Hanging Lake

Background | Criteria | Northwest Colorado | Northeast Colorado
Southwest Colorado | Southeast Colorado

Hanging Lake
Garfield County

Size: 10 acres

Elevation: 7200 feet

Habitats: Primary – high elevation riparian

Secondary – cliff/rock

Ownership: Federal (U.S. Forest Service)

Land Use: Primary – recreation/tourism

Secondary – water supply

IBA Criteria: 2, 3

Site description

Location: The Hanging Lake site is a series of travertine falls on Dead Horse Creek in Glenwood Canyon, on the Colorado River. A 1.5 mile long trail extends from the Colorado River to Hanging Lake, Spouting Rock, and Bridal Veil Falls.

Vegetative/natural features: The site is within a riparian forest of Douglas-fir, boxelder, and Rocky Mountain maple, with spruce and subalpine fir at the upper end. The site is a known location for Hanging Garden Sullivantia, the only species of this genus found in Colorado.

Ornithological Importance

This site holds the only breeding population of Black Swifts on the White River Plateau. It is the only location on the White River Plateau that satisfies the specialized breeding needs of this species.

Breeding species:	Average #	Maximum #
Black Swift		11 nests
American Dipper		2 nests
Cordilleran Flycatcher		2 pairs

Wintering species:	Average #	Maximum #
American Dipper		2 nests

Conservation/Management Issues

Serious threats:
1. hydrologic changes (a private company attempted to obtain water rights above Hanging Lake to bottle and distribute drinking water).

Potential threats:
1. habitat disturbance from rock and ice climbing.

Management details:
The area is closed to fishing, hunting, camping, swimming, motorized vehicles, campfires, and pets on trails. Hanging Lake is a Colorado Watchable Wildlife site.