Land managers are moving forward in their mission to reconstruct one of Colorado’s most iconic hiking trails.
National Forest Foundation, the major funding partner of the U.S. Forest Service, recently requested contractor bids in the next step toward realizing a new-look Hanging Lake Trail.
White River National Forest officials have spent the past couple of years plotting a trail with some realigned sections, additional erosion-mitigating features, revegetation and seven new foot bridges along the steep, mile-long route ending at the famous waterfall-fed pool.
Planning came in the wake of the 2021 Grizzly Creek fire. Burned slopes resulted in water, rocks and debris rushing down the canyon outside Glenwood Springs, wrecking parts of the trail and the bridges.
National Forest Foundation’s request for contractor proposals traces the trail’s construction back about 100 years ago, with modifications by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
The hope is “a more sustainable and resilient trail to match this world-class destination for the next 100 years.”
The order calls for a new boardwalk at the destination called Spouting Rock. At the trailhead, a shaded pergola and picnic tables are envisioned among other amenities as part of a redevelopment that figures to include grading, paving and erosion control.
The plan also calls for improvements to the adjacent Glenwood Canyon Recreation Path and the historic Civilian Conservation Corps shelter. New signage is planned on either end of the trail and along the way.
Noting the trail’s steep, rocky aspects, White River National Forest Service Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams in a news release said the job will require “a team with exceptional skills” to “reconstruct the trail in a way that protects sensitive resources, highlights the beauty of the area and adds to the visitor experience.”
The news release indicated construction could start in April of 2024 and wrap up in the fall. “Our intent is to minimize the amount of time the trail is closed,” Fitzwilliams said.
Competitive bids are expected to be around $3 million. Along with National Forest Foundation, funders include Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the city of Glenwood Springs.