Summer and fall are amazing seasons to explore the Colorado Rocky Mountains by foot and pedal. Conveniently located along Interstate 70 between Vail and Grand Junction and with Aspen about 40 miles to the south, Glenwood Springs offers easy access to epic hiking and biking and the bonus of total relaxation and recovery in geothermal hot springs.
To make the most of your trail travels, take a water break and stay in the newly renovated guest rooms at the Lodge at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort or the resort’s brand new, poolside Hotel 1888 in the historic Stone Bath House. Overnight stays come with unlimited access to the seven hot springs pools during business hours and complimentary hot breakfast. Lodging at Hotel 1888 also comes with a guest membership to the full-service Athletic Club that includes several classes, gym equipment, handball/racquetball courts, and a wet room featuring a sauna, jacuzzi and steam room.
After a day of epic hiking and biking in Glenwood Springs, you are sure to be hungry and thirsty. The poolside Grill and Snack Bar at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort offer healthy options like smoothies, wraps, grilled chicken sandwiches, soups and salads, or reward yourself with a delicious cheeseburger, tuna melt, nachos, sundae or root beer float. The pedestrian bridge along the west end of the resort’s Grand Pool, which is the world’s largest hot springs pool, makes it easy to walk downtown and access an impressive array of restaurants, shops and nightlife. Toast your achievements with a cold beer at Glenwood Canyon Brewpub and Casey Brewing’s tasting room or head to the Stoneyard Distillery tasting room for a handcrafted cocktail.
Biking Nirvana
Not only is Glenwood Springs a hot springs oasis, but it’s also a year-round bicycling town. There are miles of trails, ranging from paved and easy-to-ride paths ideal for people of various abilities to singletrack options for beginning to advanced mountain bikers. Glenwood Springs is recognized as a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists, and the City of Glenwood Springs’ bike route map shows recommended bike routes and indicates what type of riding environment to expect (e.g., multiuse path, on-road bike lane, sidewalk bike route, and on-road route shared with vehicle traffic).
From Glenwood Springs, bicyclists can access two of Colorado’s best paved, multiuse trails. The first, Glenwood Springs Recreation Path travels east for 16.3 miles to Dotsero and is situated between the Colorado River and Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon. A main trail access point is .2 miles from Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, just past the entrance to Yampah Spa Vapor Caves on Sixth Street.
Meanwhile, the Rio Grande Trail runs alongside the Roaring Fork River and traverses south to Aspen, connecting Glenwood Springs to communities like Carbondale, El Jebel and Basalt. Stop along the way to enjoy these towns and get refreshed with food and drink. The trail gains roughly 2,100 feet of elevation over 42 miles and provides a pleasant ride for cyclists of various experience levels. Watch for eagles and hawks soaring above the river and deer and elk grazing in wide-open meadows. You’ll also see the majestic Mount Sopris in the distance, historic barns and more.
For a one-way bike ride to Aspen and these towns, Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) buses have bike racks located on the front that accommodate two to three bikes. The bike loading option is offered only from certain bus stops and at select times during the day and early evening; there is no bike loading in the winter.
The best way to find out about epic hiking and biking in Glenwood Springs is to check with local outfitters. Glenwood Hot Springs Resort’s E-Bike Exploration Package is offered in partnership with Hanging Lake Adventure Co-op, which has the largest and newest fleet of e-bikes in Glenwood Springs. The package includes 10% off rates at the Lodge at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, made-to-order hot breakfast at the poolside Grill, unlimited access to the hot springs pools during business hours, and one e-bike rental voucher per registered guest. The package is available until Oct. 31, 2025.
Other options for great rides, as suggested by Visit Glenwood Springs, are on more traditional blacktop surfaces and include Four-Mile Road to Sunlight Mountain Resort, the back road from West Bank subdivision to Carbondale, and County Road 114 to Colorado Mountain College’s Spring Valley Campus.
The Roaring Fork Valley, which begins in Glenwood Springs, also has been designated a Gold-Level Ride Center by the International Mountain Bicycling Association due in part to the area’s 300 miles of singletrack. Singletrack and dirt roads provide gear-shifting fun for people who enjoy mountain biking or want to give it a try.
Among the newer options are the CMC Spring Valley Trail System, Grandstaff, South Canyon and Wulfsohn. Grandstaff is a fast-paced local favorite, and Scout is a high-velocity roller with singletrack that dips and winds through the trees. For a more relaxed pace, choose Babbish Gulch near Sunlight Mountain Resort. Other off-road trails that Visit Glenwood Springs recommends exploring include the Jeanne Golay Trail, Transfer Trail and Dry Park Road.
Fat bikes (two-wheelers with extra-wide tires) allow cyclists to ride even in winter. The wide tires combined with low tire pressure enable bikes to float over snow—or sand if you’re on a beach. Sunlight Mountain Resort’s Babbish Gulch has several miles of fat bike trails that range from easy greens to difficult black diamonds.
Hiking Bliss
To combine both epic hiking and biking in Glenwood Springs, ride Glenwood Springs Recreation Path to Hanging Lake trailhead, park your bike and continue on foot. A National Natural Landmark, Hanging Lake was formed by a geologic fault that caused the lakebed to drop away from the valley floor above, with water flowing into the lake over Bridal Veil Falls. The hiking trail to Hanging Lake is not easy; it’s a steep and rocky climb over 1.2 miles with an elevation gain of 1,200 feet. Hike a little bit beyond to see Spouting Rock (7,323 feet in elevation), a waterfall gushing through rocks and flowing into Hanging Lake.
Wearing sturdy shoes with good tread, bringing your own drinking water and being in good physical shape is key for this hike, along with making a reservation in advance and purchasing a $12 permit for each person in your group. All hikers are asked to present their permit upon arrival at the Hanging Lake rest area that is along the Glenwood Springs Recreation Path. If you choose to hike only, drive east on Interstate 70 from Glenwood Springs, and take exit 125 to enter the Hanging Lake Trailhead parking area.
Other great hikes recommend by Hanging Lake Adventure Co-op are the Jessie Weaver/No Name Trail and Grizzly Creek Trail, which also are bike-to-hike options from Glenwood Springs Recreation Path. The co-op also suggests Red Mountain and Boy Scout trails for hiking, and there are many more options in the area so ask around and do your own research.
Looking for 14ers (14,000-foot peaks)? You will be driving at least an hour from Glenwood Springs but have the benefit of coming back to soothing tired muscles in the mineral hot springs at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort. Make sure you look at all the details before taking on 14ers such as Capitol Peak, Snowmass Mountain, Maroon Bells, Pyramid Peak, Castle Peak, Conundrum Peak and Mount of the Holy Cross with trailheads that are from one hour to one hour and 35 minutes aways from Glenwood Springs. Some of these are quite difficult, and you must be adequately prepared.
Or if you just want to see the Maroon Bells in all their grandeur but not do the arduous routes, it is about a 50-mile drive to the Maroon Bells Scenic Area, which can only be accessed by shuttle from the end of May to mid-October during certain much of the day. The 3.5-mile hike to Crater Lake from the Maroon Bells visitor center is doable by most but has elevation gain and requires physical fitness.
Don’t miss the epic hiking, biking, and hot springs soaking in Glenwood Springs. Never again will you want hot springs to be far away when lacing up hiking boots and putting on a bike helmet!
