It’s hard to imagine a more picture-perfect way to kick off a new year than soaking in a hot spring pool in the middle of a wintery wonderland after exploring one of the state’s most stunning natural wonders. This month, set aside a weekend to explore some of the beauty Colorado’s Western Slope has to offer.
Day 1
A 3.5-hour drive will land you in the city of Glenwood Springs, where a lovely downtown awaits you for shopping, snacking, and strolling. Peruse Grand Avenue with a stop at Glenwood Toys and Gifts where you can pick up an activity or two for your hotel stay, then pop in to Glenwood Springs Outdoors to gear up for the rest of your weekend. Finally, take a visit to Sundae ice cream shop for a delectable treat.
Day 2
Fifty minutes by car from Glenwood, you’ll find Rifle Mountain Park, where one of the state’s most incredible sights awaits you. The park, popular with climbers in summer thanks to the limestone caverns littered along its 1.3-mile trail, becomes an ice oasis from December through February, when frozen waterfalls lead the way into caves glistening with ice, and teeming with the biggest icicles you’ve ever laid eyes on. Boot spikes are recommended for exploring the caves, the first couple to which even the youngest explorers can easily make their way. The trail will lead you back to the highway where you can turn around and hike back, or walk up the road to the parking lot, making a pit stop at the giant rope swing on the opposite side of the road.
Afterwards, reward yourself with a trip to the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, home to the world’s largest hot springs pool, coming in at over two city blocks in length and kept at a constant 90 degrees thanks to the Yampah Hot Spring which runs through the property. With room for everyone, the pool’s a great place for kids to splash and swim, and a great way for adults to relieve those sore muscles after exploring the caves.
Day 3
On your last day in Glenwood Springs, go on a family hunt for the grave of the legendary outlaw, Doc Holliday. Best known for his role in the famous O.K. Corral gunfight where he fought on the side of another famous historical figure, Wyatt Earp, Holliday spent his final days in Glenwood Springs and is buried alongside other wild west pioneers in the Linwood Cemetery. While the exact site of his grave is unknown, visitors to the area can take the short Doc Holliday Trail to the cemetery and take a stab at guessing which marker is his, while paying their respects to other well-known figures of the time.
That afternoon, stop by the Frontier Museum to learn what life was like for Doc and his pals. The museum, housed in a 1905 Victorian mansion, is a wealth of information on the early days of the wild west, with exhibits on ranching and mining, as well as the Ute Indians who lived in the area long ago.
