Music on the Mountain Hits It Out of the Park with 2018 Lineup

Music on the Mountain is ten for ten! Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s concert series is opening its tenth season with 10 mountaintop performances starting May 19. 

Get your groove on at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado and let the good times roll! The 2018 Music on the Mountain season begins on Saturday, May 19, with the Goodman Band and two performances by Dance of the Sacred Fire, and continues with concerts in June, August and September.

All Music on the Mountain concerts are free with cans-for-a-tram rides beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturdays with music from 6 – 10 p.m.; and for Sunday shows at 2 p.m. with performances from 4 – 8 p.m.  To hop aboard the Iron Mountain Tramway for free just donate a canned or non-perishable food item. The cans-for-a-tram program helps to stock the shelves of Lift-Up, the local food pantry. To date, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park has collected more than 66,000 cans and food items!

Whiskey Stomp band

With all the dancing you’ll be doing, you’re sure to get hungry. Grab a bite at the Lookout Grille or Snack Shack, both are open for dinner and refreshments, with drink specials available inside and in the outdoor plaza. Guests can also enjoy the park’s rides and attractions during the events. A Funday Pass, just $38 with the free tram ride, includes both walking cave tours and unlimited access to all open rides. The outdoor rides are open until dusk; the Laser Tag arena and 4D Motion Theater are open until the park closes.

Music on the Mountain would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Thank you to: Bighorn Toyota, Glenwood Insurance Agency, Community Banks of Colorado, Glenwood Springs Post Independent, Lift FM, Swire Coca-Cola, Glenwood TV, Hotel Glenwood Springs, Young Services and Iron Mountain Hot Springs.

2018 Music on the Mountain Lineup

 Saturday May 19—Music on the Mountain kicks off with The Goodman Band playing Stevie Ray Vaughan covers and classic rock, plus two performances of Dance of the Sacred Fire, a mesmerizing, high energy show featuring flame throwing and fire breathing!

Saturday, June 2Whiskey Stomp; bluegrass, funk, Latino, rock, jazz, country and original songs

Saturday, June 9The Mixx;  Top 40s, R&B, classic rock, funk, country, blues, and good ol’ rock and roll!

Sunday, June 10Motivado; Tex-Mex, Sierreno and Norteño

Saturday, Aug. 18Fifty50; classic, modern and original rock

Saturday Aug. 25Hell Roaring Stringband and Defiance String Band; a string band double-header featuring American hoedown, bluegrass, swing, rags, waltzes and more

Saturday, Sept. 8Vidicus Maximus; rock, funk, blues, soul and pop

Sunday, Sept. 9Christian Music on the Mountain featuring talent from The Orchard in Carbondale

Saturday, Sept. 15The Missing Link Band; country, rock, blues, pop and R&B

Saturday, Sept. 22Emotional Rescue; a Rolling Stones cover band

In addition to Music on the Mountain, Friday Afternoon Club on the Mountain returns from June 15 through Aug. 10. Tram rides are free after 4 p.m. with a coupon from the Post Independent. The melodrama, Trouble Bubbles at the Iron Mountain Hot Springs, begins Memorial Weekend and continues through Labor Day with shows at 1 and 2:30 p.m. Friday through Monday.

Find out more about what’s happening this summer at America’s only mountaintop theme park at glenwoodcavdev.wpengine.com.

Glenwood Caverns to Host National Caves Association Convention

Take a cave tour at Glenwood Caverns for National Caves and Karst Day!

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is preparing for the 2018 National Caves Association Convention, September 24 – 28.  The event will give America’s only mountaintop theme park an opportunity to welcome members and show off its own spectacular show cave and park.

For five days in September, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park will host the 53rd annual National Caves Association (NCA) Convention. The NCA represents 80 show caves from across the US, Bermuda and Barbados—including Glenwood Caverns. It was founded in 1965 by a small group of private show cave owners with the goal of encouraging the public to discover America’s underground wonders.

The NCA website highlights some of America’s most enchanting subterranean landscapes. In addition to Glenwood Caverns, a sampling of other show caves from across the country includes Natural Bridge Caverns and Caverns of Sonora, both in Texas; Moaning Cavern in California; Lost Sea Caverns in Tennessee and Luray Caverns in Virginia.

The NCA is also dedicated to educating about cave science. They provide material resources; give talks and tours about everything from cave critters and how to protect the fragile cave environment to the mesmerizing cave formations that delight visitors.  At Glenwood Caverns guests learn about stalactites, stalagmites, cave bacon, popcorn, flowstone and soda straws on the King’s Row and Fairy Caves tours.

NCA visitors are encouraged to explore Glenwood Springs while they are in town for the convention.

During the convention, the NCA group will gather for a welcome reception at Iron Mountain Hot Springs, attend a series of discussions and a vendor showcase at the Hotel Colorado, and have an opportunity to participate in both planned and free-time activities. Conference breakout sessions will include topics such as cave lighting, social media savvy, ride safety, and how to create a successful destination business presented by Jon Schallert. The keynote speaker, to be announced, will likely be a representative from a Colorado company within the tourism industry.

While in town, convention attendees will also have the chance to experience classic Colorado and Glenwood Springs activities. High Canyon Adventures at Bair Ranch will lead jeeping and horseback riding excursions into the high country above Glenwood Canyon. Guests can also take advantage of the beautiful fall weather and all that Glenwood Springs has to offer with self-planned outings like cycling in Glenwood Canyon, fly fishing, tandem paragliding adventures, golfing at the area’s championship links and of course soaking in the geothermal waters.

Visiting cave aficionados will also get the opportunity to take a turn on all the rides and attractions at Glenwood Cavern Adventure. Glenwood Caverns is excited and proud to host the 2018 NCA Convention. We look forward to meeting our colleagues from across the country, learning from one another and sharing our passion for both caving and business at this year’s event.

Iron Mountain Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs

Spend some time relaxing at Iron Mountain Hot Springs during the NCA convention.

FAC at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Take the party to new heights at Friday Afternoon Club every week now through Feb. 23 at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.  

Celebrate the end of the work week or the beginning of a weekend getaway to Glenwood Springs with an altitude adjustment – Glenwood Caverns style. On Friday nights though late-February, ride the Iron Mountain Tramway to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, where all winter long we’ll kick-start the weekend with an evening of socializing, merry-making, drink specials, live music, free tram rides, dancing, lots of twinkly lights and delicious food specials.

FAC takes place from 5 – 8:30 p.m. With a quick ride aboard one of our signature orange gondolas, we’ll elevate your weekend plans in a matter of minutes. Guests can ride the tram free after 4 p.m. with a coupon that appears in the Glenwood Springs Post Independent on Fridays. The coupon is valid for free tram rides for up to four people.

At the top, wander around, take in the views and snuggle by the fire pits, or upgrade your free tram ride at the General Store to a Funday pass for just $26 to include 2 cave tours, the lighted Alpine Coaster, 4D Theater, and Laser Tag.

When you’re ready, settle in for the remainder of the evening at the Lookout Grille where we’ll be serving up specially priced food and drink specials that warm both the belly and the spirit. Drink specials change every half hour with the spin of a wheel.

The highlight of each Friday night is amazing music played by some of our favorite, hyper-talented local bands. Count on this lineup to have you toe-tapping, boot-scootin, and foot stompin’ the night away.

Glenwood Caverns Kicks Off the Holidays, Nov. 18

America’s only mountaintop theme park celebrates the start of the holiday season with its 4th Annual Turkey Tram-a-Ganza and Winter on the Mountain at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.

The tradition continues! Count on Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, for holiday spirit and merriment – lend a helping hand to those in need, spend time with friends and family, and get into the holiday groove with music, lights, Santa and more.

It all begins on Saturday, Nov. 18.

  • Turkey Tram-a-Ganza. (Noon to 4 p.m.) Generosity and giving to those less fortunate are an integral part of the holidays; that’s why we kick off the season with our Turkey Tram-a-Ganza. Bring a frozen turkey to the Glenwood Caverns tram base and receive up to four free tram rides per donated turkey, or bring a can of food (or non-perishable) for a single tram pass. Community food pantry, LIFT-UP will distribute turkeys and other Thanksgiving fixings to area families in need. Turkey donors also get the chance to enter a drawing to win an Annual Thrill Pass or two day passes to Iron Mountain Hot Springs.

  • Winter on the Mountain Kick-off Party. (5 p.m. to closing) Stay for the festivities at this annual party that celebrates the start of the holidays with an abundance of good cheer. Kids can meet Santa in the North Pole and get bear hugs from the Coco-Cola polar bear. The Alpine Coaster will be open, as well as several other attractions. Warm up, roast s’mores and sip hot beverages around the fire pits in the plaza. Local trio, the Leonard Curry Band will be performing holiday favorites in the Lookout Grille. At 6 p.m., the lighting of a musical Christmas tree is one of the highlights of evening.

Bring a turkey to the base of the tram and get up to four free tram rides to the top!

Shop the Top: Merchants’ Point of View

 ‘Shop your Way to the Top,’ a new Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park marketing campaign provides a community boost during the Grand Avenue Bridge project.

Glenwood Springs has passed the halfway point of the largest highway construction project in western Colorado in 25 years. Upon completion, the Grand Avenue Bridge will not only be a safe and effective corridor for vehicular travel with wider lanes and better traffic flow, but a welcoming, new gateway to Glenwood Springs and all it has to offer.

During the construction, the bridge is closed through mid-November. A detour takes drivers on an alternate route through town bypassing some of the town’s major shopping districts including downtown Glenwood Springs and the Glenwood Meadows Shopping Center.

To encourage shopping and lend a helping hand to merchants during this time, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park has come up with an innovative plan that benefits store owners and their guests. It’s called Shop your Way to the Top.  Here’s how it works: Shop at stores or restaurants in Glenwood Meadows or in downtown between Cooper and Colorado Avenues and 6th to 10th Streets. Make a minimum purchase of $16 and receive a free tram ride – valued at $16 – to the top of Iron Mountain, the location of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. If the receipt is for $32 or more, then two free tram passes can be redeemed, with a limit of four free tram rides per receipt!

It’s easy too; just bring your receipt to the Glenwood Caverns tram base cashier to redeem. Visitors can also upgrade tickets to a Tram & Cave or Funday Pass if they choose. Shop your Way to the Top purchases can be made until the bridge opens and those receipts are valid through Dec. 17, 2017.

Here’s what Glenwood Springs merchants are saying about Shop your Way to the Top:

“I’ve told my customers about it and they are just delighted! I ask them if they’ve taken the tram before and often they say no. I tell them, well now’s your chance,” said Vicki Van Engelenburg, owner of A La Carte, a clothing and gift boutique on Grand Ave. She added, “The Shop your Way to the Top campaign has been very successful and positive for us, bringing in customers that might not have stopped otherwise. There’s also camaraderie among businesses in Glenwood Springs that we’re all in this together, I appreciate the Caverns’ efforts to support my business and others during this project.”

From Miles Rattet, owner of The Fourth Dimension, a men’s apparel and home decor store on Cooper Ave., “We were super excited to be included in this. The Cavern’s campaign is fantastic for the entire community; it enriches our whole town by bringing us even closer together. Shop your Way to the Top is a great example of how businesses can work together to support one another and it’s a model for our community going forward in the future.”

According to Mike Mercatoris, owner of two Glenwood Springs’ restaurants – Zheng Asian Bistro at the Glenwood Meadows and The Grind on Grand Ave. in downtown, “The Shop your Way to the Top campaign has been awesome!” He added, “The bridge construction has definitely been a ding in our business, but the cool thing is Glenwood Caverns doesn’t have to do this. They really aren’t impacted the way downtown or the Meadows are. It really shows their character and the character of Glenwood Springs. It’s been cool to see our patrons, especially locals respond to the program. They get pretty excited when they find out in addition to a great meal they can get a free tram ride and take in some of the most amazing views of the Roaring Fork Valley from the top.”

Who says there’s no such thing as a free ride? With Shop your Way to the Top, claiming your free ride is as easy as enjoying yourself by shopping and dining in Glenwood Springs – at the Meadows or downtown. Show us your receipt, then kick back for a free tram ride to one of the most scenic overlooks around, or spend the day checking out the caves, rides and attractions at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.

It’s Fright Season at US Theme Parks

Count on theme parks, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park included, for a screaming good time at Halloween and year-round. 

Many amusement parks across the United States dress up for Halloween – some for tricks, some for treats. There’s the frightful transformation of Pittsburgh-area Kennywood’s Raging Rapids into the Voodoo Bayou, Busch Garden’s Howl-O-Scream Blood Asylum, in
Williamsburg and Knott’s Berry Farm’s Pumpkin Eater, Voodoo Maze, Ghost Town Streets, and 13 haunted mazes. More kid-friendly choices range from the Sweet Trick or Treat Trail at Hersheypark to pumpkin decorating and the Not-Too-Spooky Howl-O-Ween Radio Show at Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pa.

Other theme parks stay haunted all year – the scary installations are called “dark rides” in the industry. There’s Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood studio, a drop tower that goes on to a “fifth dimension” star field where you hurtle toward doom. Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando and Hollywood includes a ride through Hogwarts Castle with threating spiders, dragons, Dementors, and Death Eaters. For a more classic fright, check out the Spook-A-Rama at Coney Island in New York or the Haunted Mansion at Knoebels in Elysburg, Pa. Curse of DarKastle at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va., combines the traditional scares with 3-D CGI animation and other modern features.

Check out USA Today’s Readers’ Choice 2017 selections for seasonal spooky them parks to find one near you this month, or TripSavvy’s list for a scary treat any time.

A Mountain-full of Colorado Fall Fun

Fall is a beautiful time of year to visit Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Autumn in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is spectacular, but fall at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, America’s only mountaintop theme park, is over-the-edge for seasonal colors, family-fun and thrills! 

Autumn splendor is on full display at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park where for four weeks you can experience your favorite Colorado fall activities including Octoberfest, leaf-peeping, hayrides and more. Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of fall at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park.

Every Day. All of Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s rides and attractions are open for the fall season – that includes the Alpine Coaster, Giant Canyon Swing, Cliffside Roller Coaster, Canyon Flyer and the Flying Eagle Zip Ride.

Color Viewing. The Park’s mountaintop location is ideal for spotting colorful fall foliage. Views include Glenwood Canyon, the Roaring Fork Valley with Glenwood Springs in the foreground and the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Sopris and the Elk Range. The tram, the Lookout Grille, the Mine Wheel and viewing decks at the Giant Canyon Swing and above the restaurant are some of the best places for leaf peeping and photos.

Saturdays Only.  In addition to all the daily happenings at the park, on Saturdays (Sept. 30, Oct.7, 14, 21 & 28), from noon to 5 p.m., visitors can spend the afternoon participating in family-oriented activities such as tractor-driven hayrides, fall-themed games for kids, face painting and pumpkin decorating.

Octoberfest. Grab your dirndls and lederhosen. For two consecutive Saturdays, from noon to 4 p.m., Oct. 14 and 21, the oompah band Alpine Echo, will regale visitors with German music including the crowd-pleasing chicken dance, polkas, waltzes, Bavarian pub songs and everyone’s favorite from the Sound of Music – Edelweiss.

Festive Food & Drink Specials. All month long, the Lookout Grille will be serving bratwurst and sauerkraut, seasonal beers, spiked apple cider and festive fall drinks for kids. Satisfy your sweet tooth at the General Store with homemade fudge, including some with pumpkin flavoring.

The Details. Face painting, kids’ games and hay rides are included with admission; pumpkins are just $3 each. Regular admission rates apply. Funday Passes, which include the tram ride, cave tours and unlimited turns on all open rides, cost $54 for adults and $49 for kids 3 to 12. Tram rides cost $16 for adults and $11 for kids. Through Oct. 29, the park is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It will be closed Oct. 30 through Nov. 9.

10 Oktoberfest Celebrations in Colorado and Nearby

Oktoberfest at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park is coming up soon in October; in the meantime embrace your inner German with these other celebrations that start in September.

We started our Oktoberfest tradition at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park two years ago with extra activities for families, including a pumpkin patch, face painting, and hayrides. Last year, we added an Oktoberfest band for a weekend, and it was such a hit we’re doing two weekends this year – stay tuned for all the details. Our rides will continue to be open this fall, and we’ll have plenty of beer, brats, and other food and drink specials.

Most Oktoberfests in the Rocky Mountains get moved to September, but in Glenwood Springs, October weather is perfect for us at the Park on top of Iron Mountain. If you want to get ready for our celebration, here are our Top Ten suggestions for events in Colorado and nearby.

  1. The Denver Oktoberfest, September 22-23 and 29-30

Denver will host the 48th Annual Stein Hoisting National Championships, the Keg Bowling National Championships, the 12th Annual Long Dog (Dachshund Derby), and a bratwurst-eating contest. There will be music on a downtown German stage.

  1. The 23rd Annual Breckenridge Oktoberfest, September 8-10

Breckenridge lays claim to the largest Oktoberfest street party in the Rocky Mountains. More than three dozen vendors will sell genuine German cuisine and brew. German-themed games include Hammerschlagan, a nail-driving contest. There will be Bavarian lederhosen, oompah music, polka dancing, a 5K run, and a ceremonial keg tapping.

  1. Oktoberfest at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, Sandy, Utah, August 12-October 15 (Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day)

This event started in 1973 and now draws a total of more than 60,000 visitors. The biergarten has more than 50 varieties of beer, both traditional German and local brews. Authentic German food and music, handmade arts and crafts, and children’s activities are on tap.

  1. Vail Oktoberfest, September 8-10 and 15-17, 2017

Vail’s admission-free event includes traditional food and Paulaner beer, Bavarian music, dancing, yodeling, and contests for bratwurst eating, keg bowling, stein lifting, and best Oktoberfest costume. Free concerts are on Saturday nights. Children’s events include crafts, entertainers, and a 1K fun run.

  1. Ninth Annual Steamboat OktoberWest, September 15-16

Steamboat’s Friday Beer Stroll among participating restaurants features Colorado, not German, beer. Saturday’s event in Gondola Square at the Steamboat Mountain Village includes live music, all the Colorado beef you can taste at an “I Love Beef Cook Off” from local restaurants, and 45 Rocky Mountain brewers, each sampling two beers, in the beer garden.

  1. Keystone’s Oktoberfest, River Run Village, September 2

The Das Bier Burner 5K initiates the events at noon, with a pint of craft beer for any adult who crosses the finish line. New Belgium Brewery will bring Colorado craft beers with German roots. Concerts and kids events are free.

  1. FORToberfest, Fort Collins, September 16

The last music festival in Old Town Square includes 10-plus hours of live music – funk, bluegrass, rock, indie, and more – seasonal beer from more than six local breweries, and bicycle booths. Costumes are encouraged. Admission is free.

  1. Red River Oktoberfest, New Mexico, October 6-8

At the annual Oktoberfest in Brandenburg Park, you can vote for the best brews from local microbreweries, eat German food, buy crafts from local vendors, and listen to German oompah music. There will be a Miss Oktoberfest contest, competitive stein holding, chicken yodeling, and brat-eating, as well as activities for kids.

  1. Art & Oktoberfest, Boulder, September 29-October 1

This event in Boulder’s Band Shell Central Park includes arts and crafts, music, German food, polka, and a German beer garden. Dancing and polka lessons will be held in front of the bandshell.

  1. Grand Targhee’s 2nd Annual Oktoberfest, Alta, Wyoming, September 16.

This festival includes brats, sausages, pretzels, music, and beers from local microbreweries. Events for children include face painting, potato sack races, and a pumpkin toss.

Great Eclipse: Follow the Moon Shadow

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park offers safe mountaintop viewing of the Great Eclipse of 2017.

Visitors to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park on Monday, April 21, can watch the solar eclipse from our mountaintop safely. The Great Eclipse of 2017 that will sweep across the continental United States passes so close to us that the moon will cover 90 percent of the sun. That’s the darkest we’ve seen in daylight since about 1900.

The eclipse will start here about 10:20 a.m. and peak at about 11:45 a.m. It’s extremely dangerous to look at the eclipse with the naked eye, so we’ve stocked 200 special glasses for protected view. This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so bring the kids and grandkids. They’ll be bragging about the experience for generations to come.

You can also become a citizen-scientist, contributing to NASA’s Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program by collecting data and reporting it through the free smartphone app GLOBE Observer. “No matter where you are in North America, whether it’s cloudy, clear or rainy, NASA wants as many people as possible to help with this citizen science project,” said Kristen Weaver, deputy coordinator for the project. “We want to inspire a million eclipse viewers to become eclipse scientists.”

Of course, when broad daylight returns in the early afternoon, you can always find shade underground in the caverns.

Music on the Mountain Returns August 19

Music on the Mountain, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park’s mountaintop concerts begin again and run through September.

Music on the Mountain resumes Saturday, August 19. After a brief summer hiatus the popular Glenwood Springs concert series takes to the stage once again for six evenings of musical entertainment. A different band entertains the crowd each week through September 23. Come for the live music and stay for an evening of dancing, delicious food, drink specials, and spectacular views. Even the breaks between sets are fun-filled – with prize drawings for t-shirts, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Funday passes, and Iron Mountain Hot Springs day passes.

In addition to providing six weeks of late summer entertainment, Music on the Mountain also helps to serve the community. Guests can ride the tram or an adventure vehicle and enjoy the concerts free with the donation of a canned food item for the Lift-Up community food pantry. At last count, Music on the Mountain attendees had donated over 64,000 cans of food!

For Saturday shows, rides to the mountaintop start at 4 p.m., with music from 6 – 10 p.m.; on Sunday, Sept. 10, rides to the park begin at 2 p.m. The band plays from 4 – 8 p.m.

During the concerts the park is fully operational with outdoor rides open until dusk. The Laser Tag arena and 4D Motion Theater are open until the park closes. For the best value, we recommend purchasing the Funday Pass at the walkup window for just $38 with the free tram ride.

Come and listen to all your favorites from roadhouse blues and southern rock to modern renditions at America’s only mountaintop theme park. The lineup features award-winning artists with a heavy focus on rock classics.

Saturday, August 19 — Fifty50 (classic, modern and original rock) sponsored by Swire Coca-Cola

Saturday, August 26 — The Gerry Goodman Band (Stevie Ray Vaughan cover tunes, classic rock) sponsored by Young Services

Saturday, September 9 — Already Gone (American resort rock) sponsored by Community Banks of Colorado

Sunday, September 10 — Christian Music on the Mountain (The Orchard from Carbondale) sponsored by Glenwood TV

Saturday, September 16 — Poser (classic rock) sponsored by Bighorn Toyota

Saturday, September 23 — Emotional Rescue (Rolling Stones cover band) sponsored by Glenwood Insurance Agency