Hiking To Glenwood Springs Fish Hatchery

Last Sunday was a great easy hike with my cousins.  We did a great hike that took us through ranch land that is close to Storm King Mountain, where there was a huge wildfire in 1994.  As we walked on a very warm sunny morning, it was so fun to watch the kids kick around a soccer ball, check out the scenery, feed horses then feed the fish at the Glenwood Springs fish hatchery.

It was about 2 miles to the hatchery so we did a nice outing of about 4 miles.

Fairy Caverns & Vapor Caves

Yesterday was a fun day of going underground.  In the morning, we headed back up to the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park to ride a few rides then go on the Fairy Caverns Tour.  On that tour you go about 200 feet below ground to an amazing cavern room called King's Row.  

After the tour and a little more park fun, we headed to lunch then the Glenwood Hot Springs, which were packed.

Then two of my cousins and I headed over to the Yampa Spa & Vapor Caves.  We started first with mineral baths using water from the hot springs.  Then I enjoyed an hour massage, which I desperately needed to work out some kinks and just to plain ole relax.  After the massage, I joined my cousins in the vapor caves, which are geothermal steam baths.  Water at 125 degrees flows from the hot springs into the caves to naturally create a steam bath environment where the temperatures stays in the 110-112 degrees range.  You go in for 10-15 minutes sittings then back out to a cooling room or relaxation room.  Then head back into the steam.  The Ute Indians regarded the caves as a sacred place of healing and rejuvenation. 

 

Wild Time at Glenwood Caverns

After driving to Glenwood Springs Friday, some of my cousins and I went wild in the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.  I know - not exactly a tough workout but we did a lot of walking and of course holding on tight on some of the rides.

The craziest one I did was the Giant Canyon Swing that goes 48mph, pulls 3Gs, and is 1300 feet above the Colorado River at its highest point.  

We also walked to and from dinner so got in at least a mile there!

Hiking Hanging Lake

Saturday was a hike to Hanging Lake.  It was just named one of the six new National Natural Landmarks in the United States.  Once you get to the top it's easy to see why with the shoreline composed of travertine rock giving the water a spectacular color.  The 1.2 mile climb is a short, steep scenic trail called a "more difficult" trail by the Forest Service.  It's quite steep in some areas, especially near the top and you have to traverse very rocky areas.

When my friend Kim and I started out it was 10:30am and already very sunny and warm.  Within 15 minutes we're both drenched with sweat.  But as we climb higher and get in more shaded areas we don't sweat as bad.  It's definitely a workout climbing the rocky trail.  In the shady spots right by the stream the temperatures drops as much as 5-10 degrees.  On the way up I'm shooting video and stills so it takes us about an hour to do the climb.  On the way down, only 35 minutes.  But going down was just as much a workout as going up.

It starts at an elevation of 6387 feet and ends at an elevation of 7323 feet so it's an elevation gain of 936 feet..  But the trail meanders alongside a stream originating from the lake and the waterfalls at the lake and the higher Spouting Rock waterfall are refreshing after the strenous hike up.