Above water, be on the lookout for American dippers near the falls, or black swifts buzzing around above the lake. Look closely and you may be able to see small trout swimming in the lake. The waterfalls feeding the lake are absolutely gorgeous. It appears to be about 10 to 15 feet deep, and allows visitors to see right down to the bottom.

The crystal clear, turquoise colored lake is incredibly beautiful. On the far side of the lake is Bridal Veil Falls, which in conjunction with the lake, offers a fairly unique scene. You'll also have several benches to relax and soak in the sublime beauty of this 1.5-acre lake. Once above this relatively short section you'll reach a boardwalk that circles around the southeastern shore of Hanging Lake. There will be a couple of spots along this section which provide nice views down the canyon from which you just ascended. Because of the steepness, as well as exposure to some very steep drop-offs, the forest service has carved steep stairs into the rock and has installed hand railings. Fortunately you're almost to the top at this point. I'm not exactly sure what its purpose is, other than as a place to seek refuge in case of a downpour or a sudden storm.Īt roughly 1.4 miles hikers will reach the steepest part of the hike. Roughly 1.2 miles from the parking area you'll pass a small log trail shelter. However, if you wanted a panoramic view of the rugged canyon, the tree cover mostly prevents that. Depending on your point of view, the route is shaded, which makes the hike a little more tolerable on a hot summer day. The trail climbs up the narrow Deadhorse Creek Canyon. In addition to a very steep climb of more than a thousand feet in just over a mile, most of the trail travels over some very rough terrain. It's around here that you'll likely notice the noise from I-70 beginning to fade away.Īlthough this is a very touristy attraction, and likely the most popular hike in the Glenwood Springs area, it's still an extremely tough hike. Soon it passes over the first of seven footbridges that cross over Dead Horse Creek. From the junction the trail begins climbing rapidly up a very rocky and rugged pathway. The hike begins behind the restroom area and follows the Canyon Trail, also known as the Glenwood Canyon Recreational Trail, a 16.2-mile paved bike path that parallels the Colorado River as it carves its way through Glenwood Canyon.Īt just over one-third of a mile from the restroom you'll reach the Hanging Lake Trail. Once you've oriented yourself on the location of the trailhead, you'll simply have to hope that there will be a parking spot available at this very popular destination in Glenwood Canyon – especially on weekends, during the summer months, and during the midday hours. If traveling westbound on the interstate you'll have to take Exit 121, also known as the Grizzly Creek Rest Area, and then turnaround so that you can drive eastbound to Exit 125.Īfter your hike, for those wishing to continue eastbound on I-70, you'll first have to go westbound on I-70 in order to change directions at the Grizzly Creek Rest Area at Exit 121. If traveling eastbound on I-70, take Exit 125 and follow the signs to the trailhead. Getting to and finding a parking spot near the Hanging Lake Trailhead can be a little tricky.

Steep would be the one word that I would use to describe this hike. Although the main focus is on the central mountains, the book also covers a few hikes on the Eastern Plains and in the Plateau region. 100 Classic Hikes Colorado covers some of the best hikes the state has to offer.

Hidden lake colorado