Day 10 – June 28, 2019

Finally! After entering five states. Visiting three national parks. And destroying one tent and two air mattresses. Finally today it happened. We made it to our first amusement park of Big Trip 4.

I didn’t know much about the park, called Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. I had heard it has a collection of unique rides and I was thrilled to get to visit.

The first indication that this is no ordinary place is the parking lot. It is teeny, tiny and it is free to park. There were maybe 20 cars in the lot when we arrived at 9:30 am, thirty minutes after park opening.

We purchased our tickets online, which meant we got to enter using the exclusive VIP entrance. But before entry, each guest is required to sign a legal release form. I have no idea what rights we signed away, I was just ready for some rides.

We were handed a park map to study. Like the parking lot, the theme park itself is quite diminutive.

The first ride of the day is aboard a bright orange 4 passenger gondola. With no delay, we were swept up 1,300 feet to the top of the mountain where the theme park resides.

We traveled almost straight up, over a beautiful, green pine forest. The views from the gondola are magnificent. The surrounding mountains are separated by the snake-like Colorado River. The small town of Glenwood Springs lies in a clearing to the south.

As we reached the summit, we passed over the tracks of the Alpine Coaster. Our next ride of the day had already been selected.

We exited the gondola at an elevation of 7,300 feet to find ourselves transported to a little dusty 1890s mining town. Even the ground is covered in gravel and small rocks. We quickly found the Alpine Coaster on the map and raced to the entry.

The Alpine Coaster is like a hillside roller coaster with a metal track. Each rider sits upon their own small plastic sled on wheels that includes a hand brake to allow the guest to slow their sled if the ride becomes too intense.

I decided I would go first and Ashley would follow. After getting buckled in and receiving some safety instructions, I was ready to go. The sled slides forward on the track and quickly makes a U turn as it begins its descent down the mountain. The breathtaking views again on full display.

I understand why the sled has a brake. The thing hauls butt. No way I want to touch the brake though. I want max speed. And they won’t let me get hurt. Right? Or is that why I had to sign that legal thingy? I don’t care, I’m going for it.

The track makes many quick hairpin turns, bunny hops, and drops making its way some 3,400 feet of track through the ample foliage. At the end of this exhilarating ride, the rider is pulled up some 1,000 feet back to the station.

After a quick huddle to decide what to do next, we knew we had to do the Alpine Coaster again. There is no line right now. Literally, if I just rode this attraction 10 times and went home, I would have gotten my money’s worth. But there was so much more to do.

There was no line at the neighboring Eagle Zipline ride. Again, relying on the incredible views as the perfect backdrop, riders are taken 600 feet up a zipline and released for a return to the station.

Two world class attractions and we haven’t made it to the ride that brought me here, the Haunted Mine Drop.

This ride is the first and only of its kind in the world. Many theme parks have drop rides. But only Glenwood Caverns has a ride that drops its guests into a mineshaft. My expectations for this ride were pretty high. The Haunted Mine Drop blew my expectations out of the shaft.

We entered a well themed mine building to find a hilarious promotional video about the fictional mining company that operates the mine. Oh and guess what? No line. Do you see a trend here?

After being strapped into the seat, the room goes dark and a ghost appears who speaks of his dearly departed brother. Suddenly a demon appears shouting, “Fire in the hole!”

The room again is shrouded in complete darkness and, after several anxious moments, the ride vehicle plunges, free falling 125 feet into the pitch black shaft. It is intense.

At the bottom, a twisted skeleton lies on the ground next to a skeleton canary. He explains that his brother had killed him and he tried to murder us by pushing us down the shaft. We then ascend up the now dimly lit tunnel back to ground level.

I could go on and on about this park. And I already have. Yet I have barely started. There are two swing rides that send guest over the cliffs to look straight down over 1,300 feet. There are 2 wonderful cave tours (the oringal attractions to the park that stared in 1895). There are four 4D movies. And laser tag! Here is a link to a video about the park: https://youtu.be/0VdwXa62Yjc

Let’s just say we did it all. Most more than once. The longest line of the day was maybe 10 minutes. In all, we did 30 rides, shows, and attractions. It was a great day.

We reluctantly boarded the gondola for the ride back down to the van.

We had dinner at a hamburger restaurant called Culver’s. Their signature item of the day was a lemon crumble custard which was delicious.

Back at the tent, we all quickly fell asleep after a full, but enjoyable day.