Glenwood Springs?

[tricia]

Sorry I've been MIA from this forum for a while. Sometimes life gets busy....

I'm thinking of traveling out west in January--a few days in California, followed by the California Zephyr to Colorado.

My question for the CZ experts here is: Make a 24-hour stop in Glenwood Springs, or travel direct to Denver? In either case, I'll be flying home from Denver. I'm mostly taking the CZ to, well, spend a couple of days on a train. I've taken the CZ before, and am looking forward to seeing a lot of snow from a cozy roomette.

The main attraction for me in Glenwood Springs would be soaking in hot springs. Iron Mountain Hot Springs looks lovely--however, I don't want to rent a car and am hoping it's feasible to walk about 1/2 mile from Amtrak to the local LaQuinta hotel, and walk about another 1/2 mile to the hot springs. Is this likely to be doable in January, or might snow be piled too high for sidewalks to be walkable?

Of course, this being AU, for every dozen people reading this post, there'll be a score of opinions. If you have other ideas or suggestions about Glenwood Springs, please post. In addition to hot springs, I'll be looking for local food (has anyone here tried the tacos at Slope and Hatch?) and local hoppy beer.

Finally: I'm not certain I'll actually take this trip. Covid--more specifically, being around so many people who are unwilling to put up with any inconvenience to save others from this disease--has taken all the fun out of being out and about among strangers for me. January might be too soon to try to shake that with a good travel experience, particularly involving public hot springs. Any thoughts about that?

A completely unrelated PS: Before posting this, I noticed that in the entire first page of this forum's desktop display, there's not a single thread focusing on food on trains. Has AU really changed a lot in the time I've been gone?

 

[Tlcooper44]

A completely unrelated PS: Before posting this, I noticed that in the entire first page of this forum's desktop display, there's not a single thread focusing on food on trains. Has AU really changed a lot in the time I've been gone?

Oh don’t worry, I’m sure the Amtrak dining thread will reappear shortly.

We can even talk about food here if you’d like!

On another note, I loved Glenwood springs when I visited. Definitely would make a stop for 24hrs.

 

[Sidney]

Sorry I've been MIA from this forum for a while. Sometimes life gets busy....

I'm thinking of traveling out west in January--a few days in California, followed by the California Zephyr to Colorado.

My question for the CZ experts here is: Make a 24-hour stop in Glenwood Springs, or travel direct to Denver? In either case, I'll be flying home from Denver. I'm mostly taking the CZ to, well, spend a couple of days on a train. I've taken the CZ before, and am looking forward to seeing a lot of snow from a cozy roomette.

The main attraction for me in Glenwood Springs would be soaking in hot springs. Iron Mountain Hot Springs looks lovely--however, I don't want to rent a car and am hoping it's feasible to walk about 1/2 mile from Amtrak to the local LaQuinta hotel, and walk about another 1/2 mile to the hot springs. Is this likely to be doable in January, or might snow be piled too high for sidewalks to be walkable?

Of course, this being AU, for every dozen people reading this post, there'll be a score of opinions. If you have other ideas or suggestions about Glenwood Springs, please post. In addition to hot springs, I'll be looking for local food (has anyone here tried the tacos at Slope and Hatch?) and local hoppy beer.

Finally: I'm not certain I'll actually take this trip. Covid--more specifically, being around so many people who are unwilling to put up with any inconvenience to save others from this disease--has taken all the fun out of being out and about among strangers for me. January might be too soon to try to shake that with a good travel experience, particularly involving public hot springs. Any thoughts about that?

A completely unrelated PS: Before posting this, I noticed that in the entire first page of this forum's desktop display, there's not a single thread focusing on food on trains. Has AU really changed a lot in the time I've been gone?

I used Glenwood Springs as a stopover on my rail pass earlier this year. My motel was a half mile away across a bridge. The downtown section with lots of restaurants,bars,brewpubs and shopping is close to the station. Beautiful town. Didn't do the springs. I walked everywhere. January is a crapshoot. Could be sunny and 50 or below zero with three feet of snow

 

[BoulderCO]

Sounds like you have confirmed on the hot spring's website that they are indeed open. If so, the walks to there and the hotel should not be any particular issue in January unless there is an unusual heavy snow on the day you are there. And there will be plenty of local hoppy beer available for you both there and especially in Denver ;>)

 

[Rasputin]

Tricia,

Check out the thread titled "Amtrak Dining." All 133 pages (so far) should bring you up to date.

Amtrak Dining | Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum (amtraktrains.com)

 

[ScottR]

Sorry I've been MIA from this forum for a while. Sometimes life gets busy....

I'm thinking of traveling out west in January--a few days in California, followed by the California Zephyr to Colorado.

My question for the CZ experts here is: Make a 24-hour stop in Glenwood Springs, or travel direct to Denver? In either case, I'll be flying home from Denver. I'm mostly taking the CZ to, well, spend a couple of days on a train. I've taken the CZ before, and am looking forward to seeing a lot of snow from a cozy roomette.

The main attraction for me in Glenwood Springs would be soaking in hot springs. Iron Mountain Hot Springs looks lovely--however, I don't want to rent a car and am hoping it's feasible to walk about 1/2 mile from Amtrak to the local LaQuinta hotel, and walk about another 1/2 mile to the hot springs. Is this likely to be doable in January, or might snow be piled too high for sidewalks to be walkable?

Of course, this being AU, for every dozen people reading this post, there'll be a score of opinions. If you have other ideas or suggestions about Glenwood Springs, please post. In addition to hot springs, I'll be looking for local food (has anyone here tried the tacos at Slope and Hatch?) and local hoppy beer.

Finally: I'm not certain I'll actually take this trip. Covid--more specifically, being around so many people who are unwilling to put up with any inconvenience to save others from this disease--has taken all the fun out of being out and about among strangers for me. January might be too soon to try to shake that with a good travel experience, particularly involving public hot springs. Any thoughts about that?

A completely unrelated PS: Before posting this, I noticed that in the entire first page of this forum's desktop display, there's not a single thread focusing on food on trains. Has AU really changed a lot in the time I've been gone?

I did that exact itinerary a few December’s ago for the same reason…I love to see the snowy countryside from my roomette. Off around noon, walked over to the La Quinta, checked in, had lunch, soaked in the springs, had dinner, and a nice breakfast the next day before getting back onboard.

it was snowing pretty good the whole time but they were clearing the streets and sidewalks, and soaking in the springs while the snow was coming down was a magical experience!

there is a very good brewpub right across from the station and a great dinner place (Pullman I think it was) a block away, and the la Quinta is right near.


Do it! The train enforces the mask policy rigorously and I noted most were masked up when I got off for a fresh air break a couple of weeks ago in GS

 

[tricia]

Thanks, all, for the encouraging info. I've made travel reservations, but might yet cancel depending on Covid (will we see another surge this winter? another variant?) and work.

 

[Wolverine72]

Glenwood has a great local bus system and a very nice RFTA bus that goes up to Aspen. I’d make it a two night layover.
I stayed right across the street from the station a few years ago. I was amazed how many folks were in the hot spring fed pool as snow fell at Christmas.