Situated in the Rocky Mountains halfway between Vail and Aspen, the Fairy Caves opened to the public in 1895, but were closed in 1917. In 1982, avid caver Steve Beckley contacted the property's owner asking to explore the miles of caverns under the mountain, but he was denied. He persisted for the next sixteen years and finally reached an agreement in 1998 to open the caves, now referred to as Glenwood Caverns, to the public. Great care was taken to preserve the geological formations, including the installation of airtight doors, a new tunnel entrance, and temperature and humidity monitors. Beckley's love of caves is apparent in the work involved to make sure Glenwood Caverns will remain a living, dripping, growing cave system. Cave tours are available year-round, although the Wild Cave Tour is very strenuous. For much of the park's early years, the only way to get to the park was to take a ride on the Iron Mountain Tramway, a nearly mile-long journey which carried guests from the floor of the Roaring Fork Valley to the top of Iron Mountain. The original aerial tram opened in 2003, but it was replaced in 2019 by the Glenwood Gondola lift system. Gondolas climb over 1,000 feet to reach the park. In addition to the fantastic views, this one-of-a-kind mountain-top park has a fantastic variety of rides and experiences for all ages, including a number of rides, shows, and tours that operate in all seasons of the year.
