Excursion of the Week: Colorado Springs Highlights

[ Caveat: I have posted about Garden of the gods and Helen Hunt Falls previously but it is time for an update. Also, the info on the Colorado Mountain Brewery and Cave of the Winds is new.]

(Garden of the gods as viewed from main Visitor Center)

Hike: Garden of the gods:

One of my favorite places to visit for a fun, casual hike is Garden of the gods in Colorado Springs, CO. Situated beneath the towering backdrop of Pikes Peak, Garden of the gods is home to red sandstone formations that appear like pinnacles and shark fins amid the park trails. One of my favorite trails is the Spring Canyon Trailhead, where you can hike to the Siamese Twins formations. There is a signature photo op, where if you bend down on one knee you can get a shot of your family in the hole of the rock formation with Pikes Peak in the background. (One of my favorite Colorado photo shots.)

(views)

 

There is a visitor center just outside the main entrance (on the east side) and also a gift shop with some cool art inside the park. At the main visitor center I recommend watching the 20 minute introductory video--quite informative about the geology and cultural history. The park is made up basically of a loop that you can drive around and then park at various trails or sites. The park is relatively small and makes for a good half-day experience. One of the great things about this park is that the entrance is free. And there are a ton of beautiful picnic spots!

Site Seeing: Manitou Springs, CO

(downtown Manitou Springs)

 

Garden of the gods is located in Colorado Springs but is also adjacent to another cute mountain town named Manitou Springs. (I have mentioned this gem before as well but it bares repeating: if you go to Garden of the gods, you must drive through Manitou Springs!). Manitou Springs is a cute town with a gritty, hippie vibe. It is also where you travel through to climb the famous Incline (literally an incline made of steps that traverse the side of a mountain...healthy, aerobic types seem to find this a fun activity of choice...for some reason), and is also home to the North Pole (a holiday point of interest), and the gateway to Pikes Peak and the Cog Railway.

For lodging in Manitou: read my post on Avenue Hotel Bed and Breakfast
For local pub feel check out happy hour at The Keg.



Hike: Helen Hunt Falls

Another personal favorite hike/picnic spot of mine is Helen Hunt Falls. Toward the base of Cheyenne Mountain, along North Cheyenne Canyon Rd., is a lovely, narrow road that leads you beside a river and high canyon walls. Eventually you will come to a pullout area and a sign that says Helen Hunt Falls. There is a small waterfall that you can see from the road with a trail that ascends above and past this first waterfall. This second waterfall area was an expansive rockface with a small watershed.The hike is short but steep in areas. The area here is what I enjoy--the sound of water and surrounded by trees. Perfect for a picnic and short hike.

Eat and Drink: Colorado Mountain Brewery

 

After a full day of hiking and site-seeing, head on over to the Colorado Mountain Brewery in Colorado Springs. This place is awesome! An old train station converted into a craft brewery/restaurant. The feel is cozy-upscale but suitable for jeans and t-shirt (as is most of Colorado, thank goodness).

I enjoyed a perfectly cooked steak filet and a serving of bread pudding that made me feel as though I were in the deep south instead of out west. It is definitely a popular place so make reservations if you aren't the patient type.





             But seriously, check this place out sometime!








Site-Seeing: Cave of the Winds

 About ten minutes northwest of Garden of the gods is Cave of the Winds. It seemed a bit touristy at first with all of the gift items shoved in my face but I really enjoyed the tour! Cave of the Winds is a large underground cave full of stalactites and stalagmites. There are varying "types" of tours and it seems the lantern tour would be quite fun! (I did the regular tour due to time schedule). If you can handle being underground and in often close confinements, I would definitely recommend booking a tour! Very fun and educational!

(Inside the cave, a group of stalagmites in the background. One of the longest recorded stalactites in the foreground).

(No, we didn't get to swing down into the cave! But I guess this used to be an old entrance)

Lodging: Cheyenne Mountain Resort

 

Cheyenne Mountain Resort: Nestled at the base of Cheyenne Mountain, with mountain views and decent rooms!



Also, because I am a huge National Park enthusiast....I can't mention this region without also mentioning (again) that Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is just about 46 minutes northwest of Colorado Springs...another really cool place to visit. It often gets overlooked by Colorado's other National Parks/Monuments.  Check out my post: here.

Byers-Evans House Museum; A Peek at Prominent Life in Early Denver

I recently toured the Byers-Evans House Museum. It is located adjacent to the Denver Art Museum, at 13th and Bannock. The large, Italianate style house was built in 1883 by Denver's first newspaper publisher, William Byers of the Rocky Mountain News.

The house was later sold to William Evans in 1889. He was the son of John Evans, the 2nd Territorial Governor of Colorado. His family and descendants would go on to occupy the house for over 90 years. I was fascinated by his daughter, Josephine's room which displayed her hand-carved leather works among other interesting items.

The house is quite large and lovely. The wallpaper that lines the mainroom downstairs and up to the second floor is unique and beautiful. It almost looks like wood sketches. You can tell the family was well educated as there are book cases in almost every room and artifacts from their various travels.

The house has been restored and focuses on an interpretive era from 1912-1924. According to my friendly tour guide (named Angela) over 90% of the furnishings inside belonged to the Evans family.

It was fun and intriguing to peer back in time...to catch a glimpse of what life was like as a wealthy family in early Denver.

(This is the view of the original entrance. The window to the left had a bullet hole in it...apparently someone wasn't too thrilled with the Evan's family at one time....I remember the tour guide saying something about voting issues....and the Tramway....anyway...)

                       (The conservatory)                             (View of one of the parlors)

Hours:
Mon-Sat

Tour times:
10:30am
11:30am
12:30pm
1:30pm
2:30pm
May-August there is an additional tour at
3:30pm

Riverside Cemetery; Denver's Oldest Cemetery

I recently toured  Riverside Cemetery, Denver's oldest cemetery founded in 1876. Plenty of history and interesting sights abound in this park. It is referred to as Denver's Pioneer Cemetery. As you walk around and notice the dates on the headstones, as well as, many familiar last names (if you know your Colorado history) you can see why.

Riverside is home to three early governors and many other public figures. One thing about Colorado history is that if you are familiar with Colorado's topography and names of it's famous mountain peaks...then you already know many of Colorado's famous figures. And many of these famous people are buried in Riverside Cemetery. When approaching Samuel Elbert's headstone, I remarked to my professor (my tour guide), "Hey, is that the Mt. Elbert guy?" To which she replied with lack of amusement but slight smirk, "yes."

As my professor was eager to point out, cemeteries offer a slice of community history. Riverside offers a demographic tour of the cultures represented in early Denver. In one corner are buried Denver's first Japanese individuals, a community of Russian Orthodox in another, also African American, Italian, and several other ethnic communities represented.

There is also a large military section dating back to the civil war era. One of my personal favorite military persons in history is Silas Soule, who refused to take part in the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864. He is buried in Riverside.

So, if you like history, photography, or old cemeteries come visit Riverside.

The cemetery sits amidst a dense industrial area of Denver. The cemetery has been in decline since its loss of water rights and the focus turned toward the more upscale Fairmount Cemetery (Denver's 2nd oldest cemetery).

(This is the headstone of Denver's first known Japanese resident; Tadaatsu Matsudaira, 1855-1888.)

(Vines growing on the outside of what was John Evan's mausoleum)

(Russian orthodox area)

Colorado Historical Sites

Denver was founded amidst the backdrop of the Old West. If you are fascinated with Native American culture, pioneer and mountainman stories, 1800's architecture, gold mining folklore or many other facets of what we have come to call the American West then gallop on over to many of the Denver/front range historical sites and museums. Here is only a sample:

 Historic Houses or Lodges:

  The Four Mile House or The Seventeen Mile House
Discover a couple of special "mile" houses that dotted the dusty trails like that of the Cherokee Trail or Smoky Hill Trail in what is now Denver and Aurora. I have written previously about Denver's oldest house; the Four Mile House. But Seventeen Mile is also now open to the public. Each of these houses served as pit stops for those traveling west toward Denver City in the mid 1800's.

Astor House Museum
The Astor House, built in 1867, was used as a boarding house for miner's and later legislators.

Molly Brown House
 Visit the home of the "unsinkable" Margaret "Molly" Brown

Byer's-Evans House Museum
 Built in 1883, housed prominent Denver family.

Healy House Museum and Dexter Cabin
 A Victorian home and cabin in the historic mining town of Leadville, CO.

 The Stanley Hotel
Built in 1909, Freelan Stanley was one of the main financial contributors to the development of Estes Park. His hotel is now famous for ghost activity and a couple of movie productions.

Hiwan Homestead Museum
 A beautiful log lodge built in 1893.

Trujillo Homestead
One of the first permanent Latino settlements in Colorado, built in the mid 1800's.

Historic Forts:

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
Bent's fort was at the epicenter of trade along the Sante Fe Trail. Charles Bent acted as a middleman between many Native American tribes and mountainmen/trappers during the early to mid 1800's. Many councils took place at Bent's fort.

Fort Vasquez Museum
A former fur trading post north of Denver.

Ft. Garland Museum and Pike's Stockade
An 1858 fort supervised by Kit Carson.

Regional/Local History Museums:

History Colorado Center

Denver Art Museum
(They have an amazing section on early Native American life, as well as, an intriguing  American West art exhibit).
Lakewood Heritage Center

Littleton History Museum

El Pueblo History Museum

Ute Indian Museum

 Historic Sites:

Sand Creek Massacre Site
A horrific site where hundreds of Native Americans were caught off guard and slaughtered. (No other way to say it). 
Amache Internment Camp
During WW2, many Japanese-Americans were relocated to internment camps to be sure they would not retaliate against the American government during the war. 

 Historic Mining Sites:

 Mollie Kathleen Mine
Argo Mine
Country Boy Mine

 National Parks
 (Remnants of early Native American and/or Ancestral Puebloan life can be seen at many of Colorado's National Parks...here are my favorite in the history category)

Mesa Verde National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Dinosaur National Monument

Historic Towns:
(Most of Colorado's towns are themselves historic sites  but here are some examples)
Black Hawk and Central City
Leadville
Georgetown
Glenwood Springs
Manitou Springs
Idaho Springs
Breckenridge
Cripple Creek
South Park
Silverton

There are many other historic sites, museums and stories to find! Get out and explore! :)