This month included the opportunity to take off a few days of work for a 3 day getaway into the Snowmass/Aspen, Colorado areas. En route there, a hiking trip happened near Glenwood Springs to see Hanging Lake.
The mouth of Glenwood Canyon heading towards Hanging Lake. There’s a well-kept rest area with restrooms there. Word of advice: Bring water.
Surprisingly, vibrant pink rose bushes line the sidewalk towards the hiking trail. Despite the lovely flowers here, the consistent small waterfalls and creeks that spill over rocks the entire way up, you are going to hike hard and sweat a lot. So bring that water. And there were Marmots! I had never seen one before. Like little nerf footballs, with fur…and legs!
Parts of the trail up to and down from Hanging Lake were never flat and sometimes quite rocky.
The views become more canyon-like the higher you climb as you near the top and the lake. Most hikers will encourage you on as they descend, assuring you it’s worth it.
And then you arrive. After the strenuous hike, you’re not sure if you’ve just been transported to a tropical island somewhere. Truly, how can this be at the top of a mountain in the middle of Colorado?
Carbonate minerals dissolved in the water give the lake it’s coloration. I had to look that up as I’ve heard a lot of people say it’s the limestone or other factors, but I didn’t know what exactly produced that gorgeous water.
Small trout swim in the shallows against the current coming from the waterfalls and are hypnotic to watch when you’re catching your breath on one of the many wood benches that line the lakeside.
Life by Lens and Laptop 