Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park sits atop Iron Mountain above Glenwood Springs, Colorado, combining a historic cave system with a mountaintop amusement park. The caves were first opened to the public in 1895 after Charles W. Darrow discovered the entrance, then closed during World War I and remained shuttered for decades before reopening in 1999 under owners Steve and Jeanne Beckley.
Reachable only by the Glenwood Gondola, an aerial tramway that climbs roughly 1,300 feet over 4,300 feet of cable, the park pairs guided cave tours through the historic Fairy Caves with cliffside thrill rides overlooking Glenwood Canyon and the Colorado River nearly 1,400 feet below. Its centerpiece, the Cliffhanger roller coaster, is recognized as the highest-elevation full-size roller coaster in the United States.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Glenwood Springs, Colorado
- Operator: Steve and Jeanne Beckley
- Opened: 1999 (caves first opened 1895)
- Elevation: 7,160 feet above sea level
- Access: Glenwood Gondola, 4,300 ft tramway, 1,300 ft elevation gain
- Attractions: 10 rides including 3 roller coasters
- Signature attraction: Cliffhanger roller coaster
A Cave Turned Thrill Park
The park’s story begins underground. Charles W. Darrow found the cave entrance on Iron Mountain in the late 1800s and opened it as a public attraction, the Fairy Caves, in 1895. The caves closed around the start of World War I and sat dormant for more than 80 years until new owners restored access and reopened the site in 1999, eventually adding rides and building out the modern adventure park.
Today guests still take guided tours through the historic cave passages, including the King’s Row room, kept at a constant 52°F year-round, before heading outside to the park’s mountaintop ride lineup.
Rides on the Edge of Glenwood Canyon
The park’s three roller coasters include Cliffhanger, a steel coaster built by S&MC on its Hurricane model that opened in 2012 after being relocated from a Missouri amusement park. Perched on the hillside above Glenwood Canyon, it’s billed as the highest-elevation full-size roller coaster in the country.
Beyond the coasters, the park’s Giant Canyon Swing, Alpine Coaster, and Glenwood Canyon Flyer all take advantage of the site’s dramatic canyon-rim setting, making the ride experience as much about the view as the thrill.
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Roller Coasters at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Every Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park coaster ThrillZing has covered — stats, ride experience and history for each:
Park apps, mobile ordering and photos kill a battery by 3 p.m. This one snaps on magnetically, so there's no cable to snag on a restraint.
Ride with your glasses on and keep them. Many parks allow glasses on rides if they're strapped, so check the ride rules first.
Small enough to ride with on most coasters, big enough for a phone, card and keys. Two zippers mean nothing falls out upside down.
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park FAQs
How do you get to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park?
Visitors ride the Glenwood Gondola, an aerial tramway that climbs about 1,300 feet over roughly 4,300 feet of cable from the valley floor to the mountaintop park.
What makes the Cliffhanger coaster notable?
Cliffhanger, which opened in 2012, is recognized as the highest-elevation full-size roller coaster in the United States, running at around 7,160 feet above sea level on a hillside above Glenwood Canyon.
Can you still tour the original caves?
Yes. Guided tours run through the historic Fairy Caves, first opened to the public in 1895, including the King’s Row cavern room.
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Photo: Martin Lewison / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.