Multi-year, $4.9 million Hanging Lake Trail restoration project completed

From Native Americans to gun-slinging gamblers to visitors from around the world, Hanging Lake, with its turquoise waters and waterfalls, has rested high in Glenwood Canyon for centuries. Now, after years of uncertainty, restoration work has positioned the world-famous trail to endure for generations to come.

Dozens gathered Thursday morning at the Hanging Lake trailhead to celebrate the completion of a multi-year, $4.9 million restoration project that rebuilt the trail after the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire and subsequent flash floods damaged the route and raised concerns about its long-term sustainability.

Representatives from the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Lottery, National Forest Foundation, Great Outdoors Colorado, city of Glenwood Springs and other partners attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The project included a full reconstruction of the trail, hundreds of new stone steps and the replacement of all seven bridges along the route. A new boardwalk was also installed at Spouting Rock. The work was designed with long-term sustainability and flood resilience in mind.

Glenwood Springs Mayor Marco Dehm said Hanging Lake is more than a hike for those who call the area home.

“For those who call this place home, Hanging Lake is more than a landmark; it’s part of our story,” Dehm said. “It has created countless memories, strengthened our connections to the magnificent landscape, and serves as a daily reminder of the responsibility we share to protect these treasures that make this area so special.”

The restoration effort stood out not only because of the number of organizations that collaborated to bring back the trail, but also because the work was centered on making the hike sustainable for future generations.

“This project ensures that the trail at Hanging Lake will remain viable for the next century,” U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Deputy Regional Forester Bunni Maceo said Thursday morning. “This is an extraordinary legacy we are proud to pass on to future generations.

“What I want to emphasize most today is that none of this was done alone,” she continued. “Hanging Lake stands as a powerful example of what’s possible when people come together with shared vision and purpose across the country. Public land agencies are facing increasingly tough demands, and meeting these challenges requires exactly what you see today: federal agencies, local governments, nonprofit partners, businesses, volunteers, and community members all working together side by side.”

After thanking the organizations involved in the restoration, Dehm said protecting places like Hanging Lake is a shared responsibility.

“We do not own places like Hanging Lake; we are merely stewards of them,” he said. “As Hanging Lake reopens, I hope those experiencing it for the first time take a moment to appreciate not only the beauty before them, but also the dedication and collaboration that made this moment possible. Protecting places like Hanging Lake is worth the investment, because these treasures cannot be replaced.

“By caring for them today, we ensure that future generations can experience the same sense of wonder that has inspired so many before us. Hanging Lake represents our past, our present and our future. It’s more than a landmark; it is part of our identity and a true reflection of Glenwood Springs — a community that values adventure, beauty and responsible stewardship.”

Original reporting from postindependent.com