Facts
General Information
General information, fun facts and trivia
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is family-friendly vacation destination. The Adventure Park features a gondola ride, guided tours of Glenwood Caverns and Historic Fairy Caves, dining and attractions including an alpine coaster, giant swing, roller coasters, zip ride, laser tag, 4D motion theater, outdoor concerts and entertainment.
The park is located on top of Iron Mountain in scenic Glenwood Springs, Colorado, midway between Aspen and Vail, on I-70.
Glenwood Caverns originally opened to the public as the Fairy Caves in 1895, but closed at the onset of World War I. The caves were closed for 82 years until owners Steve and Jeanne Beckley reopened the caverns in 1999. Over the years, the Adventure Park has grown to include a wide range of activities and attractions that draw visitors from around the world.
- Glenwood Caverns and Historic Fairy Caves — Tours available. Professionally guided.Â
- Thrill Rides — The Cliffhanger Roller Coaster, Alpine Coaster, Giant Canyon Swing, Glenwood Canyon Flyer, Defiance Roller Coaster, and Zip Ride
- Attractions — The Wild West Express Coaster, Mine Wheel, 4D Motion Theater, Glenwood Gondola, a laser tag arena, electronic shooting gallery, giant Trolls (Halvor and Chantico), midway games, and sluice box gemstone mining
- Souvenirs — The General Store Gift Shop, Prebble’s Pebbles Rock Shop, and photography packages.
- Mountain-top Dining — The Lookout Grille, Smokehouse and the NEW Defiance Dogs.
- Groups — Affordable packages for group and company picnics, family and school reunions, birthday parties and school field trips
- Events / Entertainment — The Music on the Mountain summer concert series, Pickin’ in the Plaza, Octoberfest, Winter on the Mountain and special events
Fun Facts and Trivia
- Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is the only mountaintop theme park in America.
- Visitors access the Park via the Glenwood Gondola.
- King’s Row is the most highly decorated cave room in Colorado.
- Glenwood Caverns and the Historic Fairy Cave is the state’s largest show cave.
- It takes 1,000 years for our stalactites to grow one cubic inch.
- It’s always a comfortable 52°F inside the cave.
- Our alpine coaster was the first one in America; it opened in 2005. Owner Steve Beckley had to go to Germany and convince the owner of Wiegand to let him build it.
- At 7,160’ above sea level, the Cliffhanger Roller Coaster is the highest-elevation, full-sized roller coaster in America.
- Charles Darrow originally opened the Fairy Caves to the public in 1895.
- Darrow installed electric lights in the cave in 1897; it was one of the first in the world to have electricity.
Winter on the Mountain Kickoff Party!
November 23, 2024 – 4pm to 8pm
Enjoy a cozy gondola ride to the winter wonderland and join us to kick off Winter on top of the mountain. You’ll be greeted by the warm, twinkling lights and festive decorations including our musical Christmas tree and Santa’s workshop. Grab a warm holiday drink and roast marshmallows for a delicious smore. It’s a truly magical holiday experience that create lasting memories for the whole family.
