Glenwood Canyon

Glenwood Canyon is a canyon in western Colorado that stretches along the Colorado River with towering walls of red and gray rock rising above the water. The riverbed cuts through layers of stone that tell the geological story of millions of years.

In the early 1900s, the Taylor State Road opened as one of the first automobile routes across the Rocky Mountains, linking remote communities. This pioneering road marked an important shift from horse-drawn travel to motor transportation through the region.

The canyon serves as a natural showcase for geological formations, displaying layers of sedimentary rock from the Pennsylvanian, Mississippian, and Cambrian periods.

Multiple rest stops along Interstate 70 provide easy access to walking trails and the Colorado River without long drives. Visitors can stop at any point to explore sections of interest or enjoy views from the roadside.

The construction of Interstate 70 through the canyon used an innovative stacked-roadway design to minimize environmental impact. This engineering approach was one of the first of its kind, avoiding the need for extensive blasting or wall destruction.