Hanging Lake reopening June 1; hikers limited to under 130 a day

Beloved Colorado hiking spot Hanging Lake will be back open June 1!

But as with most things post-pandemic, there will be some limitations.

Starting in June, no more than 128 people will be allowed to hike per day, down from 615 last year. Available hiking group slots will be limited to eight per day, with no more than 16 people per group. (Groups consist of people buying for the same time slot.) Those time slots are:

6:30 a.m.

8 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

11 a.m.

12:30 p.m.

2 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

5 p.m.

Hikers will be asked to space out 6 feet apart on the trail. There will also be designated passing zones to help groups climbing and descending pass each other safely.

The round trip takes about three hours and 15 minutes.

For more information on Hanging Lake's new social distancing policies or to purchase a permit,

Reservations are available now.

Provided there's not a need for a second national forest closure in the next few months, permits are available through Oct. 31.