Glenwood Canyon

A drive through Colorado’s Glenwood Canyon is a scenic drive in nearly any weather. About twelve miles long, it is the largest canyon on the upper Colorado River, with walls that jut straight up in many places and rise as high as 1,300 feet above the river in others. In this canyon, the slow process of erosion exposed distinct, stratified layers of rock that visitors crane their necks at to try and spy vertical crevices and shallow caves. The Colorado River originally carved this canyon some seventy million years ago and recent engineering feats changed to add a beautiful riverside route for both railroads and highways.

Glenwood Canyon is also home to Hanging Lake, a National Natural Landmark, and is a wonderful place to see wildlife like bighorn sheep, elk, deer, bears, mountain lions, and otters. This rock canyon attracts hikers, bikers, rafters, rock, and ice climbers and of course tourists cruising along in cars.

Those who decide to spoil themselves and see this canyon by railway will not be disappointed! When I took the train from Denver to Glenwood Springs, we zipped through pristine land, where I was able to spot twelve bald eagles. Before going back, another person overheard me telling about all the eagles I had spotted, and they laughed with skepticism. So, on my return trip I created a running commentary where I called out, “Eagle in a tree! Eagle in the river! Eagle on the wing!”

Honestly, some people just don’t know how to LOOK for wildlife!