GLENWOOD CANYON, Colo. — Peak season to visit Hanging Lake is sticking around for another few weeks, but if you want to swing by in the off-season, you can start planning now.
Starting Monday at 10 a.m., reservations for the fall and winter hiking seasons will become available for purchase online.
These reservations are $10, as opposed to the peak-season price of $12. Peak season runs from May 1 to Oct. 31.
Visitors have two options to get to the Hanging Lake trailhead — by shuttle or by bicycle.
Hop on the shuttle at the Hanging Lake Welcome Center, which is located at 110 Wulfsohn Road in Glenwood Springs (about 2 hours, 30 minutes from downtown Denver), and take it to the trailhead. The peak-season shuttle fee includes a permit to hike at a specific time. Riders will choose what time they want to be picked up when making the reservation online. If you take the shuttle, you have a guaranteed seat on a return shuttle for the three hours after you arrive. If you stay longer than that, you will be put on standby for the next available seat.
You can also bike or hike to the trailhead for a fee on the Glenwood Canyon Recreation Trail. Hikers and bicyclists must choose which day and time they plan to visit. They will have a 45-minute window to access the trailhead based on the time they sign up for. To choose a date and time and purchase a reservation, click here.
No matter how you get to the trailhead, you must have your permit on you while hiking up to the lake. To reach Hanging Lake, visitors will hike 1.2 miles from the trailhead and gain 1,000 feet of elevation, which equates to about 80 flights of stairs.
The visitors center recommends looking over their website, which include important information about Hanging Lake, including:
· The trail is rocky and uneven, so wear closed-toe shoes
· Hiking poles and backpacks are available for rent at the welcome center
· Bring a snack and plenty of water. The water in the lake and creek is not safe to drink
· There are no trash receptacles along the trail, so pack out any garbage
· There are no toilets on the trail. Restrooms are available at the welcome center and trailhead
· No swimming in the lake
· Pets are not allowed
As of Sept. 11, 61,600 hikers had visited Hanging Lake for the peak 2019 season. Of those, 1,853 were bicyclists.
If you have questions about visiting Hanging Lake, call 970-384-6309.