June 16, 2021 Glenwood Springs, Colorado
From Utah and Devil’s View we left the next morning to get to Colorado and cooler weather – parts of Utah can be pretty hot, even for this Arizona girl.
A couple of hours later we were in Fruita, Colorado where I just had to grab an Iced Mocha, non-fat, no whip, 3 pumps (yes, I’m that person that has the complicated coffee drink). The iced espresso drink was perfect in the heat.
We didn’t stay long in Fruita. It was too hot for staying in the RV, so we moved on to higher elevation.
Still heading east on US Hwy 70 our next stop was Glenwood Springs. Be aware that this is a popular resort town with a huge natural hot springs – expect slower traffic. We debated on getting off to take a dip in the hot spring but the trek this far had been hot and tiring so we pushed through to Glenwood Canyon.
This is where I was beyond impressed with Colorado!
Not only were the 4 rest stops in Glenwood Canyon beautiful and clean but also had a long bike trail along the Colorado River!!! AND a hiking trails as well – Grizzly Creek, No Name and Hanging Lake. (We hiked Grizzly Creek later – click here for the Grizzly Creek hike.)
Note : before entering the canyon determine any activities you’ll be doing, there is no cell service in the canyon.
A Little About the 4 Rest Areas In Glenwood Springs Colorado
My goal was to get to Steph’s house a couple of days prior to leaving for the Colorado Trail, not to explore Colorado. But when you enter this beautiful state some exploring needs to happen, and that’s what we ended up doing in Glenwood Canyon.
There are 4 amazing rest stops in Glenwood Canyon
Bair Ranch
We drove right past this rest area not realizing it was the first of four we could have explored. Since we didn’t get a chance to enjoy this one I can’t really describe this stop. TripAdvisor has reviews you can shuffle through.
No Name
What a name, lol. We also passed this stop due to the fact large vehicles were not allowed. Bummer.
It does provide access to a trail and beautiful river views. Here’s a little about the No Name rest stop and trail.
Grizzly Creek
This was my favorite of the rest stops along the whole I-70 in Colorado! It had ample room to park the RV (26′ Minnie Winnie), continuation of the walking/bike path, river access, grassy areas, rest rooms with snack vending machine, info plaques about the area and a hiking trail head!
We took advantage of all the amenities here (well, we didn’t go river rafting).
We slept the night here. Though CDOT website says there is no overnight staying in any Colorado rest stops, we noticed other RVs, vehicles and big rigs resting overnight here so I assume it was ok for weary travelers.
The first image of this post was taken at this rest stop.
Hanging Lake
This is the last of the 4 amazing rest stops in Glenwood Canyon. We stopped to simply check it out since by now we were quite curious to explore.
This is a nice stop like the others yet with more limited space for vehicles. What interested me was the hiking trail to Hanging Lake that was here. There is info here about the trail and it quite a popular destination. Please note, you’ll need a permit before hiking this trail.
Links to Information Mentioned in the Post
- Glenwood Canyon
- AllTrails Grizzly Creek Trail
- AllTrails Hanging Lake Trail
- CDOT – Colorado Dept of Transportation (always check road conditions before heading out. I traveled this route again at a later date and it was closed due to mudslides.)
Why I Arrived 1 Week Before Starting the Colorado Trail
- Colorado is beautiful and full of outdoor activities.
- I live in my rv full time so I can get there early.
- Time for me to acclimate to the altitude. I was there a week before starting trail – next time I’d give it 2 weeks.
Next time on AllieRambles – Grizzly Creek Trail!
