This historic town is famous for the mineral-rich waters of Glenwood Hot Springs and Pool attracting visitors for over 125 years and the towering walls of the 16-mile Glenwood Canyon which was carved by the force of the Colorado River and snow-melt from the Continental Divide. In addition to the amazing amenities water creates in this community, Glenwood Springs is also home to all the mountain resort experiences you expect in the Rockies. Other attractions include the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, skiing at Sunlight Mountain Resort, rafting, hiking, mountain and road cycling and much more. Glenwood Springs is the county seat of Garfield County. Millions of years of water carved Glenwood Caverns into Iron Mountain, where today you can tour subterranean passages with amazing cave formations. Hundreds of years ago, the Ute Indians used the Yampah Vapor Caves to heal their bodies and minds. Now, open to the public to soak in the healing powers of these natural steam filled caves formed by the mineral hot springs that flow through them.

Hanging Lake is a Colorado treasure and a rare example of a travertine geological formation located in the heart of Glenwood Canyon on the White River National Forest. The 1.2 mile (1.9 km) trail is steep and rigorous, but rewarding once you see the natural beauty that awaits hikers at the top. It’s a Natural National Landmark and is popular with travelers for its awe-inspiring beauty and gentle Colorado waterfalls.

Glenwood Springs was originally known as “Defiance”, a name sometimes still used by local teams or businesses. Defiance was established in 1883, a camp of tents, saloons, and brothels with an increasing amount of cabins and lodging establishments. It was populated with the expected crowd of gamblers, gunslingers, and prostitutes. Town Founder Isaac Cooper’s wife Sarah was having a hard time adjusting to the frontier life and, in an attempt to make her environment somewhat more comfortable, persuaded the founders to change the name to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, after her beloved hometown of Glenwood, Iowa.

The location of Glenwood Springs, as well as gaining a stop on the railroad, rapidly made it a center of commerce in the area. The city has seen famous visitors, including President Teddy Roosevelt, who spent an entire summer vacation living out of the historic Hotel Colorado. Doc Holliday, a wild west legend from the O.K. Corral gunfight, spent the final months of his life in Glenwood Springs and is buried in the town’s original Pioneer Cemetery above Bennett Avenue. Kid Curry is buried in the same location.