Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park to reopen on Friday following fire closure
Teresa Bianco/Courtesy Photo
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park plans to reopen on Friday, after having been closed since Aug. 13 due to fire mitigation work prompted by the Grizzly Creek Fire.
The theme park atop Iron Mountain just north of Glenwood Springs served for a time as the home base for some of the hot shot firefighting crews that were battling the fire in Glenwood Canyon.
The fire started in the median along Interstate 70 near Grizzly Creek on Aug. 10, resulting in the closure of the freeway for two weeks until it was reopened on Monday. That allowed for a quicker trip to Glenwood Springs from the Front Range, where many of Glenwood’s visitors come from.
As of Wednesday, the fire was 61% contained and had was holding at about 32,000 acres.
“We will forever be grateful for the incredible efforts of all of the crews battling this wildland fire,” Steve Beckley, who owns Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park with his wife Jeanne, said in a Wednesday news release announcing the Friday park reopening.
Some of those crews were put to work doing fire mitigation on the hillsides below and around the park.
“Watching them work to protect our park, our homes, our community and our beautiful mountain landscapes has shown us the dangers and challenges they face on a daily basis,” Beckley said.
Beckley said he was also able to give some of the firefighters a break from the heat and smoke by giving private tours of caverns and the historic Fairy Cave.
“Freshly baked fudge from the park’s Lookout Grille was a hit as well,” he said. Crews were also given around-the-clock access to the park’s visitor center for water and restroom facilities.
Customers who had already made reservations prior to the fire can rebook their trips by replying to their confirmation email with the new date requested, according to the release.
Other questions can be directed to info@glenwoodcaverns.com.
