Glenwood Canyon is a rugged scenic 12.5 mile canyon on the Colorado River in western Colorado. It's canyon walls climb as high as 1,300 ft. above the Colorado River. It is the largest such canyon on the Upper Colorado. The canyon, which has historically provided the routes of railroads and highways through western Colorado, currently furnishes the routes of Interstate 70 and the California Zephyr between Denver and Grand Junction. The canyon stretches from near Dotsero, where the Colorado receives the Eagle River, downstream to the WSW to just east of Glenwood Springs, on the mouth of the Roaring Fork. Most of the canyon is in Garfield County, with the upper portion near Dotsero lying in Eagle County. The canyon is widely considered one of the most scenic natural features on the Interstate Highway System of the United States. Foot access to the canyon is available at four rest areas along Interstate 70 in the canyon. The Hanging Lake Rest Area (Exit 125) provides access to the canyon along a stretch where I-70 is concealed in the Hanging Lake Tunnel.
Directions: The Hanging Lake trail begins at the end of the bike path which begins at the Hanging Lake Rest Stop (Exit 125 on I-70 EASTBOUND ACCESS ONLY. Visitors coming from Denver must exit at MP 121 and turn around). The bike trail is approximately 1/2 mile in length and raises in elevation approximately 1000ft .
From there, it is a 1.2 mile climb in what the Park Service calls a difficult trail. Hikers are advised to bring enough water (minimum one liter per hiker is advised, additional on hotter days). The trail is quite steep in some areas areas and requires hikers to traverse very rocky areas. There are very few level spots on the trail. Best time to Photograph: 3-4 hours before sunset due to the high canyon walls that surround the waterfall and lake.
