Unlock the mysteries of cave bacon, cave popcorn and mineral hot springs
Two of Glenwood Springs’ amazing gifts from Mother Nature, soothing natural mineral hot springs and stunningly beautiful caves, have been attracting tourists and inspiring locals since the late 19th century. Glenwood Hot Springs Pool opened for business in 1888 and the first public tours of the Fairy Caves launched in 1895. But plenty has changed since then; the pool is now a resort with a lodge and athletic club and the Historic Fairy Cave inspired the creation of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.
Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is pairing these natural wonders in a back-to-nature Caverns Adventure Package. Included in the package is unlimited access to the pool (9 a.m. – 9 p.m.), hot Grab & Go breakfast from the poolside Grill, 10 percent off the lodge’s best available rate, and an all-day Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Funday Pass for each adult/child on the reservation. The package is available May 7 - October 31, 2021.
Magical Caves & Healing Waters
The Historic Fairy Cave was a thriving tourist destination in the 1890s due to the efforts of Charles W. Darrow, a pioneering Glenwood Springs attorney. Darrow and his family homesteaded the top of Iron Mountain, including the cave entrance. At that time, the known extent of the cave was about 800 feet. The cave closed at the onset of World War I and remained closed for 82 years until Steve and Jeanne Beckley reopened the caverns in 1999 and unveiled more than 16,000 known feet of caves.
Steve is an engineer, who also happened to be a caver, had a vision of how to return the magic to this fantastical place, and they have since grown Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park to include a wide range of activities and attractions, which along with Glenwood Hot Springs Resort draws visitors from around the world.
If time permits, take both the Historic Fairy Cave and King’s Row tours (both included on the Funday Pass). King’s Row is the most highly decorated cave room in Colorado, and the Historic Fairy Cave is the state’s largest show cave. To catch a glimpse and find out more about the history watch the Rocky Mountain PBS Colorado Experience episode The Fairy Caves.
Visit in person and impress your friends and family with facts about cave bacon and cave popcorn. Cave bacon, also known as layered flowstone, forms when water runs down an overhanging wall and the resulting mineral buildup producing a long, thin sheet with undulations and varying colors similar to crisp slices of bacon. Cave popcorn, or coralloids, are small nodes of calcite, aragonite or gypsum that form on surfaces in caves, especially limestone caves.
Just as water plays a key role in the formation of cave features, Glenwood Hot Springs Pool is fed by 122°F water from Yampah Spring that flows at 3.5 million gallons a day. The pool, financed and built by Walter Devereux, opened to the public on July 4, 1888 and became a world-renown resort and a playground for wealthy Victorians. During this time, the facilities include 42 sunken Roman baths, a men’s casino and a physician’s office. Frank Kistler owned the property from 1938 to 1954, when he sold the hot springs to a group of local businessmen, whose families continue to operate the resort today.
Native Americans were the first to call the spring "Yampah," which means big medicine. There are 15 minerals found in the water at Glenwood Hot Springs Pool. Besides relieving aches and pains, soaking in hot highly concentrated mineral water has many other health and wellness benefits. Increasing body temperature helps naturally eliminate toxins, increase circulation and reduce blood pressure. Essential minerals have many health benefits and can be absorbed through your skin, giving your body a natural health boost.
Amusements Galore
While the King's Row and Historic Fairy Cave tours are still the number one attraction at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, there are endless thrills like the Giant Swing that juts over the edge of Glenwood Canyon; Cliffhanger Roller Coaster, the world’s highest elevation roller coaster; and the exhilarating Haunted Mine Drop that drops those who dare 110 feet inside Iron Mountain. There also are children’s activities, laser tag, a 4-D movie theater, and the giant 14-foot troll sculpture “Halvor Flowstone” that serves as protector of the caves.
Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is both relaxing and invigorating depending on your approach. Soak in the 104-degree therapy pool or head into the cooler, 90-degree pool to just hang out or enjoy the diving board and lap swimming lanes. The Sopris Splash Zone is a family-friendly aquatic park that opened on the west end in summer 2019 and features three distinct areas including the fast-moving adventure river tube ride Shoshone Chutes; Hanging Lake for younger children that features a zero-entry pool with waterfalls and three smaller slides; and Grand Fountain designed to serve as a splash pad during the day and a lighted show foundation at night.
For One Mother Nature of a Good Time in Glenwood Springs, combine a stay and fun at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort with an action-filled day at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park!