Glen Haven, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Glen Haven, Colorado
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General store on the main street of Glen Haven, Colorado.
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 Glen Haven, Colorado
Location in Colorado
Glen Haven, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| Counties | Larimer |
| Elevation | 7,200 ft (2,200 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
80532
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| Area code(s) | 970 |
Glen Haven is a small, unincorporated community in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. This means it's a settlement that isn't officially part of a city or town government. It has its own U.S. Post Office with the ZIP Code 80532.
Contents
Discovering Glen Haven's Location
Glen Haven is nestled in the beautiful Roosevelt National Forest. It sits just east of the famous Rocky Mountain National Park. Imagine a place where two creeks, Fox Creek and West Creek, meet up with the North Fork Big Thompson River. This is exactly what happens near the center of Glen Haven!
Rivers and Roads in Glen Haven
The North Fork river then flows through a cool area called Devil's Gulch. It picks up another stream, Miller Fork, before joining the larger Big Thompson River at a place called Drake.
The only main road to Glen Haven is Larimer County Road 43. This road starts in Estes Park and winds its way towards Glen Haven. After passing through the community, it follows the North Fork river downstream to Drake, where it connects with US Highway 34. Many smaller roads off County Road 43, also known as Devil's Gulch Road, are privately owned.
A Look Back at Glen Haven's Past
Glen Haven has an interesting history, especially how it grew from a sawmill site.
Early Beginnings and Growth
In the early 1890s, the Knapp family from Illinois started a sawmill near Harding Heights. They moved it a couple of times, finally settling it in what is now Glen Haven in 1897.
In 1903, the Boulder Presbytery, with help from the Knapp family, created an association. They began selling plots of land for people to build summer homes. This was the start of Glen Haven as a summer resort! The community built the Glen Haven General Store in 1921. Later, in 1938, Ira Knapp built a large, lodge-style hotel called The Homestead. This hotel later became known as the Inn at Glen Haven. It was even mentioned in a travel article in the Los Angeles Times in 1986.
You can also find the Trail's End camps of Cheley Colorado Camps located close to Glen Haven. These are well-known summer camps.
Facing the Challenges of Flooding
Because Glen Haven is in a narrow valley, it has faced challenges with flooding. In 1976, a major flood called the Big Thompson Flood happened. It was so powerful that it moved the town hall several feet off its foundation!
More recently, in September 2013, the area experienced another big flood. About 80 percent of downtown Glen Haven was damaged or destroyed during the 2013 Colorado floods. The main road, Larimer County Road 43, was also severely damaged. This cut off access to the town from both directions. Luckily, the section of the road connecting to Drake and US 34 was reopened on December 6, 2013.
