Every now and then you've got to leave your own backyard to remember how good Colorado is. Yesterday Michelle and I pointed the truck west, out of Summit County, and went after a hike that's been on our list for years.
I'm not going to tell you where — yet. Let's play a game first. Here are your clues: it's about 90 minutes from Keystone, straight down I-70 through one of the prettiest canyons in the state. The trail is only about 3 miles round trip, which sounds cute until you realize you climb roughly 1,000 feet in barely over a mile. My official review: amazing, and I quote myself, "an ass kicker."
Clue #1: the canyon walls look like this. Recognize them?
October is showing off right now. The whole canyon is lit up — reds, golds, oranges stacked against those big layered cliffs. We timed our permit for the afternoon, and the light coming through the trees on the way up was the kind of thing that makes you stop pretending you're in a hurry.
Clue #2: this is the trail. Now you see why we called it an ass kicker.
Fair warning on the climb: this trail does not mess around. It's steep, it's rocky, and it keeps going until suddenly — it doesn't, and you're standing somewhere that doesn't look real. I'll let the photos do the talking from here.
Mile one. Morale: still high. Quads: filing complaints.
Clue #3: Michelle, still smiling. Last chance to guess!
Okay, drop your guess 👇
Here's the fun part — drop your guess in the comments on our Facebook page before you scroll any further. No cheating. Winner gets bragging rights and our eternal respect.
Ready? Scroll on...
It's Hanging Lake! 🎉
Worth every step. That water really is that color.
Did you get it? Hanging Lake, tucked into Glenwood Canyon about 90 minutes west of Keystone. If you haven't been, put it on the list — it's one of those rare places that actually lives up to the photos. A turquoise travertine lake hanging on a cliffside, waterfalls feeding it from above, and Spouting Rock just up the trail behind it shooting water straight out of the rock face.
Boots up. We earned this view.
Spouting Rock — water straight out of the cliff. Don't skip it.
Proof we made it to the top. Somebody's still got legs.
Rouge's tips
- Book the permit first. You need a timed-entry permit reserved in advance at visitglenwood.com — no permit, no hike. Don't just show up.
- Respect the climb. Three miles sounds easy. A thousand feet in a mile-plus is not. Bring water, wear real shoes, and pace yourself — your calves will file a complaint.
- Leave the pup home. Dogs aren't allowed on this trail, full stop. (Our Summit Suite is dog-friendly — your four-legged copilot can hold down the fort.)
- Don't skip Spouting Rock. It's a short hop past the lake, up some stairs, and water pours right out of the cliff. Most people miss it. Don't be most people.
- Make a day of it. We paired it with a soak afterward — Glenwood's got hot springs ten minutes away. Hike hard, soak harder. That's the whole philosophy.
Your hosts, Shane & Michelle
We live here, we hike here, and we'll point you at the good stuff — then have the hot tub hot when you get back.