Eight Days of Adventure

 

 

Total Number of Days/Nights: Eight

Itinerary Summary: There's so much to do in Colorado Springs and its surrounding towns and cities, you may wonder where to start. We say, begin at Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs, and go from there. We've put together an 8-day itinerary that will help you explore some of the highlights of the area. 
 

 

 

Day One: Garden of the Gods/Old Colorado City
Take a leisurely hike through the Garden of the Gods Park. After you view the 12-minute film How Did Those Red Rocks Get There at the visitor & nature center, take a self-guided tour through the park—you can hike, bike, horseback ride or drive. Have lunch at the visitor center, the Garden of the Gods Trading Post (an authentic Native American Heritage Program available for groups), or nearby in the Historic District of Old Colorado City—where you can also visit several museums or shop at the various galleries and novelty stores. 

In the evening, enjoy a chuck wagon supper and western stage show at the Flying W Ranch. For a complete cowboy experience, make sure to stroll through the authentic 1800s western town before supper.

Day Two: Seven Falls/North Cheyenne Canyon
Hike to the top of Seven Falls, where you can watch Native American dancers, or hike the many trails in North Cheyenne Canyon, located 10 minutes from downtown. For lunch, enjoy a picnic overlooking the Great Plains and Colorado Springs. Visit the African Rift Valley exhibit at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and hand-feed the giraffe herd. Continue up to the top of the mountain to the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun for a breathtaking view of mountain scenery and plains that extend all the way to Kansas.
 

Day Three: Buena Vista/Salida
Add a thrilling all-day or half-day whitewater rafting trip on the Arkansas River in either Buena Vista or Salida to experience the infamous"Brown's Canyon" rapids. 


Day Four: Manitou Springs
Take the morning train on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the summit of Pikes Peak, which is three hours roundtrip. After you come down from Pikes Peak, lunch and shop in Historic Manitou Springs. "Manitou," a Native American word for "spirit," describes this quaint mountain community. Enjoy a self-guided walking tour of the seven mineral springs throughout the town. Take the "1881 Lantern Tour" in the Cave of the Winds, and visit the historic Cliff Dwellings or Miramont Castle Museums. Finish the day at CastAways or the Iron Springs Chateau, two of Manitou Springs' local dinner theaters. 


Day Five: Cripple Creek/Victor
Start your day with an exciting four-wheel drive Jeep tour on back roads to the historic gold mining towns of Cripple Creek and Victor. Once there, take the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge railroad for a four-mile scenic tour. Travel underground for a mine tour at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine. Stroll the historic streets of the communities that housed "the Greatest Gold Mines" in the West. Take in some limited-stakes gambling at the casinos, visit the Historic Cripple Creek District Museum or take a Ghost Walk Tour. 


Day Six: Colorado Springs
Rent bikes and explore the many paths in downtown Colorado Springs. Visit the weekly farmer's markets during the summer months, and enjoy lunch at one of the many downtown restaurants. Cyclists can easily ride from one museum to another, and there are many parks with streams and lakes, great for picnic lunches. Bike paths connect to the Fountain Creek Nature Center and Park, where bird-watching enthusiastists can view Great Blue Herons and Canadian Geese, just two of the many shore birds located in the park. If you're a more advanced bike rider, you can experience the many mountain bike paths, located 15 minutes from downtown. Have dinner at the world famous, Five-Star Broadmoor Resortand take a leisurely stroll around its beautiful lake. 


Day Seven: Canon City/Royal Gorge
Take off for a full-day trip to Canon City and the Royal Gorge Canyon. Take the morning train on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad (two hours roundtrip) which offers spectacular views from along the Arkansas River at the bottom of the canyon, where the canyon walls rise 304 meters above the train. This historic railway also offers a "Twilight Dinner" in the historic Theodore Roosevelt car. Watch river-rafters from outdoor boxcars, then travel to the top of the canyon to the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park—home to the world's highest suspension bridge, aerial tram and incline railway. Or, hike in the Dinosaur Fossil Quarry and view the Jurassic dinosaur graveyard. If you're up to some water adventure, add a half-day, whitewater rafting trip on the Arkansas River. 


Day Eight: Woodland Park/Florissant
Visit Woodland Park and continue west into the mountains to the Wolf and Wildlife Center located in Florissant, where guided tours allow you to see wolves in a natural setting. Or, horseback ride at the M Lazy C Ranch. After your ride, stay a while and enjoy an outdoor, chuckwagon cowboy supper and entertainment or additional hiking in the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. There is also excellent fly-fishing in the area. 


For more information, contact the Colorado Spring Convention & Visitors Bureau, 515 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903, 877-PIKESPEAK or visit www.coloradosprings-travel.com.