South Central Colorado
We’ve compiled the best of the best in South Central Colorado - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Cave of the Winds
Nature SightDiscovered by two boys in 1880, the cave has been exploited as a tourist sensation ever since. The only way to enter the site is by purchasing...
Discovered by two boys in 1880, the cave has been exploited as a tourist sensation ever since. The only way to enter the site is by purchasing a tour, but once inside the cave you'll forget the hype and commercialism of the gimmicky entrance. The cave contains examples of every major sort of limestone formation, from icicle-shaped stalactites and stump-like stalagmites to delicate anthodite crystals (or cave flowers), flowstone (or frozen waterfalls), and cave popcorn. Enthusiastic guides host easy 45-minute walking tours, adventurous cave expeditions, and lantern tours that last 1½ hours. An outdoor ropes course and rides like the Terror-dactyl, which swings riders off a 200-foot cliff, offer more fun outside of the cave.
100 Cave of the Winds Rd., off U.S. 24, Manitou Springs, Colorado, 80829, USA719-685–5444Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tours start at $23 -
2. Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area
Park (National/State/Provincial)Taking its own name from the many peaks named after famous universities, the 168,000-acre Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area includes eight mountains...
Taking its own name from the many peaks named after famous universities, the 168,000-acre Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area includes eight mountains that tower more than 14,000 feet high. Forty miles of the Continental Divide snake through the area as well. The most compelling reason to visit Buena Vista is for the almost unequaled variety of hikes, climbs, biking trails, and fishing streams here. (Keep an eye out for hot springs, too.) Two ranger offices, one in Leadville and one in Salida, handle inquiries about this region.
Leadville Ranger District, 810 Front St., Leadville, Colorado, 80461, USA719-486–0749 -
3. Garden of the Gods
Nature SightThese magnificent, eroded red-sandstone formations—from gnarled jutting spires to sensuously abstract monoliths—were sculpted more than 300...
These magnificent, eroded red-sandstone formations—from gnarled jutting spires to sensuously abstract monoliths—were sculpted more than 300 million years ago. Follow the road as it loops past such oddities as the Three Graces, the Siamese Twins, and the Kissing Camels or get an up-close look at the rocks with a guided climbing expedition booked at the visitor center. High Point, near the south entrance, provides camera hounds with the ultimate photo op: a formation known as Balanced Rock and jagged formations that frame Pikes Peak. The visitor center has maps of the trails and several geological, historical, and interactive, hands-on displays, as well as a café. It's a short, paved hike into the park from the parking lot.
View Tours and ActivitiesVisitor and Nature Center, 1805 N. 30th St., at Gateway Rd., Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80904, USA719-634–6666Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, May–Oct., daily 5 am–11 pm; Nov.–Apr., daily 5 am–9 pm -
4. Koshare Indian Museum
Museum/GalleryWith Navajo silver and Hopi pottery, the Koshare Indian Museum contains extensive holdings of Native American artifacts and crafts. It also...
With Navajo silver and Hopi pottery, the Koshare Indian Museum contains extensive holdings of Native American artifacts and crafts. It also displays pieces from Anglo artists, such as Remington, known for their depictions of Native Americans. The Koshare Indian Dancers—actually local youth—perform regularly.
115 W. 18th St., La Junta, Colorado, 81050, USA719-384–4411Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5 -
5. Pikes Peak
ViewpointIf you want to see the view from the top of Pikes Peak, head up this 14,115-foot-high mountain by shuttle or in a pair of hiking boots if you...
If you want to see the view from the top of Pikes Peak, head up this 14,115-foot-high mountain by shuttle or in a pair of hiking boots if you've got the stamina. (The Pikes Peak Cog Railway, which opened in 1891, has just undergone a major renovation and reopened in May 2021.) To prevent congestion on the Pikes Peak Highway, those visiting the summit are required to take a complimentary shuttle instead of driving. Exceptions to this rule are vehicles with more than six passengers, child safety seats, or people with disabilities ($15 per person or $50 per car). Two shuttle options are available including a 32-mile round-trip that takes about 15 minutes to get to the top, or a 14-mile round-trip that takes about 30 minutes to the summit. Once at the top, stop for a doughnut at the Pikes Peak Summit House café and trading post. Whichever route you choose to take up the prominent peak, you'll understand why the pioneers heading West via wagon train used to say: "Pikes Peak or Bust."
View Tours and ActivitiesU.S. 24, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80901, USA719-684–9383Sight Details
Rate Includes: $15 per person, $50 per vehicle; summit shuttle is free -
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6. Royal Gorge
Body Of Water/WaterfallCañon City is the gateway to the Royal Gorge, whose canyon walls tower up to 1,200 feet high and were carved by the Arkansas River more than...
Cañon City is the gateway to the Royal Gorge, whose canyon walls tower up to 1,200 feet high and were carved by the Arkansas River more than 3 million years ago. The famed Royal Gorge War between the Denver & Rio Grande and Santa Fe railroads occurred here in 1877. The battle was over the right-of-way through the canyon, which could only accommodate one rail line. Rival crews would lay tracks during the day and dynamite each other's work at night. The dispute was finally settled in court—the Denver & Rio Grande won. Today there's a commercially run site, the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, along one part of the gorge. A wildfire swept through this region in 2013, but quick-acting locals revived the touristic hub, which launched a new children's area in 2015. Rafting remains a strong and prosperous draw to the region.
U.S. 50 , Cañon City, Colorado, USA -
7. The Broadmoor
HotelThis pink-stucco Italianate complex, built in 1918, is truly one of the world's finest luxury resorts. Even if you don't stay here, stop by...
This pink-stucco Italianate complex, built in 1918, is truly one of the world's finest luxury resorts. Even if you don't stay here, stop by for lunch on one of the many restaurant patios in summer and to take a paddleboat ride on Lake Cheyenne, which anchors several of the resort's buildings. The Sunday brunch here is legendary (reservations are almost mandatory), and don't miss Play, the hotel's new gaming bar with six luxurious lanes of bowling, shuffleboard, and plenty of other diversions.
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8. U.S. Air Force Academy
Military SightThe academy, which set up camp in 1954, is one of the most popular attractions in Colorado. Highlights include the futuristic design, 18,500...
The academy, which set up camp in 1954, is one of the most popular attractions in Colorado. Highlights include the futuristic design, 18,500 beautiful acres of land, and antique and historic aircraft displays. At the visitor center you'll find photo exhibits, a model of a cadet's room, a gift shop, a snack bar in the summer, and a film highlighting the history and bravery of the Air Force. Other stops on the self-guided tour include a B-52 display, sports facilities, and the chapel. Some days you can catch the impressive cadet lunch formation that begins between 11:30 and noon. The Air Force chapel, which can accommodate simultaneous Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant services, is easily recognized by its unconventional design, which features 17 spires that resemble airplane wings. Don't miss the smaller chapels, including the Buddhist room. Visitors can enter only through the North and South gates.
N. Gate Blvd., off I–25, Exit 156, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80840, USA719-333–2025Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
9. Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun
Museum/GalleryThis five-story tower was dedicated in 1937, after the tragic plane crash that claimed Rogers's life. Its interior is painted with all manner...
This five-story tower was dedicated in 1937, after the tragic plane crash that claimed Rogers's life. Its interior is painted with all manner of Western murals in which Colorado Springs benefactor Spencer Penrose figures prominently, and is plastered with photos and homespun sayings of Rogers, America's favorite cowboy. In the chapel are 15th- and 16th-century European artworks.
4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd., Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80906, USA719-578–5367Sight Details
Rate Includes: $29.75, includes same-day admission to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo -
10. A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum and Gallery
Museum/GalleryThis museum celebrates the life and work of the famous Western illustrator, whose distinctive oils, charcoal drawings, and watercolors graced...
This museum celebrates the life and work of the famous Western illustrator, whose distinctive oils, charcoal drawings, and watercolors graced the pages of ranch romances. Original works that were featured in pulp magazines are on display at the museum, which is in a historic building with the original tin ceiling. Western paintings by Arthur Roy Mitchell, Harvey Dunn, and Harold Von Schmidt are also on display. Cowboy prints and collectibles are sold in the museum's gift shop.
150 E. Main St., Trinidad, Colorado, 80182, USA719-846–4224Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5, Wed.–Sun. 11–5 -
11. Adams State University
Educational InstitutionThe campus here contains several superlative examples of 1930s WPA-commissioned murals in its administrative building. The college's Luther...
The campus here contains several superlative examples of 1930s WPA-commissioned murals in its administrative building. The college's Luther Bean Museum and Art Gallery displays European porcelain and furniture collections, and exhibits of regional arts and crafts.
Richardson Hall, Richardson and 3rd Sts., Alamosa, Colorado, 81102, USA719-587–7151Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed weekends -
12. Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge
Nature Preserve/Wildlife RefugeLess than an hour's drive southwest of Great Sand Dunes is a sanctuary for songbirds, waterbirds, and raptors (it's also home to many other...
Less than an hour's drive southwest of Great Sand Dunes is a sanctuary for songbirds, waterbirds, and raptors (it's also home to many other types of birds, along with mule deer, beavers, and coyotes). The Rio Grande runs through the park comprising more than 11,000 acres of natural and man-made wetlands. You can take a 4-mile hike round-trip along the river or a 3½-mile wildlife drive on the park's western side or a drive along Bluff Road to an overlook on the park's eastern side. The refuge office is staffed by volunteers sporadically from March through November and closed in winter, but a self-service kiosk provides visitor information year-round.
9383 El Rancho La., off U.S. 160, Alamosa, Colorado, 81101, USA719-589–4021Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
13. ANA Money Museum
Museum/GalleryThe American Numismatic Association's fascinating Money Museum has a collection of old gold coins, an exhibit on the history of money, and currency...
The American Numismatic Association's fascinating Money Museum has a collection of old gold coins, an exhibit on the history of money, and currency from around the world. Tours are by reservation only.
818 N. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80903, USA800-367–9723Sight Details
Rate Includes: $8 -
14. Barr Trail
TrailThe 11¾-mile hike up Barr Trail gains 7,900 feet in elevation before you reach the summit. Halfway up the steep trail is Barr Camp, where many...
The 11¾-mile hike up Barr Trail gains 7,900 feet in elevation before you reach the summit. Halfway up the steep trail is Barr Camp, where many hikers spend the night.
Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80809, USA -
15. Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
Museum/GalleryAbout 8 miles east of La Junta, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site painstakingly re-creates what life was like in this adobe fort. The 1840s...
About 8 miles east of La Junta, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site painstakingly re-creates what life was like in this adobe fort. The 1840s fort was situated along the commercially vital Santa Fe Trail, providing both protection and a meeting place for the soldiers, trappers, and traders of the era. The museum's interior reveals daily life at a trading post, providing looks at a smithy and carpenter's workshop and featuring educational films and guided tours.
35110 Hwy. 194, La Junta, Colorado, 81050, USA719-383–5010Sight Details
Rate Includes: $3 -
16. Bishop Castle
Castle/PalaceThis elaborate creation, which resembles a medieval castle replete with turrets, buttresses, and ornamental iron, is the prodigious (some might...
This elaborate creation, which resembles a medieval castle replete with turrets, buttresses, and ornamental iron, is the prodigious (some might say monomaniacal) one-man undertaking of Jim Bishop, a self-taught architect who began work in 1969. Once considered a blight on pastoral Highway 165, the castle is now a popular attraction. Not yet complete, it is three stories high with a nearly 165-foot tower. Those who endeavor to climb into the structure must sign the guest book–cum–liability waiver. Bishop finances this enormous endeavor through donations and a gift shop.
12705 Hwy. 165, Pueblo, Colorado, 81069, USA719-485–3040Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Daily, sunrise–sunset -
17. Bronco Billy's
CasinoThis longtime casino embodies the atmosphere of Cripple Creek’s main drag with its Western theme and friendly staff. Known for its customer...
This longtime casino embodies the atmosphere of Cripple Creek’s main drag with its Western theme and friendly staff. Known for its customer service, Bronco Billy’s is a favorite among locals and tourists, with hotel rooms upstairs and restaurants on-site.
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18. Buell Children's Museum
Museum/GalleryRanked among the best in the country, the Buell Children's Museum provides fun, interactive experiences for kids of all ages. The 12,000-square...
Ranked among the best in the country, the Buell Children's Museum provides fun, interactive experiences for kids of all ages. The 12,000-square-foot facility has innovative exhibits on art, science, and history. It's in the same complex as the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center.
210 N. Santa Fe Ave., Pueblo, Colorado, 81003, USA719-295–7200Sight Details
Rate Includes: $8, Tues.–Fri. 11–5, weekends noon–5 -
19. Buena Vista Heritage Museum
Museum/GalleryBefore leaving downtown, meander through the Buena Vista Heritage Museum in the 1882 brick courthouse. Each room is devoted to a different aspect...
Before leaving downtown, meander through the Buena Vista Heritage Museum in the 1882 brick courthouse. Each room is devoted to a different aspect of regional history from the 1860s to the 1900s: one to mining equipment, another to fashions, and another to household utensils. There are working models of the three railroads that serviced the area in its heyday, a schoolroom, and historical photos in the archives. A rafting and kayaking exhibit will have you itching to experience the thrill of the area's water sports for yourself, and the mine and cave exhibit features a fluorescent mineral display.
506 E. Main St., Buena Vista, Colorado, 81211, USA719-395–8458Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5, Closed late Oct.–early May -
20. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Zoo/AquariumAmerica's only mountain zoo, at 6,700 feet, has more than 750 animals housed amid mossy boulders and ponderosa pines. You can hand-feed the...
America's only mountain zoo, at 6,700 feet, has more than 750 animals housed amid mossy boulders and ponderosa pines. You can hand-feed the giraffe herd in the zoo's African Rift Valley and check out the animals living in Primate World, Rocky Mountain Wild, or the Asian Highlands.
View Tours and Activities4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd., Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80906, USA719-633–9925Sight Details
Rate Includes: $29.75, includes same-day admission to Will Rogers Shrine
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