Pikes Peak, known as America’s Mountain, is the second most-visited mountain in the world – after Mount Fuji in Japan – and home to The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the world’s highest cog train, which chugs to the 4,300-meter summit. Two other historic trains – Royal Gorge Route Railroad and Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad – also offer scenic rides. Nearby, take a tour offered daily at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center. The U.S. Olympic Museum and Hall of Fame is set to open in 2020. Other favorite attractions include the U.S. Air Force Academy; Royal Gorge Bridge, the highest suspension bridge in North America; Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the country’s only zoo in a mountain setting; and the Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center, a sanctuary for wolves, coyotes and foxes.
Just minutes from the city, foothills and mountains offer recreational opportunities, including beginner and advanced hiking and cycling trails. Don’t miss the towering red sandstone rock formations in Garden of the Gods Park, a National Natural Landmark, which you can tour by Jeep, Segway, trolley or horseback. Go whitewater rafting on the Arkansas River and hike through Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument to see fossils and petrified redwood tree stumps. Take in the beauty of The Broadmoor Seven Falls, and ride a zip line above the pine forest. Descend 300 meters underground to explore historic gold mines – Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine and Mollie Kathleen Mine are great choices – or take a lantern tour in Cave of the Winds. Relax with a slow-paced stroll to the various mineral springs of Manitou Springs, then take a challenging hike on the Manitou Incline trail above the town.
Stay in the city to visit museums highlighting fine art, World War II aviation, money, ghost towns and outlaws of the West. View a collection of 8,000 bugs at the May Natural History Museum, follow a dynamic guide at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry, and see tools of the trade at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy. Take time to walk quaint city streets, where there is fabulous shopping, dining and craft beverages in downtown Colorado Springs and the historic districts of Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City.
With The Broadmoor, Cheyenne Mountain Resort and The Mining Exchange Hotel as well as many other hotels, motels and quaint bed & breakfast inns, you’re sure to find the perfect place to stay. Families will enjoy the indoor water park at the Great Wolf Lodge resort, adventurers will love the dude ranches and outdoor enthusiasts will feel right at home in nearby cabins or at a campground or RV park.
Credit: Visit The USA
