One of Colorado’s most famous hiking trails will remain closed indefinitely due to severe damage from debris flows generated by the burn scar of last year’s Grizzly Creek Fire, state and federal officials announced. Around 15,000 hiking reservations will be canceled. Hanging Lake will remain closed through at least the end of summer 2022 after last month’s mudslides at Glenwood Canyon damaged access to several trails and bridges that will have to be redesigned and rebuilt, according to White River National Supervisor Scott Fiztwilliams.
“Bridges have been completely destroyed or severely damaged and there are mudslides blocking large sections of the trail. The Hanging Lake Trail is not safe and impassable in some areas and will remain closed for the foreseeable future,” said Fitzwilliams. “The debris flows we saw in July are probably not the last we will see, so there could be additional damage in the weeks and months ahead.”
Prospects for a speedy reopening were shut down Wednesday when officials were asked how long it would take to get the popular hiking destination opened.
“If I had money today, it would take a year to do that,” said Fitzwilliams. “It’s going to take a whole new redesign given we have a new landscape.”
Officials said seven bridges along the trail suffered “various stages of disrepair.” One of those bridges is completely gone.
About 15,000 reservations that had been made up until now to visit Hanging Lake will be canceled, Ken Murphy of H20 Ventures said, but Coloradans who wish to keep those reservations may donate that money to the Hanging Lake Restoration Fund or get an automatic refund right away.
“I think we can say clearly to the public that Hanging Lake will be back,” Fitzwilliams said. “It will be back to its gorgeous clear state. It’s just going to take a while.”