Hanging Lake — lake
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Hanging Lake

  • Elevation2,187 m
  • 2 min read
  • 39.602° N 107.192° W

Interesting facts

  • Dye-tracing studies showed that the water bursting from Spouting Rock comes from the upper western reaches of Dead Horse Creek.
  • The carbonate that builds the lake's travertine rim is dissolved out of the Leadville Limestone, a rock formation of the Mississippian period.
  • Glenwood Springs acquired the lake after Congress passed the Taylor Bill in 1910, and in the 1940s a small resort and cafe operated there.
  • In 1972 the lake passed to the protection of the US Forest Service as part of the White River National Forest.
  • Before daily permits were introduced in 2019, more than 131,000 people a year walked up to the lake.
  • The Grizzly Creek Fire of 2020 burned over 32,000 acres of Glenwood Canyon and its surroundings, yet the lake itself was spared.
  • In July 2021 extreme rain on the burn scar sent debris flows down the side canyon that swept away bridges and long sections of the trail.
  • The National Natural Landmark designation was announced in 2011 by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

Why it is worth it

Hanging Lake is small enough to take in at a single glance, and that is part of its spell. Tucked into a side gorge of Glenwood Canyon in western Colorado, at about 2,230 metres, it is a pool of startlingly clear turquoise water held in place by a lip of travertine, with fallen logs lying visible on the pale bottom. Behind it, a curtain of water spills over a mossy cliff, and higher up Spouting Rock shoots a stream straight out of holes in the limestone face. Moss and greenery crowd the wet ledges, so the whole scene feels more like a grotto than a mountain lake.

The lake owes its existence to geology at work right now. Dead Horse Creek runs through Mississippian limestone, dissolving carbonate as it goes; where the water slows and spreads, the carbonate is deposited again as travertine on rocks, logs and the lake's rim. Over time that crust built the delicate shoreline that holds the lake in place, and the same dissolved minerals give the water its unreal colour. The basin itself formed when a block of the valley floor, around six-tenths of a hectare, sheared off along a fault and dropped, leaving a hanging shelf above the canyon. In 2011 the site was designated a National Natural Landmark.

Reaching it is part of the experience. The trail follows Dead Horse Creek up a steep, rocky side canyon, gaining about 300 metres in roughly 1.9 km each way, along a cascading stream; allow about two hours for the round trip. Because the travertine edge is so easily damaged, the rules are strict: no swimming, no fishing, no dogs, no drones and no walking off the trail or onto the logs. Those rules, and a permit system that limits daily numbers, are why the water is still as clear as it is. In winter the path can be icy, and traction devices are recommended.

Getting there

Hanging Lake lies in Glenwood Canyon about 11 km east of Glenwood Springs, the nearest town. The closest airport is Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE), about 24 km away in a straight line and reached along Interstate 70 through the canyon.

On these lists

The Most Beautiful Places in Colorado 14The Most Beautiful Places in the United States 228The Most Beautiful Water Wonders in the United States 30The Most Beautiful Lakes 105The Most Beautiful Water Wonders 429

From the encyclopaedia

Hanging Lake is a lake in the U.S. State of Colorado. It is located in Glenwood Canyon, about 7 miles (11 km) east of Glenwood Springs, Colorado and is a popular tourist destination. When open, the lake is reached via a trailhead located along the Glenwood Canyon Bike and Pedestrian Path that runs along the north side of I-70 in the bottom of the canyon. The trail follows Dead Horse Creek, a tributary of the Colorado River and ascends some 1,000 feet (300 m) in elevation for 1.2 miles (1.9 km) from the trailhead to the lake.

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39.60165, -107.19200per Wikidata