Unique Things to Do Near Colorado Springs

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The city of Colorado Springs, Colorado has a funny yet repellant motto: “Keep Colorado Springs Lame.” The last few times I’ve visited, I must say it lived up to its reputation. I wasn’t particularly inspired by it, but a nagging feeling told me I wasn’t giving this town a fair shake. This time, I made a specific effort to seek out unique things to do in Colorado Springs, or within an hour of Colorado Springs. To my delight, I found that its “lameness” might just be a cover.

At first glance, some of my title headings may seem like obvious things to do, but I’ve pointed out the more unique or unexpected aspects of those destinations in the text.

Paint Mines Interpretive Park

Hours/Fees: Free, 6am-7:30pm.
Important to Note: No dogs, horses, or bikes allowed. No climbing on the rocks. Can be very windy.
Website / TripAdvisor / AllTrails

Paint Mines Interpretive Park is actually a 50 minute drive away from Colorado Springs in the city of Calhan (I promise the rest of this post will keep things closer), but it’s the coolest thing I saw in the region and I designed my entire trip around wanting to visit here, so I’m excited to include it at the top of the list. 

Since Paint Mines is not a national park or state park, it’s not over touristed. When I arrived in the morning, there was only one other car in the small pull-off parking lot and I had the trails to myself, though many more cars arrived by the time I was done exploring. It’s in the middle of nowhere in a vast, extremely windy plain. All you can see for miles are windmills and a few homes scattered amongst the prairie, so you’d never guess that there is a network of colorful hoodoo rock formations hiding a short walk from the parking lot. If you showed me pictures of Paint Mines Interpretive Park but didn’t tell me where it was located, I’d have never guessed Colorado. I was reminded of the geology in Chiricahua National Monument in Arizona, Bisti Badlands in New Mexico, or Artist’s Palette in Death Valley National Park in California.

Hues of red, pink, and orange form stripes across strange, precarious white rock formations. You’re allowed to dip into and out of gullies and slot canyons to investigate, though there are clear signs alerting you as to which areas are off-limits because of the fragility of this ancient terrain.

Because the word “mines” is in the title, some people think the park is manmade. In fact it earned this moniker because Native Americans used to “mine” or scout this area for colorful clay in order to create paint. There is evidence of human activity in the area as far back as 9000 years, making it a significant archaeological zone.

North Cheyenne Cañon Park

Hours/Fees: Free, 5am-9pm, or 10pm May-October.
Important to Note: Trail system open to hikers, bikers and runners. Dogs must be leashed. Permit required for rock climbing.
Website / TripAdvisor / AllTrails

Colorado Springs has an inordinate amount of city parks within its bounds. North Cheyenne Cañon Park is one of the coolest because of its many water features. If you’re not interested in a full-on hike, you can easily see Helen Hunt Falls just by pulling over in a parking lot, or you could take a short stroll up to the bridge atop the falls for a different perspective. If you’re down for a longer hike, Seven Bridges is a beautiful one that’s not too strenuous. 

Seven Bridges Trail features, you guessed it, seven wooden bridges that help hikers criss-cross over North Cheyenne Creek. Each bridge is numbered so you can keep track of how far you’ve come. Trail reports say that after you reach the seventh and final bridge, the rest of the trail isn’t particularly impressive, so I decided to turn around after the seventh bridge. 

It was a pleasant out-and-back stroll under tree cover. A few lingering yellow leaves reminded me that fall is coming to a close. The walk starts out on a very wide, maintained path which you’ll share with locals who are jogging and walking their dogs, but soon you’ll split off onto a forest hiking trail.

There are plenty of other hiking options throughout the park if you’d like to make a day of it. Note that the driving roads are winding and shared with pedestrians and bicyclists, so you want to take it slow. 

Nearby North Cheyenne Cañon Park is Starr Kempf’s Kinetic Sculptures, which could be a nice detour if you’re an art lover. The sculptures are on private property, so you’ll look from the street. Also nearby is the Penrose Heritage Museum.

Alternatives: Enjoy one of Colorado Springs’ many city parks, such as Ute Valley Park, Palmer Park, Red Rock Canyon Open Area, Pulpit Rock Park, or Crystal Creek Reservoir.

Old Colorado City Historic District

Hours/Fees: Various.
Important to Note: The old free parking lots are now paid lots. To find free parking you may need to go back into a nearby neighborhood. I found easy free parking right behind the Leechpit record store, though this is about a 15 minute walk from the most centrally located paid parking lot near Cucharras Street and 25th. Old Colorado City can get extremely busy on the weekends.
Website / TripAdvisor

Downtown Colorado Springs is the cosmopolitan area of town, complete with corporate high-rises, though it does have some cool attractions which I’ll discuss below. Contrastingly, the Old Colorado City neighborhood is more charming and historic. It was founded during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush in the 1850s and has maintained its character.

Its streets are lined with quirky shops, including The Michael Garman Museum and Gallery featuring the artist’s “Magic Town” street scene dioramas, the Oddball antique and collectables store, The British Pantry where I was elated to find all my favorite British import snacks, and Yellow Mountain Tea House which offers a traditional Chinese tea ceremony where you can sample a plethora of teas while eating dim sum. Chocolate lovers won’t want to pass up the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, history buffs will enjoy the Ghost Town Museum, and vintage connoisseurs will find a handful of interesting clothing shops. My favorites were Leechpit Records & Vintage and Circa Vintage by Eclectic CO.

Old Colorado City hosts a farmer’s market every Saturday from June 10-October 14, 8am-1pm. The First Friday ArtWalk happens every first Friday from 5-8pm. Territory Days, Colorado’s largest street fair, is typically Memorial Day weekend.

I learned about some of these shops in advance from Snorkels and Snowpants, who also mentions where to eat near Colorado Springs if you’d like to find rattlesnake (!!) on the menu, or locally foraged delicacies. Great article.

Downtown Colorado Springs

Hours/Fees: Various.
Important to Note: There is metered parking on the street and there are plenty of paid parking garages.
Website / TripAdvisor

While I much preferred the relaxed vibe in Old Colorado City, downtown Colorado Springs surprised me with its collection of cool shops like Cronk Art and Curiosities, its beautiful street art, especially in Adaman Alley, and the free museums such as Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum and the Pioneer Museum. I also wouldn’t have expected Colorado Springs to be much of a foodie town, but it turns out there is a fun downtown food tour via Rocky Mountain Food Tours.

Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10am-5pm and has a huge collection. Alongside the vintage motorcycles from many different manufacturers including Indian, Harley-Davidson, and Triumph, the museum also displays cool leather jackets and vests with motorcycle gang patches and insignia. 

The Pioneer Museum is typically open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-5pm, but it’s currently closed for HVAC renovations. It should be reopened in spring 2024, though in the interim there is a small exhibit next door at the Annex. To be honest I wasn’t particularly excited by what I saw at the Annex collection and will look forward to the reopening of the beautiful main building, which used to serve as the El Paso County Courthouse from 1903-1973.

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum is also in downtown Colorado Springs, though it’s not free. At $19.95, I decided to skip this one since I’m not particularly into sports, though it does seem like a unique concept for a museum and the subject matter is relevant to the city. Colorado Springs was chosen as a location for a United States Olympic and Paralympic Training Center because the relatively high elevation is considered beneficial for athletic training (if you live in a mountain town in Colorado like Leadville, the Springs’ 6000ft doesn’t strike you as high, but I suppose it’s not sea level). The museum is open Thursday-Monday from 10am-5pm.

There are tons of museums in Colorado Springs, including the Space Foundation Discovery Center, May Natural History Museum, Pikes Peak Trolley Museum, McAllister House Museum, Money Museum, Penrose Heritage Museum, and Dragonman’s Military Museum.

Historic Manitou Springs

Hours/Fees: Various.
Important to Note: The “healing waters” in Manitou Springs have a high concentration of manganese and shouldn’t be consumed in large amounts. There is metered parking on the street and there are paid parking lots such as the Wichita Metro Parking Lot next door to Toasted Bistro.
Website / TripAdvisor

While Manitou Springs is technically a separate city, it’s only a five minute drive from Old Colorado City in Colorado Springs and is often mentioned in the same breath. As I described in my Spooky Things to Do in Colorado post, Manitou has quite a witchy reputation, which is in stark contrast to Colorado Springs as the “Evangelical Capital of the World”.

Walking the streets of Manitou is a quaint pastime, especially around any holiday when the historic buildings are dressed to impress. One of the most unique shops in Manitou Springs is the “World Famous” Penny Arcade, which is actually pretty massive for such a small town. My sweet tooth and I were personally excited to find the Rocky Mountain Beignets shop, where you can order the French-style (or perhaps New Orleans-style, if there’s a difference) pastry and a coffee. If you enjoy theater, you might check out the Iron Springs Chateau Melodrama Dinner Theater.

Manitou Springs is known for its naturally carbonated mineral spring water, once touted as “healing water.” Throughout the town you’ll find constantly streaming fountains from which to fill your cup and have a taste. Be forewarned that it’s been found to have high concentrations of manganese and shouldn’t be consumed in large quantities. 

Miramont Castle and Tearoom in Manitou Springs hosts afternoon tea parties and tours Tuesdays through Sundays, and may or may not be haunted…

Emma Crawford Coffin Races

Hours/Fees: The free festival is held every October.
Important to Note: Entry fee to participate in the race is $100 per team. If you’d like to dress up and walk in the parade, that is free, but you still need to sign up in advance.
Website

I wrote about the Coffin Races and other weird Colorado festivals here:

Manitou Cliff Dwellings

Hours/Fees: $12 plus tax, open 7 days a week from 9am-5pm or 10am-4pm seasonally.
Important to Note: Park is open year-around “weather permitting.” This is not a location where Ancestral Puebloans actually lived.
Website / TripAdvisor

I have seen Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park, Chaco Canyon, and elsewhere throughout the Four Corners, so I was surprised to find that there is a cliff dwelling site as far north as Manitou Springs. It turns out this is because masonry from a collapsed pueblo at McElmo Canyon near Cortez, Colorado was allegedly transported to Manitou in 1904 to create this privately owned attraction. The dwelling is part replica and part reconstruction. Visitors can walk through the 40 room cliff dwelling and experience what it might have been like to live as part of an Ancestral Puebloan community in 1200-1300AD.

Manitou Incline

Hours/Fees: Free. Timed entry slots are available between 6am-6:30pm daily, or 6am-3pm in winter. Parking is $10, or you could take the free #33 shuttle from any downtown Manitou Springs parking lot.
Important to Note: Reservations are required (but free)! No dogs allowed. Get started early to avoid afternoon thunderstorms in summer. The Incline is extremely strenuous, people who attempt it should be very active.
Website / TripAdvisor / AllTrails

This one’s not for the faint of heart. Endurance athletes and hikers love taking on the challenge of the legendary Manitou Incline, an ascent of 2,744 stairs that gain 2,020 feet of elevation in just 0.9 miles (it’s recommended to descend via the 3 mile Barr Trail instead of back down the Incline). According to the Incline website, it takes most hikers an average of one hour to summit, though elite athletes have done it in under 30 minutes. 

One of my Detour Effect Pin Pals took on the Incline, in winter no less!

Garden of the Gods

Hours/Fees: Free, 5am-9pm, or 10pm May-October.
Important to Note: Dogs must be leashed. Permits required for rock climbing. If Visitor Center parking is full, try the overflow lot across the street.
Website / TripAdvisor / AllTrails

Garden of the Gods is a National Natural Landmark within the city bounds of Colorado Springs. The park is known for its towering red rock formations and beautiful scenery, and is particularly beloved by rock climbers. While I enjoyed photographing the rocks, as a hiker I will note that the park is very developed and does not feel like true wilderness. When I worked for a guided hiking tour company, we would sometimes get uninformed callers asking us if we offer trips at Garden of the Gods, but a backcountry guide is really not necessary here unless you are interested in climbing. All of the trails are quite short and some are even paved. That said, you can sign up for a guided nature walk with a Park Ranger if interested in interpretation about the flora, fauna, and geology, or go for a guided horseback ride. Guided jeep tours and day trips from Denver with transportation included are also available.

Did you know there is more to do at Garden of the Gods besides outdoor activities? Some of the more unique things to do include touring Glen Eyrie Castle, visiting the Rock Ledge Ranch living history museum, or even taking a hot air balloon ride over Garden of the Gods.

Alternatives: The closest other National Natural Landmark to Colorado Springs is Garden Park Fossil Area. State Parks near Colorado Springs include Cheyenne Mountain State Park and Mueller State Park. For city parks, refer to the North Cheyenne Cañon Park section above.

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Hours/Fees: $10 for a day pass, or free if you have the America the Beautiful Annual Parks Pass. 9am-4:30pm, or 5pm in summer.
Important to Note: Entrance gate does not accept cash. Dogs not allowed on trails.
Website / TripAdvisor / AllTrails

45 minutes west of Colorado Springs lies “one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossils of insects and plants reveal the story of a very different, prehistoric Colorado.” Visitors can check out fossils at the Visitor Center exhibits, explore an 1878 homestead, and see petrified wood on the Petrified Forest Loop hike, one of the many trails throughout the park.

While in the area, I recommend hiking the Pancake Rocks Trail, especially in fall when the colors are changing! Also nearby is the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center and the Outlaws and Lawmen Jail Museum. There are no other National Monuments near Colorado Springs.

Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center

Hours/Fees: $25 Peak Season / $20 Low Season. Tuesday-Sunday tour hours vary.
Important to Note: Advanced reservations required. Must be 18yo+ for Meet & Greet Encounter; children can do the Standard Tour. There is a dress code for interactive tours.
Website / TripAdvisor

This wolf rescue center and sanctuary offers walking tours where visitors can be educated about wolves, coyotes, and foxes. Their focus is on “conservation, education and preservation,” so guests will learn about the plight of these beautiful animals and their importance to our ecosystem. Many different tour packages are offered, including a small group “Meet & Greet Encounter” where you can actually enter an enclosure to interact with the wolves.

Cosmo’s Magic Theater

Hours/Fees: $35, generally 7:30pm showtimes Fridays-Saturdays.
Important to Note: Dressing up is recommended. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime and they request you arrive no later than 10 minutes before showtime. Children must be 12yo for the evening show. Younger children can attend the 3pm Kids Show.
Website / TripAdvisor

This magic show for adults combines storytelling with card tricks, sleight of hand, mind reading, and sometimes music, if you’re lucky enough to be there on Jazz Night. The performances are “close-up” in an intimate parlor setting where audiences can watch Cosmo’s every move. The theater is decorated with memorabilia that guests can examine while mingling and partaking in refreshments during intermission. The reviews on TripAdvisor are consistently outstanding.

Cosmo’s Magic Theater reminds me a bit of the Bisbee Séance Room in Arizona, which I absolutely loved. If you’re not sure about magic shows, I’d encourage you to take the leap!

Unique Day Trips Less Than 2 Hours from Colorado Springs

1.5 hours: Bishop Castle

Hours/Fees: Free, 9am-6pm.
Important to Note: Explore at your own risk, they are not responsible for your safety. If you don’t have a car, you can book a guided tour to Bishop Castle that picks up in Manitou Springs.
Website / TripAdvisor

Did you know Colorado has its very own castle? This DIY building project was completed by one man, Jim Bishop, over the course of 60 years. It comes complete with a fire breathing dragon made from recycled hospital trays and a hot air balloon burner. It’s free and open to the public to explore – at your own risk. The building is not quite up to code. Some visitors feel nervous about scaling the sketchy steps up to the tallest towers. Would you do it?

1.5 hours: Royal Gorge

Hours/Fees: $27, 9am-5pm, closing time varies seasonally.
Important to Note: Advance reservations are not required for the park entrance ticket. There are additional costs on top of the entrance ticket for some of the rides. Parking is free.
Website / TripAdvisor

The Royal Gorge is a deep canyon of the Arkansas River near Cañon City. America’s highest suspension bridge, the famous Royal Gorge pedestrian bridge, stretches across it, as does America’s highest zipline. I would have loved to walk across the bridge, but it’s part of a park and the entrance fee is a steep $27. It might be worth it if you plan to ride the aerial gondola, fly through the air on the “Skycoaster,” or venture out onto the Via Ferrata climbing course. Another way to experience the gorge would be to book a ride on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad for $89-134+ per adult depending on which ride you book, or to book a whitewater rafting excursion.

1.5 hours: Museum of Colorado Prisons

Hours/Fees: $12, 10am-5pm, or 6pm in summer.
Important to Note: This is not the only prison museum near Colorado Springs; there’s also the Outlaw & Lawmen Jail Museum.
Website / TripAdvisor

The old Women’s Correctional Facility built in 1935 in Cañon City is now the site of the Museum of Colorado Prisons. It shares a stone wall with a prison continuously active since 1871, the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility. The museum features information about “Colorado Cannibal” Alferd Packer, 12 year old murderer Anton Woode, and the prison riots of 1929 and 1947. You’ll weave your way through inmate and solitary confinement cells, kitchens, and other rooms showcasing life behind bars.

Looking for dark skies? Each summer the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society holds the annual Rocky Mountain Star Stare party about 2 hours south of Colorado Springs near Gardner.

🏨 Find budget hostels in Colorado Springs here, and standard hotel options here.
✈️ Coming to Colorado from further afield? Use an Airalo eSIM for affordable international cell data and don’t forget to protect your investment with travel insurance.

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