Denver to Glenwood Springs drive: Best stops, distance & time

The best road trip stops on the Denver to Glenwood Springs drive are Idaho Springs, Georgetown CO and Vail CO. The distance from Denver to Glenwood Springs by car is 158 miles, with a 2h46m driving time.

Planning a Denver to Glenwood Springs road trip itinerary

The Denver to Glenwood Springs drive crosses the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.

Top Denver experiences include Rocky Mountain National Park day tours, downtown Denver food tours and chilling guided ghost walks around the Cheeseman Park cemetery.

Also worth considering are whiskey and history tours, guided mountain hikes and craft beer tours.

Memorable Denver accommodation options include the charming Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast and the strikingly stylish Ramble.

Glenwood Springs CO is a mountain resort town, famous for its hot springs. For a soak, try the Iron Mountain Hot Springs or Glenwood Hot Springs Resort.

Walkers can take on the hikes to Doc Holliday’s Grave or the photogenic Hanging Lake, while the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park offers cave tours and thrill rides.

It’s also a great spot for rafting on the Colorado River. Choose between a gentle half day float through the canyon or tackling the rapids on a whitewater adventure.

Due to the massive hot springs pool, the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is the best place to stay in Glenwood Springs. But you may be able to get better deals on alternative accommodation in the town.

Denver to Glenwood Springs distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Denver to Glenwood Springs by car is 158 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 46 minutes. The best stops to add to a Denver to Glenwood Springs road trip itinerary are Idaho Springs CO, Georgetown CO and Vail CO.

Denver to Glenwood Springs road trip attractions: Idaho Springs

Idaho Springs is a former gold mining town in the mountains. You can learn about that gold mining past on a tour to the ARGO Gold Mill and Mine.

These days, however, the town is something of an adventure sports hotspot. Whitewater rafting on Clear Creek is particularly popular, and you can try it at beginner, intermediate or advanced level.

Other Idaho Springs experience options include via ferrata climbing on Mount Evans, the cliffside zipline and Jeep tours.

For more suggestions, read the guide to the Denver to Idaho Springs drive.

Denver to Glenwood Springs drive: Georgetown CO

On the I-70, Georgetown CO offers an engaging handful of tourist attractions. Most popular of these is the Georgetown Loop Railroad, where steam trains head across scenic bridges through the mountains. You can also go deep inside the old Lebanon silver mine, with tours heading inside the tunnels dug into Leavenworth Mountain.

Best stops between Denver and Glenwood Springs: Vail CO

Purpose-built, European-style ski village Vail is the biggest ski resort in Colorado, and arguably gets the best of the conditions. This is particularly the case with the legendary powder in the Back Bowl.

But a major part of the appeal is that you don’t have to strap on the skis at all. Top Vail experiences include Segway tours, snow sledding and downhill mountain bike tours. You can also try fly-fishing trips and escape rooms.