many great inexpensive places to stay and
eat and, it is the center of many activities like white water
rafting, golf, miniature golf , go-kart
rides,batting cages, fishing, mountain biking, x-country skiing,
hiking, and of course swimming and soaking at the Springs.
AM TRACK (800)-872-7245- has regular service in, and out
of Glenwood.
Greyhound offers daily service in, and out of Glenwood
The Hotel Colorado, a National Historic Landmark, is just beautiful and is directly across the street from the Hot Springs. This Victorian hotel is the hotel where Teddy Roosevelt stayed on his famous bear hunting trip to Colorado. Other guests included President Taft and gangsters Al Capone and Diamond Jack Alterie. The lobby is decorated with beautiful antiques and memorabilia from Glenwood's rich history.
West Bank Ranch Golf Club-(970) 945-7032- Play this
USGA-rated 9-hole course nestled along the Roaring Fork River
for only $ 25. with cart or play 18 holes for $ 38. Follow Route
82 south out of Glenwood toward Aspen for 5 miles and bear right
across the Hardwick Bridge and follow the road to the club.
Glenwood Springs Golf Club-(970) 945-7086 -From exit #116,
head west on 6th for one mile, then bear right on Donegan Rd.
and follow the signs.
Rifle Creek Golf Course-(970) 625-1093- This 18-hole championship
course is located 26 miles west of Glenwood in Rifle. Take I-70
west to exit 90. Continue west through Rifle, on Hwy. 13. After
you pass through Rifle, take Hwy. 325 north and look for the sign.
Battlement Mesa Golf Course-(970) 285-7274- This 18-hole
championship course is located 45 miles west of Glenwood. Take
I-70 west to exit 75. Turn left. You should be able to see the
course from there. Go another mile and turn right into the club
at the sign.
The Colorado River has carved a spectacular 17-mile-long canyon
deep into the landscape. A bike path runs through the bottom of
the canyon next to the river. This easy-to-ride path has picnic
tables and rest areas along its length. As you ride along, you
can watch kayakers and rafters going down through the rapids.
The path goes past a hydroelectric plant, and a hiking trail leads
up a side trail to Hanging Lake. You can use two cars to work
your own shuttle or you can call Canyon Bikes.
Canyon
Bikes- (970) 945-8904 or 7149,
Glenwood's Largest
Selection of Rental Bikes
Adult & Children Sizes - Tandems
Children's Trailers & Trailer Bikes
Helmets, Packs & Locks Included
Canyon Bikes' has combined with Blue Sky Adventures to offer our guests
savings on raft trips on the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon.
Canyon Bikes' offers those renting bikes from us a 10% discount
when rafting with Blue Sky Adventures. You do not have to do these
two activities the same day. We suggest that you do one activity
a day.
The path ends in Glenwood at the hot springs where you can finish
the day with a dip.
One word of caution, during the peak of the spring run-off, parts of the bike path are often under water. This can go on for 2-4 weeks-usually at the end of May. Call Canyon Bikes for a report. Canyon Bikes is located at The Hotel Colorado, one block from the end of the bike trail.
Glenwood Caverns and Fairy Caves 
Originally opened for public tours in 1886, the Fairy Caves were
touted locally as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".
World War I put an end to the tourist operation, and what little
visitation to the caves that occurred in years since essentially
came to an end several decades ago. Since the caves were closed,
numerous pristine rooms and passageways have been discovered including
two of the largest rooms in Colorado. After being closed to the
public for 82 years, we are excited to reopen the historic cave
and the newly discovered areas for your enjoyment.
Within 25 miles of Glenwood you can fish the Colorado, Roaring
Fork, Frying Pan, and the Crystal Rivers. This is a fisherman's
paradise. Get "A Guide to the Roaring Fork, Frying pan and
Crystal Rivers" at the White River National Forest Ranger
Station (970) 945-2521) at 9th & Grand Avenue in Glenwood.
This guide has a good map and shows 50 miles of Gold Medal Waters.
It also details access points, fish identification and, what kind
of flies to use.
There are many trails for four wheeling, ATV, mountain biking,
hiking, and snowshoeing in the Glenwood area. The White River
National Forest Ranger Station (970)-945-2521) at 9th and Grand
Avenue is the best resource for maps and trail information in
the area. They have hundreds of FREE hand-outs. Stop in and browse
through their racks to get the specific information you need.
I would like to recommend two hiking trails that are easy that
anyone will enjoy.
Hanging Lake Trail leaves from the Hanging Lake Rest Area
off I-70 in Glenwood Canyon. The trail is 1.2 miles long and the
hike to the lake takes about an hour to an hour and a half. The
elevation gain is 1,020 feet.
This is a moderate to easy climb and the views are spectacular.
Storm King Mountain Memorial Trail-To get to this trail,
get on I-70 and head west to the Canyon Creek Exit. When you get
off the highway, head back east on the frontage road until you
reach the parking lot at the road's end. This trail was built
as a memorial to the 14 firefighters who died fighting the 1994
Storm King Mountain Fire. Although the trail is not long, it is
steep, but if you take your time, almost anyone can make it to
the observation point. From the observation point, with the help
of the interpretive markers you can understand the events that
led to the deaths of the firefighters. This hike is very educational
for children and adults. The book and movie "Smoke Jumper"
were inspired by the events on Storm King Mountain.
For another prospective on Glenwood Springs you can check out
"Glenscape's
Guide to Glenwood Springs."