Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 719-685-5444;
www.caveofthewinds.com
; 100 Cave of the Winds Rd; adult/child 6-11yr Lantern Tour $24/14,
Discovery Tour $18/9; 9am-9pm Jun-Aug, 10am-5pm Sep-May; )
Set on the rim of a craggy
canyon is this developed cavern concessionaire. You'll forgive the cheesy entry and elev-
ator music because here are the stalactites and stalagmites of your dreams. Most opt for
the 45-minute Discovery Tour, but the Lantern Tour goes twice as deep, gets twice as dark
and lasts twice as long.
There is also a ropes course and a zip line ($20 per person), open from March to Octo-
ber.
SPRING
Mineral Springs
Manitou got its name from the numerous mineral springs that bubble up from limestone
aquifers along Manitou Ave. In some cases, it's believed that the water is as much as
20,000 years old. Many, such as Shoshone and Cheyenne, have sipping fountains where
you can sample the distinctive-tasting (OK, it's not San Pellegrino) carbonated water.
Garden of the Gods & Old Colorado City
Garden of the Gods
(
www.gardenofgods.com
;
1805 N 30th St; 5am-11pm May-Oct, 5am-9pm Nov-Apr; )
This gor-
geous vein of red sandstone (about 290 million years old) appears elsewhere along Color-
ado's Front Range, but the exquisitely thin cathedral spires and mountain backdrop of the
Garden of the Gods are particularly striking. Explore the network of paved and unpaved
trails, enjoy a picnic and watch climbers test their nerve on the sometimes flaky rock.
For information on horseback rides and other activities in the park, stop off at the excel-
lent visitor center on the way in. In the summer,
Rock Ledge Ranch
(
www.rockledgeranch.com
; adult/
child $8/4; 10am-5pm Wed-Sat Jun-mid-Aug; )
, a living history museum near the park en-
trance, is worth a visit for those interested in the lives of Native Americans and 19th-cen-
tury homesteaders in the region.
PARK
Red Rock Canyon Park
(
www.redrockcanyonopenspace.org
;
Hwy 24 at 31st St; )
A former quarry and part of the
sandstone vein that runs through the Garden of the Gods, this 787-acre park was nearly
developed into a golf course and townhouses. But thanks to committed residents who
PARK
