Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park replacing Iron Mountain Tramway

After 15 and a half years of service, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, is replacing the current Iron Mountain Tramway. Since opening, the tram has transported more than 2.2 million guests to and from the park’s mountain-top location in Glenwood Springs, Colo. Its views of the majestic Mt. Sopris, Glenwood Springs and the Colorado and Roaring Fork River Valleys have made it an attraction in and of itself.

“This is definitely a bittersweet time for us,” said Steve Beckley, who owns Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park with his wife Jeanne. “The tramway transformed a seasonal cave tour operation into a year-round destination, I’m sure there will be some emotional moments as we look back on how the business has changed over the years. At the same time, we are very excited to be able to improve service to our guests with the new tram. We started with eight tram cabins and worked our way up to 18 as our visitation increased. Now it’s time for us to upgrade to improve the guest experience at the Adventure Park with little to no wait to board the tram from the base or the top. This will be most advantageous in our peak summer season and during events such as Music on the Mountain.”

The park closed in late October for construction of a new, high-efficiency system with 44 detachable, six-person cabins—increasing capacity from the current 300 to 1,000 people per hour and significantly decreasing the frequency of weather-related closures. Leitner-Poma built the original tram and will handle construction of the new one. Construction is anticipated to last until mid-March, when a grand re-opening celebration is planned.