Colorado Springs - Pike's Peak
 

We (2 adults) will be in Colorado Springs the week of Labor. We are planning on visiting the summit of Pike's Peak that Friday. My question is the best way to enjoy:
1. cograil? 2. drive ourselves? or 3. experience one of the bike tours down?

The bike tours state "weather permitting" and I've read on previous forums that the weather in the afternoon could be foggy.

We will be in Colorado Springs Tuesday through Saturday and plan on a day trip to the Royal Gorge one day and Garden of the Gods another. Any other attractions that are must sees but not a tourist trap? I've read that Seven Falls and Manitou Dwellings are not worth the price paid.

We are more into the majestical mountains that rock formations but still would like to visit Garden of the Gods.

Thanks in advance and two people visiting from Texas - we cannot wait to enjoy cooler weather!

Cog rail. Parking is a pain in the butt though. The drive, however, is memorable, but a wee bit scary for those unfamiliar with CO roads, particulary Texans, lol.

Seven Falls & Cliff Dwellings - absolute tourist traps, best avoided.

Air Force Academy, Olympic Training Center, less so.

Garden of the Gods - busy with tourists, but worth the effort. Lovely views from the visitors center, best seen in early morning for photos.

Cheyennne Canon - worth the effort, nice place for a hike or picnic.

Broadmoor - nice place for lunch and a walk around the lake. Cheyenne Mt Zoo is nearby, although not my favorite zoo.

Josh and John's ice cream - downtown Colorado Springs, a must for ice cream lovers. Arabica Cafe - excellent Middle Eastern food right in downtown COS.

Marigold Bakery - good lunches, best place in town for desserts (this from a serious dessert hound).

Enjoy my hometown.

We were there a few years ago and enjoyed the cog railway very much. Garden of the Gods was great too. The Olympic Training Center was good, the guided tour was interesting. We also visited Royal Gorge and thought it was only okay, it's not cheap and really not worth the money. We took a tour of the Mollie Kathleen gold mine (www.goldminetours.com) in Cripple Creek and thought that was very good.

We took the cog and there were parts where you could see the roadway. As stated above, if you are not familiar with driving on fairly narrow, twisting, curving roads with steep drop offs [can't remember if they have guard rails], do yourselves a big favor and take the cog. We saw Bighorn sheep right outside the windows and it was pretty neat.

Also, I did this prior to moving to the southwest. I lived in NY and was out in CO for a wedding. I had been in Denver for a a few days when we took the cog. Both my SIL and I had <b>terrible </b>Altitude Sickness. When we got to the top we stayed less than 10 or 15 mins and took the next cog down. As we descended, it lessened but it took until the next day to feel better. Doesn't happen to everyone, but be aware it can.

Q. How can I avoid high altitude sickness? And what are the symptoms?

A. Since many of the mountain in the Pikes Peak region rise to 14,000 feet and most attractions on average are located at 7,000 feet above sea level, the altitude can produce some unusual sensations. The symptoms for altitude illness include a headache, touch of nausea, feeling unusually tired, or experiencing shortness of breath. One of the most important things visitors to the Pikes Peak region should know about altitude sickness is that it can be significantly minimized or even prevented by following these simple guidelines while traveling:

Stay below 7,000 feet the first day (the city of Colorado Springs is 6,035 feet above sea level and Canon City is 5,332 feet above sea level)
When sightseeing, work your way up to higher altitudes
Avoid strenuous exercise the first day
Drink more water than usual since your body will dehydrate more quickly
Reduce alcohol intake, which has a greater effect at this altitude
Avoid salty foods
Give your body time to adjust (there is a lot to see and do at the lower altitude levels)
If you follow these simple suggestions, you are sure to enjoy each day of your vacation.

To emphasize, take water with you ALL the time and drink it ALL the time whether you want to or not. Aspirin may also help,if you can take it.

I enjoyed the Cog and recommend it vs. driving for reasons above. I imagine the bike ride could be fun, if you're experienced with these type of rides and altitude isn't an issue.

I enjoyed Seven Falls, not for the falls really, but for the area in general. The admission price ($9?) seems high to see the falls. However, we did the trails and enjoyed the scenery along the way. If you were to hike Cheyenne Canon I think that's just as good. I believe there are bike excursions there too.

Royal Gorge is a ROYAL ripoff!

Be sure to take jackets even if it is hot before you start up the mountain. It can be really cold and windy on top.

We are flatlanders from Texas and enjoyed the drive up plus it's a lot cheaper. Just use low gear going back down the mountain. They will check your brake temp going down and make you wait an hour if they are too hot.

Thank you all for the responses. We leave early tomorrow and will re-group as the weather shows rain most of the week. We have decided not to bike down but just take the cog to enjoy the scenery aboard the rail.

REALLY appreciate the insight on the tourist traps. We believed a visit to the Royal Gorge was a must but are now rethinking as this will entail an entire day.

We are mainly looking for rest, relaxation and beautiful scenery. I am sure we will not be disappointed!

disagree on Royal Gorge..being flatlanders from Texas, it will be a fascinating (but quick) site to see...coming to Colorado in 1951, from Massachusetts, my new bride and I enjoyed seeing it.

Stu (heading to Crowley, Colorado 50 miles east of Pueblo this weekend for a reunion where I taught and coached way back then..60 years ago!)

Oops...notice that you were already in Colorado last weekend...hope yo had a very nice visit

tower -

Alot has happened to the Royal Gorge since 1951 - back then it didn't have all the tourist trappings....sadly, things have changed.

I agree wholeheartly with Melnq8. The fist time I went to Royal Gorge was in 1980. It was fantastic. I went there again in 1996 and discovered that it had become a complete ripoff!

Mel and Waldo...sad to hear that...we were the ONLY people n the bridge at the time. Paid nothing at the time.

You are exactly correct, Tower.