Weekday Access to Hanging Lake Trail Closed for Summer | Lifestyle

The iconic Hanging Lake Trail in Colorado is facing even more limited access this summer due to significant construction announced by the U.S. Forest Service. Starting in May, the trail will be closed on weekdays for construction, with possible closures on weekends once bridge replacement work begins later in the summer.

The $4.5 million project aims to replace the trail’s seven foot bridges, which were damaged by the 2021 Grizzly Creek fire. The construction also includes realigned trail sections, erosion-mitigating structures, and a new boardwalk at the waterfall-fed pool at the trail’s destination.

The original construction of Hanging Lake Trail dates back nearly 100 years, with modifications made by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The Forest Service hopes to create a more sustainable and resilient trail to preserve the natural beauty of the area for the next 100 years.

White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams stated that the goal is to minimize the amount of time the trail is closed during construction. Hiking reservations for weekends will become even more sought after due to the weekday closures, with reservation dates and times being released weekly on visitglenwood.com.

In addition to Hanging Lake Trail, other popular trails in Glenwood Canyon, such as Grizzly Creek and Jessie Weaver (No Name) trails, will also see closures for reconstruction throughout the summer. Updates on trail closures and construction progress can be found on fs.usda.gov/whiteriver.