Sometimes it’s a relief to get out of the driver’s seat while on vacation or a sweet weekend getaway. Plus, it saves money on gas, avoids additional wear and tear on your car, eliminates the cost of a car rental, and gives your body a boost when walking or biking instead. And who doesn’t like having extra funds when staying in Glenwood Springs for soaking in the hot springs, visiting Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, going out for a nice dinner, or treating the whole family to dessert or a midafternoon snack at Sundae or Chocolate Moose Ice Cream Parlor?
To make it easy to plan your trip, here are several tips for travel without a car in Glenwood Springs.
Scenic Train Travel
Let Amtrak do the driving on the daily California Zephyr route that runs from San Francisco to Chicago. From west to east, the Zephyr stops in six Colorado destinations: Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Granby, Fraser-Winter Park, Denver and Fort Morgan. On the Amtrak ride from Denver to Glenwood Springs, marvel at the state’s cityscapes, mountains, forests and rivers and traverse through the spectacular Glenwood Canyon. The route from Grand Junction to Glenwood Springs is equally as impressive with mesas and more.
Once arriving in Glenwood Springs, the train depot is located at 413 7th St., only a few blocks from Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, which has everything in one location: the world’s largest hot springs pool, a poolside restaurant, a 107-room lodge, and a full-service athletic club. Unlimited soaking during pool hours comes with overnighting at the lodge along with a complimentary breakfast. Or purchase a day pay pass. Either way, come and go as you please and no reservation is needed.
Premiere Routes for Walking & Bike
It’s easy to get around when Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is your base camp. The pedestrian bridge that borders the west end of the hot springs pool crosses over the Colorado River and connects Sixth Street to downtown. It’s an easy stroll to reach a wide range of locally owned restaurants, coffee houses and shops as well as craft breweries and nightlife in the historic district. There also are hiking trails nearby.
Or access the nearby paved Glenwood Canyon Recreation Path that travels 16.3 miles east to Dotsero for a nice walk, run or bike. Book the resort’s E-Bike Exploration Package that includes e-bikes from Hanging Lake Adventure Co-op, lodging, breakfast and pool passes. The package is available until Oct. 31, 2023.
Or bike the Rio Grande Trail’s 42 paved miles to the south that connect Glenwood Springs and Aspen, with stops in communities like Carbondale and Basalt along the way. You can even take the RFTA bus back to Glenwood Springs after your ride. All valley RFTA buses have front bike racks available on a first-come, first-served basis from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Easy-to-Use Bus Systems
Speaking of buses, you can ride RFTA buses up and down the Roaring Fork Valley between several communities for a memorable day trip and pay only a small fare. In the town of Glenwood Springs, there is the free, year-round Ride Glenwood Springs (RGS) bus system that runs from 6:53 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. at 30-minute intervals. Stops are located throughout town near tourist attractions, the downtown area, shopping centers and neighborhoods. RGS also connects with RFTA, Bustang, Greyhound Bus and Amtrak stops.
Bustang’s West Line route runs from Denver Union Station all the way to Grand Junction mainly along Interstate 70 and stops in communities like Idaho Springs, Frisco, Vail, Avon, Eagle, Glenwood Springs, Rifle and Parachute. The cost of taking Bustang from Denver to Glenwood Springs is only $28 one way. Greyhound Bus also travels between the two communities and beyond.
Adventures on Horseback
Another great way to experience the local terrain without a car is on guided horseback rides with Glenwood Adventure, which has stables at the historic Bair Ranch in Glenwood Canyon. Established in 1919, Bair Ranch is one of Colorado’s oldest family-run working livestock ranches, encompasses over 5,500 acres, and has miles of trails.
Time for a Soak
After all the traveling and exploring—whether it is by train, bus, bike, foot or horseback—make sure to leave plenty of time for reviving mind, body and spirit in the blissful mineral hot springs at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort. In fact, the Ute Native Americans who first discovered and named the resort’s on-site water source, Yampah Hot Springs, traveled by foot, horseback and most likely water to enjoy the health benefits of hot springs.
Go in the morning before heading out for the day, in the afternoon before dinner, or at the end of the day under a canopy of stars. There is nothing quite like steam gently wafting up from the soothing mineral hot springs water, especially in the early morning or as alpenglow starts.
Who knew there would be so many tips for traveling without a car in Glenwood Springs? Not only is it good for you, but it also helps take care of this special place. Go carless today!
