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4.6
52 votes

Hanging Lake

Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601 USA

Free
Free to Visit
  • Independent
  • Credit Cards
    not Accepted
  • Not Wheelchair
    Accessible
  • No Public
    Restrooms
  • No Wifi
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“Reservations are required to hike Hanging Lake”

Hanging Lake is a Colorado treasure and a rare example of a travertine geological formation located in the heart of Glenwood Canyon on the White River National Forest. The 1.2 mile (1.9 km) trail is steep, rigorous and rocky but rewarding. This Natural National Landmark features awe-inspiring scenery and gentle waterfalls!

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Reviewed by
Kelsie English

  • 1 Review
  • 10 Helpful
August 20, 2017
Rated 1.0

Dogs not allowed 👎

10 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
ajcadoo

  • 10 Reviews
  • 41 Helpful
July 02, 2014
Rated

Give yourself 2 hours at least. You can do it in 90 minutes if you rush. Trail is shaded by trees mostly. Very steep and rocky, narrow especially at the top where it is single file clearance. Remarkable how the lake literally hangs off the mountain. It is gorgeous. But the water is cold, don't expect to jump in! Also very crowded, even on a weekday. Weekends would presumably be at least 3 hours just due to the amount of people. Parking is convenient.

8 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
kattfulton

  • 3 Reviews
  • 4 Helpful
March 29, 2015
Rated 5.0

Absolutely beautiful. Difficult hike- extremely crowded (single file line up and down, like hundreds of people- in October). The last 30 ft is straight up- not for the faint of heart. That being said, I did the hike in about 3 hours- next to an 80 year old woman and a 5 year old kid. It's a wonderful area. Even just the trail by the river is a sight to see. Do it!

4 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Natalie

  • 1 Review
  • 3 Helpful
June 08, 2019
Rated 5.0

No longer free. You have to buy a shuttle ticket and take the shuttle there. They allow you three hours to hike and return to the pick up point. It was gorgeous and I liked that I wasn’t fighting 200 people on the trail. Just know you gotta plan ahead now and you can’t just do your own thing.

3 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
Lauren

  • 9 Reviews
  • 12 Helpful
June 17, 2014
Rated

Great mini hike! The climb was a bit steep - especially if you aren't used to breathing at that altitude (7000ish to 8000ish) but well worth it! You can go a bit past the lake (higher and less than 1/4 mile) to Spouting Rock, which with the right amount of rain/runoff can be quite the mini waterfall. You can walk right up to it and behind it as well. Also be warned if you like solitary hiking - even in a more off-season trip (early May) it was fairly crowded around the lake.

2 people found this review helpful

Reviewed by
hartfreedman

  • 1 Review
  • 0 Helpful
August 29, 2018
Rated

Visited Hanging Lake on a Friday in Mid August. We just squeeked into the parking lot - you can get turned away if the lot is full. The park ranger was pretty cool tho and offered alternative suggestions - there are great trails nearby too (or so he said). The actual trail is quite crowded, but reasonably family friendly. It was FREE! Moderate to difficult trail, but well worth it once you reach the top. Would do again in a heartbeat. The highway drive there is very picturesque.

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Reviewed by
mnorthup

  • 1 Review
  • 0 Helpful
January 28, 2018
Rated 5.0

i definitely wasn’t prepared for this hike, i was expecting it to be easier, when in reality it was kind of steep. but the lake was so beautiful it was worth it.

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Reviewed by
C. Hackley

  • 10 Reviews
  • 1 Helpful
June 13, 2017
Rated 4.0

As far as hikes go, it's a little challenging but the scenery is beautiful and once you get up there is is breathtaking. Don't stop at the lake; if you keep hiking there is a spouting rock that is really cool. I didn't know about it the first time I went.

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Reviewed by
LinaJuozelskis

  • 5 Reviews
  • 0 Helpful
March 07, 2017
Rated 5.0

Gorgeous! Quick hike up and down. The views of the waterfalls are very cool.

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Reviewed by
bbydeer4635

  • 1 Review
  • 0 Helpful
December 19, 2016
Rated 5.0

An exhausting hike that seems to go on forever but the view was totally worth it!

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Hanging Lake

Glenwood Springs, Colorado
81601 USA
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    Parking
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    Pets Allowed
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    Restrooms
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    Wifi
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    Wheelchair Accessible
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    Credit Cards Accepted
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    Outdoor Seating
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