Tourist attractions in Glenwood Springs weregiventhe stamp of approval by the state to open Monday, June 8, including Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park and Iron Mountain Hot Springs.
Staff temperature and symptom checks, sanitizing stations and required facial coverings are some of the measures Steve Beckley, co-owner of the amusement park and hot springs facility, is taking to keep guests and employees safe. He said the most important thing they are doing is limiting capacity so there is more room to social distance. They've also stepped up cleaning protocols.
"[We are] trying to limit the number of touchpoints and then we're drastically increasing the cleaning of those touchpoints throughout the day," Beckley said.
Other procedures include online reservations for a one-hour time slot to help stagger visitors. Face masks must be worn at all times at the hot springs unless soaking in the pools. At the adventure park, masks are required when around others, although guests can take them off while on the rides.
While the closures earlier this spring did impact his businesses financially, Beckley said he expects to break even at Iron Mountain Hot Springs since the facility stays open year-round.
"We're not going to kill it this year, but the goal is to make it through the year so we can keep our employees and hopefully be around next year to get back on track."
Beckley said he's bracing to lose around two million dollars for the Glenwood Caverns and Adventure Park.
"You try to plan for the worst-case scenario," he said. "We are all very cautiously optimistic about our future."
Glenwood Hot Springs Resort also opened this week. Guided trips in Glenwood Springs, such as rafting, fishing, paragliding and horseback riding are now open for visitors.
