GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — Reservations for the new permit system that's required to visit Hanging Lake will officially launch at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 1, according to a release from the city and U.S. Forest Service.
Anyone who wants to visit Hanging Lake needs a permit. They can be purchased online by visiting visitglenwood.com/hanginglake. Reservations can also be made by calling 970-384-6309. Groups of 20 or more must call the Hanging Lake information line to make their reservation.
In-person reservations begin May 1, at the Hanging Lake Welcome Center which will be located at 110 Wulfsohn Rd. in Glenwood Springs, next to the Glenwood Springs Community Center.
Permits cost $12 per person. The 2019 Hanging Lake shuttle season will run daily from May 1 to Oct. 31 starting at 6:45 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m. Shuttles will depart from the Hanging Lake Welcome Center and drop visitors off at the Hanging Lake trailhead.
Visitors should plan for 3 hours of hiking and recreation time from the time they are dropped off at the trailhead until they are picked up. If visitors want to shorten or extend their time at Hanging Lake, they can be placed on standby for an earlier or later shuttle back to the Hanging Lake Welcome Center.
If you plan to bike or hike to the trailhead instead of using the shuttle you'll still need a reservation for a permit.
A percentage of permits have been set aside for an "early-bird" biking reservation special at a discounted rate of $9.50 from April 1 through May 1, or until early-bird reservations fill up. The rate is good for any date during the 2019 season.
Hanging Lake is open year-round and visitors during the off-peak season (Nov. 1 – April 30) still need a permit, which costs $10. The shuttle does not run during that time, so visitors can bike or drive their personal vehicles to the trailhead.
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