![]() When you’re ready to return to the surface, you can pair the experience with one of their stomach-dropping thrill rides like the Terror-Dactyl, which casually flings you off the cliff at 100 mph, or a tamer alpine adventure like the Wind Walker Challenge Course and the Via Ferrata, a vertical canyon climb. If you don’t mind the dark, the Lantern Tour is a spookier trip down memory lane full of ghost stories and tall tales. You’ll be guided through the tunnels to some of the more beautiful rooms to identify stalactites and stalagmites in shape and sizes with names like “ET phone home” and “Tall man’s headache, fat man’s misery” as you suck, tuck and duck your way through the dimly lit abyss (Fun Fact: Cave of the Winds was the third cave in America to install lights, which was so impressive that Thomas Edison had to see it for himself). speleological society, the Discovery Tour offers a good overview of the history and geology of the unique environment. One of 22 nationally recognized cave projects from the U.S. Get Your Adventure on at Cave of the Windsĭiscovered accidentally by two young boys in 1880, Cave of the Winds is a 500-million-year-old underground world with 10,765 feet of surveyed passages that are mostly open to the public. Pro Tip: Keep your eyes peeled for Bigfoot and the North Pole/Santa’s Workshop on your way out. It’s important to note that during the busy summer months (June 1 to September 15), you can only drive to Mile 16 where a shuttle waits to take you to the summit. On a clear day, you can see up to five states (Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Kansas) and supposedly even the curvature of the Earth in the distance (take that everyone who think the planet is flat). It takes about an hour to ascend with plenty of scenic viewpoints en route. ![]() You’ll pass through four different biozones along the way with a mixture of flora, fauna, wildlife, and climates so be sure to dress in layers because the snowcapped peak is absolutely freezing. The second most visited mountain in the world and one of Colorado’s most accessible 14ers (one of 54 mountains over 14,000 feet), Pikes Peak is a 19-mile toll road that zigzags up to the summit. It’s not every day you can scale a mountain from the seat of your car… if you can handle the hairpin turns and a general lack of guardrails, that is. There’s a ton to do right in town and a number of epic day trips that promise all the mountain magic without any of the stress. So do yourself a favor - the next time you visit the Rocky Mountains, base yourself in the Springs. Originally founded as a resort town, you have all the conveniences of a major urban hub, but you’re much closer to the beloved mountains and at a higher altitude, that crisp mountain air is a natural mood enhancer. As Colorado’s second largest city, the Springs is a little over an hour away but feels far removed from the chaos and urban sprawl. It took a recent staycation in Colorado Springs to remind me that despite my grievances with the capital, how much I still love about the state. Sometimes it takes leaving to want to come home. Sometimes it takes leaving to appreciate what you have in your own backyard. ![]() Every time I returned home to more and more construction, I would get sadder and sadder. Virtually overnight, my utopia was tarnished and Denver quickly became as annoying as every other big city. But just as quickly as I settled into a new norm of midday explorations and smiling at strangers, the secret was out.ĭenver’s population boomed at such an unsustainable rate there was a severe housing shortage, traffic and parking nightmares, and transplants who seemed to bring the worst of their home states with them ( Texans, looking at you). The sun was always shining, people were genuine and cheerful, drinks at popular bars were $2, and it seemed like a place where the work-life balance actually existed. When I moved to Colorado, I thought I had found utopia. Content Produced in Partnership with Visit Colorado Springs
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