Tourists first visited the Fairy Caves in the mountains above Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in 1895. A hundred and eighteen years later, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is celebrating the grand opening of the newly expanded Historic Fairy Caves Tour, which includes sections of the cave that have never been open to the public, on Sat., May 11. The celebration includes half-price cave tours, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and prize drawings. The park’s seasonal attractions, including the Cliffhanger Roller Coaster, Giant Canyon Swing, Soaring Eagle Zip Ride, Mine Wheel and Wild West Express, will open that day as well.
The new Historic Fairy Caves Tour, which includes a stop at Exclamation Point overlooking the Roaring Fork Valley, is twice the length of the original tour of this section of the cave. The 50-minute guided walking tour takes guests through the discovery and development of the Fairy Caves, with recreated period lighting from when the caves were originally lit in 1897. The rich colors in the ceiling of the Register Room and the pendants, boxwork formations and stalactites covered in cave popcorn are visible only on this tour. Reflecting pools provide a unique perspective of the formations. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Local officials will get the first tour immediately afterwards, and then the Historic Fairy Caves Tours will open to the public.
“The expansion of the Historic Fairy Caves Tour has led to the discovery of new sections of cave and allows us to share even more of its spectacular colors and formations with our guests,” said Steve Beckley, who owns Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park with his wife Jeanne.
The King’s Row Tour of the lower section of the caverns takes guests down into Iron Mountain on lighted walkways into the most highly decorated cave room in the state, with formations including stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws and cave bacon. The regular cost for both tours and a scenic tram ride is $25 for adults, $20 for children ages three to 12. During the grand opening celebration on May 11, the tours will be half-price: $12.50 for adults and $10 for kids. Both tours and the tram ride are also included in the park’s Summer Funday Pass, along with unlimited access to most of the park’s attractions. The regular price for the Funday Passes will be $48 for adults and $43 for kids; on May 11, the prices will be $35.50 and $33, respectively.
Guests can enter to win prizes at the base of the Iron Mountain Tramway from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., including four Funday Passes and four Annual Thrill Passes. The grand prize will be a private, two-hour Wild Tour for four people guided by Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park owner Steve Beckley. The winners’ names will be drawn at 4 p.m. on the stage at the top of the tramway. Winners need not be present to win; no purchase is necessary.
Located atop Iron Mountain above Glenwood Springs, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park also offers tram rides, the state’s longest Alpine Coaster, a 4D Motion Theater, a laser tag arena and mountain-top dining year-round. More information about the park is available at www.GlenwoodCaverns.com or 800-530-1635, ext. 0.