Not much happening in Rifle that morning. We woke up and did a walk around the lake, had some breakfast, and then we hit the road. Next stop – Glenwood Springs.
Erika was enjoying the camping (at least that’s what she said). But after four days sleeping in the van she was ready to get into a real bed and a real hotel. And Glenwood Springs was the perfect place to do just that.
The drive-in was really gorgeous. You drive through this really large canyon with red rocks all over. Promptly named Red Canyon. We drove this way going out towards Grand Junction but I was just focusing on getting out there I guess. I didn’t appreciate the beauty of the place until I was coming back this way.
We decided to stay at Hotel Colorado because it seemed to be the fairest deal out there. I didn’t realize that it was a famous hotel.
When Theodore Roosevelt made his trips out to Colorado he stayed there. And the legend has it that he was feeling ill on one of his stays. So a few of the hotel staff put together a stuffed bear for him. And that’s where the teddy bear had it’s start.
The hotel itself was a nice place. A bit old in my opinion. Obviously they know their history is their appeal. But the place could do with an upgrade or two to be fair. Especially in the bathrooms.
Glenwood Springs is known for its hot springs and that was our next stop. There are two places in town and I think we made the right choice. Right along the river, you pay a flat fee and you get to use the springs for three hours. There are a variety of pools at different temperatures and you can jump around as you please.
We had a really relaxing time there and in the town in general. It’s a cute mountain town and we found a really awesome restaurant to eat dinner at. It was a welcome change from cooking on the camping stove!