by Rachel Lorenz
Colorado Springs’ natural wonders beckons travelers
Colorado Springs was created to be a travel destination. Founded as a resort community for those pursuing culture and good health by Gen. William J. Palmer in 1871, the city now attracts adventure seekers, art lovers and history buffs, alike. Less than a six-hour drive from Albuquerque, it’s a worthy weekend getaway.
The geological wonders of the Colorado Springs area call to the explorer in us all. Garden of the Gods, for instance, is the city’s free 1,367-acre park and a registered National Natural Landmark. Hike, bike or drive among Balanced Rock, Kissing Camels and The Three Graces, some of the park’s towering 300-foot sandstone formations. Free trail maps and daily nature tours are available from the visitors center. Or take a guided climb, tailored to your skill level, up the soaring red rocks with Front Range Climbing Company to experience the park from a memorable vantage point.
If heights pique your interest, check out the view from the apex of Pikes Peak, the mountain west of Colorado Springs that inspired the lyrics to “America the Beautiful.” Barr Trail, Crags Trail or Devil’s Playground Trail will lead the serious hiker to the summit — 14,115 feet above sea level. But most visitors, hundreds of thousands a year, reach the top by driving or riding along Pikes Peak Highway, a 19-mile scenic toll road with twists, turns and breathtaking vistas. For an extra adrenaline rush, try cycling back down the 14er (a mountain that’s 14,000 feet or taller). There are several tour companies that will bring you to the top and then provide everything you need to barrel your way to the bottom.
Boasting 160 miles of park trails and 105 miles of urban trails in just the city itself, the opportunities to hike in and around Colorado Springs are endless. Whether it’s the mostly paved Pikes Peak Greenway Trail, the picturesque Catamount Falls hike or the strenuously steep Manitou Incline, there’s a trek for everyone.
In addition to being known for outdoor fun, Colorado Springs is synonymous with amateur sports. It’s home to more than 50 national sports organizations and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, which serves more than 10,000 athletes a year. This summer, city and state officials cut the ribbon on a 60,000-square-foot museum dedicated to athletes and their captivating stories. At the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, guests can specify their sport preferences and accessibility needs to create a tour of the interactive exhibits that is uniquely their own.
Colorado Springs offers thrills for aficionados of adventure, history and culture, all nestled in a magnificent, colorful natural landscape.
In Colorado Springs, history lovers can visit the past. Nostalgia for yesteryear abounds at Pikes Peak Trolley Museum, where street cars are in various stages of restoration and artifacts from the region’s street railways are displayed. In the restored 1903 El Paso County Courthouse, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum offers exhibits that preserve and share the cultural history of the Pikes Peak region and the West.
Old Colorado City, once the capital of the Territory of Colorado, has evolved into a charming Colorado Springs neighborhood. The written, oral and electronic history of the bygone city is gathered in the Old Colorado History Center, which is surrounded by a two-squaremile area filled with shops, restaurants and more than a dozen art galleries.
In addition to touring the galleries and workshops in Old Colorado City, art enthusiasts can take a self-guided art tour through downtown Colorado Springs by downloading the free Otocast app to their smartphones. The app is GPS-based and allows users to hear stories from artists and art advocates about the city’s permanent collection of public art.
Colorado Springs offers thrills for aficionados of adventure, history and culture, all nestled in a magnificent, colorful natural landscape.
