East of Glenwood Springs is the 12.5 mile Glenwood Canyon. White River National Forest is home to the Glenwood Canyon Herd of roughly 30 Rocky Mountain bighorns.

The 11,000-foot Baxter Peak on Quartzite Ridge to the vertical rocky canyon walls of Glenwood Canyon along the Colorado River is a very formidable landscape. Grizzly, No Name, West and East Fork Dead Horse and French Creeks all cascade rapidly to the Colorado River. Deep Creek flows along the northern boundary and drains snowmelt and rain into the Colorado near Dotsero. Tie, Wagon and Blue Gulches are rugged, narrow and steep as they go from 9,500-6,000 feet along the Colorado in just a few miles. Once away from Glenwood Canyon the land is broken up by ridges, lakes and broad open parks.

Large areas of alpine tundra are covered with wildflowers, moss and lichens and barren ground willows, surrounded by numerous alpine lakes. Subalpine grassy meadows span over hundreds of acres. Spruce, fir and pine forests are visible for miles on slopes, ridges and near lakes. Lower elevations support oak brush, mountain mahogany, pinyon/juniper, sagebrush, ponderosa pines, cottonwood and willow.

White River National Forest offers thousands of acres of public lands. Interstate 70 travels through Glenwood Canyon and takes one of two exits, Grizzly Creek Parking Area Exit 121 or No Name Creek Exit 119. Transfer Trail off Donegan Road in west Glenwood heads toward Cascade and No Name Creek. Approach Glenwood Canyon from the north by taking Forest Service Road 600 from Colorado River Road to Coffeepot Spring Campground then heading southwest on a secondary/jeep road to Grizzly Creek. Deep Creek flows along the north side of Coffeepot Road from Colorado River to Deep Lake.

White River National Forest Improved campgrounds: Coffeepot Spring, White Owl Lake and Deep Lake. U.S. Forest Service has issued a “food storage order" for all area campgrounds, since bears are typically nearby. Motels, World Famous Hotel Colorado, cabins and restaurants provide lodging for any budget. Café and restaurants located along Grand Ave provide a great meal any time of day. Valley View Hospital provides excellent care. 24/7 gas and diesel.