Charles Darrow followed a whistling sound into Iron Mountain in the late 1800s and opened what he found to the public in 1895. That cave system is now the anchor of America's only mountaintop theme park, perched at 7,132 feet and designated a National Natural Landmark in December 2023.
The park's more recent history carries real weight. In September 2021, six-year-old Wongel Estifanos died after falling from the Haunted Mine Drop ride when she was not properly restrained. A Colorado jury found the park liable in 2025 and awarded her family $205 million in damages, later reduced to roughly $116 million — more than the company's total assets. Glenwood Caverns Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2026 and is appealing the verdict. The park has continued operating throughout the proceedings and reopened for its 2026 season.
Memories
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