RT Hanging Lake

Turquoise travertine lake and cascading waterfall set within a steep canyon, reached by a moderately challenging hike along a rocky mountain trail.

General Information

Length, Elevation Gain & Difficulty:

Length: 2.4 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: ~1,000 feet
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous

Hours:

Open daily by advance permit only
Timed entry required; hours vary by season
Access typically early morning to afternoon depending on reservation

Fees:

Permit: ~$12 per person
Shuttle (required in peak seasons): additional fee
Children under 16 require permit but no separate discount

Pet Policy:

Pets are not allowed on the trail

Closest cities with hotels:

Glenwood Springs (7 mi)
Eagle (35 mi)
Aspen (40 mi)

Seasons:

Late spring through fall (summer and early fall most popular; winter access limited)

Location:

Hanging Lake Trailhead, Glenwood Springs, CO

Website:

visitglenwood.com

How to Get There

From Glenwood Springs (7 mi): Take I-70 east to the Hanging Lake exit, park at the designated lot or shuttle area, and begin the hike from the trailhead along Glenwood Canyon.

Overview

Hanging Lake is a lake in Colorado located in Glenwood Canyon, about 7 miles (11 km) east of Glenwood Springs, and is a popular tourist destination. When open, the lake is reached via a trailhead located along the Glenwood Canyon Bike and Pedestrian Path that runs along the north side of I-70 in the bottom of the canyon. The trail follows Dead Horse Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River and ascends some 1,000 feet (300 m) in elevation for 1.2 miles (1.9 km) from the trailhead to the lake.

Geology

The fragile shoreline of Hanging Lake is composed of travertine, created when dissolved limestone from the Mississippian Period Leadville Limestone (through which Dead Horse Creek flows) is deposited on rocks and logs, creating travertine layers.

Hanging Lake is located on a fault line and was formed when roughly an acre and a half of the valley floor sheared off from the fault and dropped to what is now the shallow bed of the lake. The turquoise colors of the lake are produced by carbonate minerals that have dissolved in the water.

Recreation

Hanging Lake is one of the most popular hiking destinations in Colorado. Beginning May 1, 2019, a paid permit is required to access the trailhead to Hanging Lake. Access fees vary by season.

The entire hike is approximately 2.4 miles round trip, and 2 hours of hiking time. Behind the lake, hikers will discover Spouting Rock, a much larger waterfall that flows from a set of holes in the limestone cliffs of Dead Horse Canyon.

Winter Access

During the winter, the Hanging Lake Trail is icy, snow-packed, and slippery. The use of winter traction devices is required (e.g. ice cleats, micro-spikes, mini crampons) as well as hiking poles.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Hanging Lake", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0