Day hike · trailhead + RV staging
Hanging Lake
Colorado landscape — scene-setting, not a photograph of the trail.
- Length
- 2.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 1,020 ft
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
2.4 mi · 1,020 ft · 2019 visitor cap (1,200/day) enforced via shuttle reservation from Glenwood Springs. Private cars banned from trailhead. Reopened May 2022 after 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire. Stage at Glenwood Springs RV parks.
Field almanac
- State
- Colorado
- Trail type
- Day hike
- Sources
- Cited official (.gov / .org)
At a glance
The facts that set the plan
The trail’s own numbers plus the rig-truth at the trailhead — always worth confirming against current agency conditions before you roll out.
Length
2.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,020 ft
Difficulty
Strenuous
Trailhead parking
0 spaces
Car-only lot
Shuttle
Required
Permit
Required
The trail
Walking the Hanging Lake
Hanging Lake closed to walk-up visitation in 2019 — the trail's 1,200-daily-visitor cap is enforced via a shuttle reservation system that boards from Glenwood Springs and stops at the trailhead off I-70 in Glenwood Canyon. Tickets via H2Outfitters (the concession) bundle the shuttle ride with the trail permit; private vehicles are physically barred from the Hanging Lake exit. The trail itself is 1.2 miles each way, climbs 1,020 vertical feet on a relentless granite-step route up Dead Horse Creek, and ends at a travertine-rimmed turquoise lake fed by Bridal Veil Falls. The 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire burned the watershed and the trail closed for two seasons of geological assessment; it reopened in May 2022 with a redesigned boardwalk around the lake. RVs stage at Glenwood Springs's commercial RV parks (the canyon has no developed USFS campgrounds with RV-friendly amenities); the closest is Ami's Acres at 8 miles west.
Where the rig goes
Stage the rig, then walk in
The trail is administered by White River National Forest (Glenwood Canyon). On a trail like this the rig rarely reaches the trailhead itself — the planning fact is where it waits while you walk.
The staging trailhead holds roughly 0 vehicles, and the lot is car-only — leave the rig at the nearest basecamp and arrive early. In season a shuttle is the practical way to the trailhead. Secure the permit or lottery slot before you build the trip around it.
Closest RV-friendly basecamp: Glenwood Springs RV parks (35-ft hookup options, ~10 mi west).
Official sources
- Hanginglake Trail conservancy (.org)
- Recarea US Forest Service
- Facility Recreation.gov
Colorado rules · last verified 2026-05-10
- State rental tax
- 7.6% · not collected by PickRV
- Min driver age
- 21+ std · 25+ Class A
- Gravel roads
- Varies by rig — verify with your host
- Generator quiet
- 22:00-07:00
Nearby & related
Keep planning Colorado
Sourced costs, campground directories, and the places worth a detour — the next layer of Colorado trip planning.
- Colorado RV rental costFuel · camping · tax, sourced
- Colorado RV-friendly campgroundsHookups, rig limits, booking tips
- Campervan & van rentals in ColoradoVan-life routes, rules & rigs
- RV rentals in ColoradoPickRV Wiki · 6 min read
- National monumentsProtected-land guides
- Scenic landmarksBucket-list overlooks
- Wildlife refugesWildlife-watching stops
- Deep trip guidesLong-form seasonal playbooks
Planning an RV trip to Colorado?
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