The Rocky Mountain State is home to picturesque natural attractions
For those wanting to experience some of the United States’ most stunning natural landmarks, Colorado Springs is the perfect place to visit. Located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the skyline is lined with gorgeous snowy peaks, and the city’s proximity to other unique attractions like sand dunes, cliff dwellings, fossil beds, hot springs, and castles makes it an even more desirable destination. Below are some of the best day trips in and around Colorado springs to give visitors the full of experience of all the area has to offer.
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Paint Mines Interpretive Park in Calhan
Within an hour from Colorado Springs, this 750-acre park is famous for its brightly colored clay. Evidence of human life within the area dates back 9,000 years when the clay was used by American Indians to make paint. The park also boasts spires, hoodoos, gullies, and exposed layers of selenite clay and jasper. Today, visitors can hike the four miles of trails and admire the vibrant colors of the clay and the gorgeous mountain views, the perfect addition to a Colorado Springs trip.
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
This 150,000-acre park contains the tallest dunes in North America. Reaching 150 degrees Fahrenheit on a summer day and dropping to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit on a winter night, the dunes form a unique high-altitude environment. In addition to a breathtaking 30 square miles of sand, the park also houses an alpine tundra, five lakes, forests, meadows, woodlands, grasslands, and wetlands, providing an opportunity for visitors to experience multiple ecosystems in a single trip. The park offers activities like hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, and even sandboarding and sand sledding.
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Manitou Cliff Dwellings in Manitou Springs
Originally located in the southwest corner of Colorado near Mesa Verde, these dwellings were relocated to their current site in the early 1900s. With the goal of protecting the dwelling’s rich history, the Colorado Cliff Dwellers Association spent months mapping out the architecture, carefully transporting stones, and reconstructing the site in a location safer from looters. Today, visitors can tour the structure and explore the museum that displays pottery, tools, weapons, and stonework. It has recently expanded to include a shop featuring Native-made jewelry, pottery, and artifacts.
Florissant Fossil Beds
Recognized as a national monument for its rich fossil deposits, this park is a mere 35 miles west of Colorado Springs. The monument has 15 miles of hiking trails that lead visitors to see fossils ranging from leaves and insects to birds and mammals. Most impressive are the monument’s massive, petrified tree stumps located behind the Visitor Center. In addition to hiking, the park has a collection of excavated fossils on display. Kids can participate in the Junior Ranger program to learn more about the park’s history and even earn a badge.
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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, in Colorado Springs
Ranked one of the top 10 zoos in the country, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to more than thirty species of endangered animals. The zoo is known for its large herd of 16 giraffes, and visitors can even hand feed them lettuce. In addition to numerous exhibits of animals from all over the world, the zoo has a sky ride with spectacular views of Colorado Springs, an historic carousel, and the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, a towering structure constructed without nails or wood in honor of actor and philosopher Will Rogers and the history of the Pikes Peak Region.
Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs
A trip to Colorado Springs would be incomplete without a visit to Garden of the Gods. Famous for its beautiful sandstone formations and striking views, the park is a National Natural Landmark, and a destination you do not want to skip. Garden of the Gods offers many opportunities for visitors to explore the breathtaking scenery, whether by vehicle, Segway, bike, foot, or horseback, and features a center containing galleries, a geo trekker theater, and a café where visitors can sip refreshments and snack while admiring the unforgettable view.
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Indian Hot Springs in Idaho Springs
Right near Denver is Indian Hot Springs, a beautiful place to relax after exploring Colorado Springs. The land is rich in history, with Ute and Arapaho tribes using the springs in the 1300-1600s to heal their sick and wounded. In 1863, the first bath house was constructed, a simple wooden structure later replaced by a stone bathhouse and, more recently, the charming resort it is today. The springs features naturally heated botanic swimming pools, outdoor tubs, private baths, caves, and mud treatments. Visitors can even book rooms or cabins to enjoy the glistening waters even longer.
Bishop Castle in Custer County
Built from stone and iron, this castle has three full stories of rooms, a grand ballroom, towers, bridges, and even a fire-breathing dragon. The castle is always open for visitors to explore, and admission is free. What started as a small plot of land purchased from 15-year-old Jim’s Bishop’s childhood savings, turned into a family campsite, then a cabin, and finally a castle after many, many years of arduous work. Remembering his childhood frustrations of being unable to afford admission costs, Bishop legally declared the castle free forever. Today, Bishop continues to add to and improve his castle. Weekend visitors are most likely to see him climbing around the top, adding details to his masterpiece.
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