Strenuous 2.4-mile round-trip to a waterfall and emerald lake requiring a timed reservation and permit fee, with no swimming allowed.
Timed reservation + permit fee required via visitglenwood.com: $12/person (Apr 30–Oct 31), $10/person (Nov 1–Mar 31)
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Based on this listing's approximate location — see the note on coordinates below.
Trail fully reopened June 2026 after multi-year reconstruction following damage from the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire and subsequent flooding; reservations are required whenever the trail is open (per USFS).
Spouting Rock is accessed via the Hanging Lake Trail near Glenwood Springs, a strenuous 2.4-mile round-trip climb of 1,200 feet. Spouting Rock itself is a waterfall located approximately 200 feet above and beyond Hanging Lake, reached via a short extension of the reserved trail.
The trail requires a timed-entry reservation and per-person permit fee year-round (prices vary seasonally: $12/person April 30–October 31, $10/person November 1–March 31). No dogs are allowed, and swimming or bodily contact with the water is prohibited to protect this fragile alpine ecosystem. The trail fully reopened June 2026 after multi-year reconstruction following fire and flood damage.
Best visited April through October when permit demand is highest and weather is most stable.
April 30 through October 31 ($12/person); November 1 through March 31 ($10/person). Trail fully reopened June 2026 after multi-year reconstruction from the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire.
2 to 3 hours
Dogs are not allowed; swimming and water contact are prohibited to protect the fragile ecosystem. Reservation system is mandatory.
Timed reservation + permit fee required via visitglenwood.com: $12/person (Apr 30–Oct 31), $10/person (Nov 1–Mar 31)
Via a 2.4-mile round-trip trail rated strenuous by the managing agency.
No — the managing agency's page states dogs are not permitted here (or on the specific trail/area needed to reach the falls).
No — the managing agency's page states swimming/wading is not permitted here, often for safety reasons (current, rockfall, or cold water).
We track 5 waterfalls in Colorado Western Slope.
There is 1 other waterfall we track in Eagle County. All Colorado Western Slope waterfalls →
fs.usda.gov
USFS White River National Forest official page: 2.4 mi RT to Hanging Lake, 1,200 ft gain, described as "moderately strenuous"; no dogs; no swimming or bodily contact with the water; per-person reservation fee. Spouting Rock is described by USFS as a waterfall located roughly 200 ft above/beyond Hanging Lake, reached via a short extension of the same reserved trail; a separate cascade (also locally called Bridal Veil Falls, unrelated to the Telluride waterfall of the same name) tumbles into the lake itself. Checked Sept 2026 — reconstruction complete and trail open with reservations required.
Checked September 2026.