A gondola ride up Iron Mountain to a cave tour and a small mountaintop park in Glenwood Springs. The cave is cool, a little narrow in places, and one tour goes down 120 stairs and back up.
Know before you go. Glenwood Caverns doesn't list sensory hours or a quiet room. Here's what it does say, so you can plan around the cold, the narrow spots and the loud parts.
Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
Address
51000 Two Rivers Plaza Road, Glenwood Springs 81601 (ticket office at the gondola base) Directions
Hours
Open year-round; hours change by day and season, so check the park calendar for your date. The gondola ticket window closes 30 minutes before closing. Cave tours start about an hour after opening; the last one is 90 minutes before closing.
“The cave is 52 degrees year-round.” Bring a light jacket or sweater. glenwoodcaverns.com
Space
Fairy Cave is “a 1/4 of a mile underground stroll with occasional narrow passage ways”; King's Row takes you down “120 stairs” and “you'll have to hike your way back up.” glenwoodcaverns.com
Crowds
“The maximum number of guests allowed on the Historic Fairy Tour is 20 with 25 allowed on the King's Row Tour.” glenwoodcaverns.com
Sound
The 4D Motion Theater has “moving seats, surround sound, and special effects.” It's not recommended for kids under 3, and small kids can sit on a lap in the non-motion seats. glenwoodcaverns.com
Light
The add-on Blacklight Cave tour turns the caverns into “a neon-lit wonderland.” glenwoodcaverns.com
Waits
In high wind or lightning “the gondola will slow down and sometimes stop,” and there is “no alternative means of transportation.” Storms usually pass in 45 to 90 minutes. glenwoodcaverns.com
“Summer is our busiest season.” In summer, “late afternoon” is when “you'll find fewer lines and cooler weather.”
Our note The cave tours are small and guided, at a steady 52 degrees. The thrill rides and the 4D theater are the loud, fast parts, and they're easy to skip.
Our note Plan for at least half a day. Tickets are good for re-entry the same day, so a break at the car is an option.
Three things to know
The gondola is the only way up and down. Everyone goes through an electronic screening before boarding.
No strollers, backpacks, food or drinks in the cave. Carry small kids or use a front pack, feed everyone before the tour, and use the lockers near the upper cave entrance.
Gondola and one cave tour: $52.99 online ($57.99 at the gate) plus a $1.50 online fee. Gondola only: $32.99 online. Kids 0 to 2 are free. Reservations aren't required.
Glenwood Caverns publishes no sensory ratings; these are the spots it describes
Louder or brighter
4D Motion Theater (moving seats, surround sound, special effects)not stated
Blacklight Cave tour (add-on) (neon-lit)not stated
Quieter
Quiet roomnot stated
An adult has to go with kids under 13 or 14 on the cave tour, so plan on going with your kid.
Fairy Cave includes a short stop outside on Exclamation Point, so dress for the weather too.
The Wild Cave Tour (helmets and knee pads, ages 10 and up with an adult) is “Not recommended if you are claustrophobic.”
There's gravel in the plaza and steep paths up top, which makes strollers and wheelchairs harder. Strollers can ride the gondola folded, with your child on your lap or next to you. Wheelchairs and strollers can't go into the caverns.
No outside food or coolers in the park; the Lookout Grille and the Smokehouse sell food. The park is cashless (a kiosk turns cash into a card).
Littlefeet Playland is a play space for ages 2 to 12 at the top.
Everyone signs a waiver; a parent signs for kids under 18.
Free parking at the gondola base, with more at Lot D (202 Centennial St).
The top of the park is at 7,100 feet.
What the park doesn't say
not stated how long the gondola ride takes
not stated how bright or dim the regular cave tours are
not stated where restrooms are near the cave
not stated whether you can leave a cave tour partway through
You buy tickets at the gondola base, go through a screening, and ride the gondola up the mountain. Cave tours are guided, about 40 minutes, with a group of up to 20 or 25 people. The cave is 52 degrees all year. One tour has narrow spots and a short stretch outside; the other goes down 120 stairs and back up. No strollers, backpacks, food or drinks go in the cave. Change anything.
Common questions
What if my child won't look at the schedule or story?
That is common at first. Leave it where the moment happens, point to one picture at a time, and keep it low-pressure. Many kids warm up to it after a few calm tries, in their own time.
Can I make this in Spanish?
Yes. Every tool and this page exist in Spanish, and the printed page comes out in the language you choose. Use the language switch at the top.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no signup, and we don’t keep what you type; anything you save stays on your device. Make it, print it, done.
