Colorado's Hanging Lake Not Brown Anymore: What It Looks Like Now

It's been quite a summer for Colorado's famous Hanging Lake in Glenwood Springs. The popular spot is known for an influencer scandal or two, but more so for its stunning blue-green water. After recent mudslides, however, the future of Hanging Lake seemed uncertain. Now, it's looking more clear ⁠— literally.

Last year, during one of Colorado's worst wildfire seasons ever, Hanging Lake was surprisingly unscathed by the Grizzly Creek Fire. However, the flash floods and mudslides that happened this summer as a result of the fire damage did not spare the lake.

Get our free mobile app

Hanging Lake in 2018 - Igor Oliyarnik, Unsplash

Currently, the hiking area is closed because of damage, and a few weeks ago we saw photos of Hanging Lake looking murky and brown. Some feared that the lake would be altered forever by the mudslide runoff, but experts said not to jump to that conclusion just yet, as seen in the tweet below.

Experts assured that in time, the lake's delicate ecosystem, which is responsible for its clear green water, would be restored naturally. 'Time' may only have been a matter of weeks, it turns out. Though the public still can't access the lake, news outlets have shown us what Hanging Lake looks like now, and it appears to have its coloration back.

The video from Glenwood Springs Post Independent shows that while there's still extensive flash flood damage in the area and on the trail, Hanging Lake is starting to look like it used to.

Denver7 also visited, giving viewers a promising look at the area. The water is still a little bit cloudy, but it's "already an improvement" from how it looked on August 1.

STUNNING: Nighttime photos show the Milky Way over 9 national parks and monuments

Colorado is home to four national parks and eight national monuments. Our neighbors to the west, Utah, boasts five national parks and seven national monuments. Also within reach are the parks and monuments of New Mexico and Arizona.

If you're the road-trip type, they're all reachable in a day's drive from Colorado.

While the majority of tourists visiting these parks only witness the phenomenal views during the day, there's a sight to be seen under the stars.

RANKED: Here are the most popular national parks

To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020. Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

LOOK: Stunning vintage photos capture the beauty of America's national parks

Today these parks are located throughout the country in 25 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The land encompassing them was either purchased or donated, though much of it had been inhabited by native people for thousands of years before the founding of the United States. These areas are protected and revered as educational resources about the natural world, and as spaces for exploration.

Keep scrolling for 50 vintage photos that show the beauty of America's national parks.