This Mountaintop Theme Park Should Be on Every Thrill Seeker’s Bucket List
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO - Are you a coaster enthusiast? A travel junkie? Maybe you just enjoy unique experiences and majestic panoramic views? If any or all of these descriptions has piqued your interest, then you’re likely the target demographic of a small, independently-owned adventure park that stands proud atop a 7100’ mountain in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. After several years of living vicariously through the park’s Instagram posts, we finally made our way to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on a beautiful Sunday morning in May, and even we were blown away by the experience!
Park History
The history of Glenwood Caverns can be traced all the way back to 1895, when the first of the park’s two cave systems (the “Fairy Cave”) was originally opened to the public. The tour, as well as its dazzling views of Glenwood Canyon and No Name, CO (a real place with deeply indecisive city council members), was a major tourist attraction for the town of Glenwood Springs, CO that lies several thousand feet below. However, the caves were closed in 1917 after the United States officially entered WWI, a conflict which itself would last only a fraction as long as the closure it prompted. The Fairy Caves were ultimately restored and reopened in 1999, along with a second discovered cave system (“King’s Row Cave'“) and some of the parks’ simpler attractions. Glenwood Caverns would continue to expand, develop and innovate in the years that followed, and today there are no less than four roller coasters, a giant swing and many other attractions operating from 9am-7pm MST every single day that weather and seasonality permit.
Above: Glenwood Caverns offers many attractions and play areas completely free of charge, including this fun photo op with Halvor Flowstone, the troll atop iron mountain!
Ticket Structure
Online ticket purchases for all ticket tiers are $5 cheaper than gate purchases are, so purchasing your tickets in advance is the easiest way to lock in the best price for your day at Glenwood Caverns. However, if you’re purchasing onsite, you’ll have a menu of four à la carte ticket types to choose from. Knowing that we wanted to ride all of the thrill attractions, explore the caves and make the most of our day at the park, we went all in on the “Summer Funday” tickets, which include access to all attractions and experiences apart from the Black Light Cave Tour. The other three onsite ticket types, as well as the fifth online-only option, have been designed to scale the experience with your budget, your available time and your interests…
Summer Funday - ($79.99-$84.99)
The most inclusive of all the ticket options, Summer Funday includes unlimited rides on any and all of the thrill and family attractions at the peak, including but not limited to Defiance, Crystal Tower, the Alpine Coaster and the Giant Canyon Swing. It also includes Laser Tag, the 4D Motion Theatre and the two non-premium cave tours in addition to the gondola ride up and down the mountain. As previously stated, this tier does not include the Black Light Cave Tour; however, this can be purchased as an add-on experience for any ticket type when you checkout online or onsite.NLCT ($57.99)
Don’t ask us what NLCT stands for, we’ve truly no idea - but what we do know is that this ticket type is only available online and includes all non-premium attractions (play areas, iron mountain trail stroll, troll interactions, seasonal music & events, etc.) as well as the gondola ride and both the Fairy Cave and King’s Row Cave tour(s). It’s worth noting that this is the only package outside of the Summer Funday package which includes a look at both caves at no additional cost, so if you’re only here to take in the sights and do a bit of spelunking, this might be the best and most affordable way to check your boxes!
Gondola & Cave ($52.99-$57.99)
At $5 cheaper than the previous ticket tier (NLCT), this ticket type includes all of the non-premium attractions, the gondola ride and your choice of ONE cave tour - either the Fairy Cave or King’s Row Cave - with the other being off-limits unless purchased separately. This tier exists to save the a certain type of guest a few dollars; however, with NLCT tickets offering tours of both caves at only $5 more per person, we strongly recommend going all-in on one of the higher tiers to maximize your investment and get the most out of your day. If you’re going to do one cave, why not do both?Gondola (Only) ($32.99-$37.99)
The cheapest of the available admission tickets, this tier includes neither of the cave tours and is primarily meant for guests who want to join thrill-seekers and adventurers at the top of the mountain, but have no intention of thrill-seeking or adventuring themselves. You still get to enjoy the smooth glide up and down the mountain, as well as being able to enter and exit the play areas at your leisure and take in the sights and sounds of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, but you’ll not be able to participate in any rides, cave tours or interactive attractions without upgrading to a higher tier of ticket.Annual Pass ($63.99-$157.99)
The last type of ticket just about pays for itself after two visits, particularly if you’re planning to do a lot of rides. Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park does, in fact, sell annual passes at two different sub-tiers - one for those who want to enjoy unlimited rides and cave tours ($157.99), and one for those who just want to regularly visit the mountain top for the vibes and not bother with any of the rides or attractions ($63.99). Both types of annual pass have blackout dates - this year’s blackout dates include 6/6, 6/13, 8/15, 8/22 - but both tiers also include deep discount(s) on food, beverages and merchandise, making it a no-brainer for anyone who intends to visit Glenwood Caverns more than once in a single operating year. Annual passes can be purchased online or onsite, though there may be a surcharge for onsite purchase.
Attractions
Mountain parks are not an industry anomaly, and many mountain towns benefit from the presence of an alpine coaster or a gondola ride. What makes Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park unique is its impressive lineup of thrill attractions which all dispatch from a starting height of 7100’ in the air. Even if you happen to be a coaster enthusiast who has ridden dozens of Gerstlauer Euro-Fighters over your tenure, there’s something about doing it on the cliff’s edge looking down at the tiny town of Glenwood Springs more than a mile below that unlocks some new fears and phobias. Glenwood Caverns offers six thrill rides total, including a drop tower, three “intense” coasters and two different types of swing attractions, as well as seven to eight more family-friendly attractions such as a more grounded ‘kiddie coaster’, a tiny little ferris wheel and a stubby little drop tower meant for riders of a decidedly smaller size. Of note, a majority of the park’s more thrilling attractions can be experienced virtually through onride POV’s published to our YouTube channel - such as the onride POV for the Alpine Coaster, which is featured below.
Experiences
Though the park (understandably) declares every ride and every experience to be an ‘attraction’, there are a few such attractions that, when left to our own devices, we tend to define more as ‘experiences’. Naturally, chief among these experiences are the two cave tours (“Fairy Cave Tour” and “King’s Row Cave Tour”) that are included in multiple ticket tiers, as well as the add-on “Black Light Cave Tour” which literally showcases the Fairy Cave in a whole new light. There is also a relatively new experience called the “Wild Cave Tour” which just might be the most intense experience (or attraction) offered atop the mighty Iron Mountain; guests who purchase this add-on will experience an authentic caving adventure not unlike the original spelunkers did when they explored the caverns for the first time, squeezing through tight spots and emerging into hidden rooms all by the narrow beam of a headlamp. If this sounds like it’d be too much for you, you’re not alone - and you can instead opt for less claustrophobic experiences such as the park’s 4D Motion Theater or a rousing game of Laser Tag. Upcharge experiences like the shooting gallery and the gem mining are also available during the busiest months of the year - however, because we visited on a slower day, we did not get a chance to try our hand at either.
Above: The two cave systems at Glenwood Caverns - both the Fairy Caves and King’s Row Cave - offer unique and captivating scenes and settings over the course of a forty-minute tour(s). There are even add-on tours that feature a darker and/or more intense experience, for the true adventurers!
Food Offerings
Food at the peak of Iron Mountain is relatively easy to come by, and can be acquired from three different sources. The first and most prominent of these options is the Lookout Grille, which is where we chose to dine. This quick service restaurant features incredible, largely unobstructed views of Glenwood Springs and the surrounding mountains from a covered wooden deck with a significant amount of open seating. Orders are placed at the bar - where craft beers and mixed cocktails can also be procured by anyone 21+ - and the menu includes a variety of American classics such as burgers, chicken tenders and grilled cheese. The other two dining locations, the Smokehouse and Defiance Dogs, are only open during the warmest and busiest months of the year, but the Smokehouse menu includes some mouthwatering barbecue options and loaded fries and the Defiance Dogs menu includes a build-your-own-hotdog package that is sure to awaken some culinary ambition. Hours of operation are variable based on the season, but all three restaurants are typically open for lunch on any given operating day.
Above: Lookout Grille is one of a handful of food service and dining locations at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.
Know Before You Go
The experience that Glenwood Caverns offers might not be for everyone, but for the adrenaline junkies, there is no higher calling. Before you head up the mountain via the iconic gondolas, there are a few things that you might want to know about how to regulations, navigation and safety in the Adventure Park.
Waiver: Being able to ride a roller coaster on top of a mountain is a novelty, but it also comes with some inherent risk. All visitors will be required to sign a waiver of release before boarding the Gondolas and ascending the mountain.
Altitude: Visitors who have a crippling fear of heights may also have a hard time escaping that particular phobia, as the park is surrounded on all sides by open air and steep drop-offs. Layers are also recommended to minimize the impact of rapid weather and temperature changes atop the mountain.
Rides: Of Glenwood Caverns’ more thrill-oriented attractions, five out of six are outdoors and subject to sudden closure in the event of severe weather; the use of GoPros and similar action cameras onride are permitted, but only with a secure, chest-mounted harness that does not interfere with the ride restraint system. Closed-toe footwear is also recommended if you intend to ride any of the attractions or enter either of the two caves.
Lockers: Lockers are available for both single and all-day use. This is especially important to note if you’re taking a backpack or a large bag to the top of the mountain, as these bags will not be permitted inside the caves during your tour(s) and will either need to be left unattended in front of the cave, passed off to a guest who is not participating, or stored in a locker until the cave tour is complete.
Prohibited Items: Lastly, be aware that certain items - such as coolers (hard or soft side), radios, sleeping bags, luggage, bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, alcohol, drones, firearms, and/or weapons of any kind - are prohibited in the park and may result in your inability to board a gondola if discovered during the security screening.
So, is it Worth a Visit?
Not only is Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park worth a visit, it’s arguably worth experiencing again and again over multiple days and different seasons of the year. We’ve been to our share of mountain parks over the years, and we can confidently say that Glenwood Caverns stands apart as an industry leader with something in store for adventurers of all ages. If you’re not there for the coasters, perhaps the caves will interest you. If you’re not there for the caves, perhaps the giant swing will interest you. Even if members of your party are too young to enjoy any of the more intense experiences, there are still trails to run, trolls to meet and imaginative indoor activities to enjoy - to say nothing of the spectacular views that you’ll be enjoying all day no matter your age or your thrill capacity. If you’re ever in, near or even within a drivable distance of Glenwood Springs, CO, you owe yourself a trip to Glenwood Caverns and a full day of all the attractions and entertainment that it offers. Still not convinced? Check out our experience vlog below to see our realtime reactions to everything we enjoyed at the top of the mountain this past May!
