Larry has written some guides for day long sight seeing trips that
include some of the subjects that you'll find in the Visitor Guide. Those trip
descriptions are on the following pages.
About 55 miles to the south is the Royal Gorge, an 1,100 foot deep canyon of the Arkansas
River. Railroad wars were waged over this canyon. In the '30s a suspension
bridge was built over the canyon and it's still safely carrying pedestrians and auto
traffic. More recently a man bungee jumped from the
bridge and another rappelled from the bridge to the bottom. (Both obtained permits
before performing their stunts.)
To get there we suggest driving west on US 24 to Florissant. Turn left on Teller
County Road 1 that drives past the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. About
10 miles south of the town of Florissant watch for Teller County Road 11 that turns to the
right. As you are passing the llama ranch
look for a little green sign on the right directing you to the Royal Gorge and to Canon
City (pronounced Canyon City). Follow the route to State Road 9. Turn left and go
the few miles to US 50. Turn left and go the few miles to the signs to the Royal
Gorge.
There will be a $12 charge for adults and $9 charge for children. The Royal Gorge
concessions are run by the city of Canon City and are part of the income of the city.
The entry fee lets you cross the suspension bridge as many times as you want, ride
on an aerial tram across the gorge, ride an incline rail car that goes to the bottom of
the canyon and attend a slide and movie show about
the Royal Gorge in the Plaza Theater.
There's lots of shops, concessions and attractions. I ignore them as much as I can
and enjoy the gorge, the river and the bridge. It's a natural wonder as well as an
outstanding engineering feat.
There's a herd of wild deer that live in the park and have learned to beg handouts from
visitors. Park rules prohibit feeding the animals now. It's unhealthy for the
deer and somewhat dangerous since the deer can head butt or kick a child enough to injure
him or her. Please refrain from feeding the
animals.
After visiting the Royal Gorge you may want to drive into Canon City to visit the Colorado
Territorial Museum. It's been rumored that years ago Canon City was told it could
support its economy with either a university or a prison. It's been alleged that the
people of the city chose the prison since they
didn't want to deal with college kids. So an extensive prison complex exists in
Canon City today.
The Colorado Territorial Museum is at 201 North 1st Street in Canon City. Visiting hours
are 8:30 am to 6:30 PM daily. Admission charges are $4, $3.50 for senior citizens
and $2.50 for children ages 6-12.
Once you leave the Canon City you can return to Silver Wood by retracing your drive or if
you have the time you might and would like a little adventure you might drive back to
Divide on State Highway 67. You join 67 east of Canon City on US 50. It will
take you through Phantom Canyon which used to be a railroad track to haul gold ore from
Victor to Florence. Much of the route through Phantom Canyon is a gravel road and
slow. Continue to follow 67 through Victor and Cripple Creek and it will take you
back to Divide.
Cripple Creek, Victor and the
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
The Cripple Creek - Victor region is ripe with Colorado history. Gold was discovered
there in the late 19th century and soon after thousands of miners drilled into the
hillsides looking for ore. Gold is still being mined but now giant machines carve
away whole hillsides revealing openings that used to be
the tunnels through which miners cored. In addition, greenback "gold"
comes from the wallets and purses of tourists now. Many thousands used to live
there, now there's just a couple of thousand. A couple of score of trains used to
enter the region each day. Now its hundreds of cars.
To get there drive south on State Highway 67 18 miles. On much of the route you'll
be driving on the old rail bed of the Midland Railroad that used to run from Colorado
Springs to Cripple Creek and Victor. About 7 miles along the way look for the curve
that drives around the tunnel that used to let
trains pass. Cars used the tunnel after the trains quit running in the '40s.
The tunnel began to deteriorate in about 1995 it was closed to road traffic for the
last time and an extra curve was put in the highway. Sixteen miles along the way stop at
the turnout overlooking Cripple Creek.
A few yards past the turnout notice the Molly Kathleen on the left. For a fee you
can ride a miners "cage" suspended on a cable 1000 feet below the earth.
There you'll step off the cage and be taken on a tour of a mine that was worked for
gold decades ago. The underground tour will take about half an
hour. Your guide will be a retired tunnel miner. The fee for adults is $10
per person. The fee is $5 for children under 12 or free for children under 3
years of age.
Don't go into the mine if you suffer from claustrophobia. The cage is about the size
of an overgrown telephone booth and 9 people will be placed on the cage. In 1996 two
passenger loads got to spend some extra time in the mine when the pulley at the top of the
lift broke. They did all return safely.
Return to Highway 67 and drive into Cripple Creek. There's a train depot at the end
of Bennett Avenue. If you chose to ride the train it will belch smoke and steam and
take you on a ride through the woods while a guide will tell you about the mines and other
historical sites you can see along the route. At the end of the route the train will back along the track and you can get a second look.
The cost is $7.50 for the mature but not aged, $7 for old folks and $4 for children
ages 3-12. If you're less than 3 years old the trip is free. I think they
should have a similar free fare for anyone that's over 99.
Just down the street from the train depot is a building that used to be the depot for
commercial endeavors and now houses the Cripple Creek museum.
You are at the end of Bennett Avenue. For about a mile along Bennett you'll find a
selection of some 19 small stakes casinos. Gambling stops at 2 am each morning and
starts up at 6 am. Park your car in a convenient lot. If there's an attendant
on duty he'll collect $5 from you and give you a coupon. Ask which casino "honors" the coupon. Take it to the cashier at that
casino and the cashier will exchange it for a $5 roll of quarters. Depending on the
casino, you may be asked to do something special like get 2 time stamps on the coupon an
hour apart. You don't need to stay in the casino while you wait for the time to pass
if you don't want to.
By the way, if it's Tuesday, older citizens can get a free lunch at the Colorado Grande
Casino. Its a popular Tuesday feature so you may find a bunch of older people
waiting for a turn at their own free lunch.
From Cripple Creek continue on 67 to Victor Creek. Drive through town, unless you
want to stop and visit some of the dusty antique shops, past the Elks Lodge, turn right
and follow the road for about another quarter mile until you come to the sign for the
Victor Cresone Mine. Follow that road up
Battle Mountain and you'll come to the mine overlook. From here you can see the
large earth movers and trucks hauling all the rock from the mountain to the crushers that
will start the process of removing 0.2 ounces of gold per ton from each ton of ore.
Retrace your route all the way back to Bennett Avenue in Cripple Creek. Turn left on
Bennett Avenue and follow it to the end and look for signs for Teller County Road No. 1.
Follow Teller County Road 1 for about 20 miles and it will take you to the Florissant
Fossil Beds National Monument. If you still have time, stop in at the visitor center
and visit the displays in the center and just outside. The valley used to be filled
with redwoods that were buried by a volcano eruption. The trees were revealed when the
lava was eroded after eons of time. They were now fossilized. If you have
time, take one of the several easy trails in the monument.
Return to Teller County Road 1 and drive north 3 miles to Florissant. The Fossil Inn
Restaurant is in Florissant. If it's the right time of day, you might want to stop
here for dinner before driving east 7 miles back to Divide.
The Breckenridge - Frisco area is the site of one of the Colorado major ski resorts as
well as a place for summer fun. The total trip is about 85 miles and will require a
couple of hours of driving each way.
To get there drive west on US 24 for about 45 miles to the little town of Hartsel.
On the way, stop in the Forest Service tourist information site at the top of
Wilkerson Pass. To the west is a world class view of the Continental Divide
Mountains across the floor of South Park.
As you drive west across South Park watch for the herds of bison on the left.
They're pastured in large fields so if they're at the far end of the field they may
not be in sight. Herds of pronghorn antelope may sometimes be seen on either side of
the road.
One mile beyond Hartsel take State Highway 9 to the right. Follow it through
Fairplay and Alma all the way to Breckenridge.
At Fairplay you might want to stop and visit the outdoor museum of buildings from the past
furnished and equipped with items of the late 19th century. There's a fee of a few
dollars to visit the museum.
After leaving Fairplay you'll drive up the mountain on your way to 12,000 foot Hoosier
Pass. On the way you'll pass through the little town of Alma that sometimes boasts
itself being the highest town in the United States at some 10,400 feet above sea level.
During ski season you may see a police car along the road with an officer inside
watching you as you pass. Look carefully at the officer. It's probably a
stuffed dummy. It's reported that the dummy is cheaper than putting a live officer
in the car.
Stop on top of Hoosier Pass and see the 14,000 foot mountains that are near at hand.
In the summer in Breckenridge watch for the signs for the giant alpine slide. For a
fee you can take a ride on the slide. The alpine slide is a Teflon lined chute.
You ride on a sled that follows the chute. You can control the speed with a
brake but that's about all you can control. I've ridden the slide 3
times and have never come out of the chute. I've watched riders for a couple of
hours and have never seen a sled leave the chute. However there are signs that warn
of the consequences of leaving the chute so there must be some risks involved in riding
the sleds.
If you choose you can ride the chair lift for a fee. Or you can ride the lift and
coast a bicycle to the bottom on a trail on the ski slope.
For a full pass fee (approximately $40 in 1996) you can take unlimited rides on the sled,
take unlimited rides on the ski lift and bicycle, play games of miniature golf and find
your way through a maze big enough to hide several pedestrians.
There are shops to visit in Breckenridge. Depending on the day, there are concerts
to enjoy from time to time.
To return, retrace your route until you get to Fairplay. You should plan your day so
you can stop and have dinner at the Fairplay Hotel. The dining room has a plank
hardwood floor that squeaks as you walk across it. There's a historic bar in the
lounge that's worth visiting (the bar, not necessarily the
lounge). The food is good and its basic. The service is good. The prices
are moderate. The ambiance is quaint and historic.
After dinner complete your return to Divide.
On the way to the Air Force Academy stop at the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame. To get there
drive east on US 24 to Interstate 25. Drive north and exit on Rockrimmon. The
Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and Museum has displays about rodeos, equipment and history.
It's open 9 am to 5 PM daily. General
admission is $6. Over 55 and age 6-12 enter for $2. Under 6 is free.
Return to Interstate 25 and drive north to the exit for the north entry of the Air Force
Academy. Slow down as you pass the sentry. Follow the signs to the visitor
center. At the visitor center you can see a video about the Academy and displays
about the Academy. From the visitor center you can
walk to the Chapel and from there see the cadet area. The cadet area is closed to
visitors except when parents are invited in on special days. If you can time your
visit to the cadet area to be there on school days and at 12 noon, you'll see the daily
lunch hour parade. Cadets hurry to get information. There's the shouts of
commands and reports. Doolies (first year students) follow the tradition of right
angle turns and running as they make their way to their section. At the appointed
time the cadets march into the dining hall accompanied by a band playing martial music.
At last all 4000 students are in the hall. You can hear a shout of lunch
about to be served. Imagine the 4000 cadets dining together.
Go back to your car and drive to the Academy observatory where you might get to watch a
star show. Admission to all sites open to visitors are free.
When you leave the Academy retrace your route to Interstate 25. Drive under I 25 and
continue east to the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. There see displays of mining
equipment out of the past. There's an admission charge of $1 to $6.
Now lets finish our tour be visiting the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
Leave the mining museum and retrace your route to Interstate 25. Follow the
highway to the Uintah Street exit. Exit and drive east until you reach Union Avenue.
Follow the signs south until you reach the Olympic
Training Center.
Enter the visitor center from Boulder Avenue and, if necessary, make a reservation to tour
the center. While you wait for your tour to start you can spend your time visiting
the displays in the center. Once on tour your guide will take you to some of the
venues where athletes train. Not all Olympic
training is done in Colorado Springs. Track athletes train in California. Many
winter events are trained in New York. There's no charge to visit the training
center.
Here's a trip that takes you the top of one of the Nation's most well known mountains and
then takes you underground into a natural cave. The popular mountain is Pikes Peak.
The natural cave is the Cave of the Winds. In season you can choose to drive
to the top of Pikes Peak, or ride the Manitou
and Pikes Peak Railway cog railroad, or Larry can give you hiking directions.
By the way, do you know why the mountain is called Pikes Peak instead of Pike's Peak or
Pike Peak? The namesake is Zebulon Pike, not Pikes. I don't know either!
The Drive to the Top
Begin in Cascade, about 8 miles west of Manitou Springs and about 24 miles east of Silver
Wood. The Pikes Peak Highway begins under a big green sign that hangs over US 24.
It's all uphill from here. Beware of overheating the car engine. The
trick is to keep the engine speed up. That means gear down! If your car should
fail there are patrol cars that will stop and offer radiator water and a certificate to
let you have another have another chance.
At the gate house you'll be asked for $10 for each person in your car. The last 12.5
miles of the road becomes a race track on Independence Day. Stock cars, Indy cars,
motorcycles, pickup trucks and tractors for 18 wheel trucks take turns driving the course
against time. Now, as you drive uphill at 15 to 30 miles an hour try to imagine the
race cars driving past at speeds up to 100 miles an hour. The winners make the 12.5
miles in about 10 minutes!
You'll see spectacular scenery as you climb to the top. On top, at 14,110 feet above
sea level, you'll find a parking lot, a department store and views that stretch for
hundreds of miles. Its said that to the northeast, on a clear day when the sun is
just right, you can see sunlight reflected off a grain
elevator near Goodland, Kansas.
Pay attention to what your body tells you. You're breathing air that has half the
oxygen as a sea level. The first symptom of high altitude sickness is a headache.
If you feel dizzy sit down lest you fall down. By all means, don't drive the
car on your return trip.
The rule for driving downhill is, gear down. Drive slowly. Don't ride the
brakes. About half the way down a safety official will feel the car hubs and if
they're hot you'll be asked to pull over for half an hour until they cool off. Hot
brakes fail! They're stopping you for your own safety and the safety of
other vehicles on the mountain.
The Manitou and Pikes Peak Railroad depot is at the top of Ruxton Avenue in Manitou
Springs. Drive to the depot. There's a big parking lot directly across the
street. Get there early for good seat assignments. We recommend the seats that
face uphill. If you ride backwards going uphill you'll be
struggling at times to keep from sliding off your seat. Both sides have great views.
We favor the uphill left side just a little.
Katherine Lee Bates wrote America The Beautiful after a trip to the top of Pikes Peak a
little over a hundred years ago. Remember that when she was inspired to write the
song, she was looking at Colorado, not a road map.
The train costs $22 for adults. You'll need reservations.
After you get down, either from the drive or train ride make your way to the Pikes Peak
Auto Hill Climb Museum in Manitou Springs on Manitou Avenue just a few feet from where
Manitou passes under US 24. Race cars and memorabilia are on display. There's
a $4 charge for "adults" and $3 for
older people and military members. Children are free.
Now for the underground part of your trip; from the museum drive west on US 24 for a
couple of miles to the Cave of the Winds exit. The Cave of the Winds is in a
limestone formation. There's a network of rooms and passageways covered with
stalactites, stalagmites and other formations. You'll be guided through the
passageways.
If you want a more adventuresome time in the cave, sign up for a Lantern Tour or
Explorer's Trip. On the Lantern Tour you'll be guided through a darkened cave
lighted only by candle lanterns carried be you and the other members of the tour. If
you take the Explorer's Trip you'll need a flashlight and old clothes. You'll be
guided through parts of the cave where you must crawl and slide and collect some dirt and
mud on your clothing.
If you'd like to extend the day, here's a couple of other suggestions. From the Cave
of the Winds drive east on US 24 to 30th Street and drive north and follow the signs to
the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center. You'll get a great view of the park and
displays and then you can take a drive or walk in the
Garden of the Gods Park. The Garden of the Gods Park is a city owned park featuring
large sandstone monoliths and formations. In the park you may see climbers carefully
scaling the formations. Don't try it if you don't have a permit and climbing
experience. Each year there are injuries to persons attempting to climb up
"just a little way". You can be cited for unlawful climbing and be awarded
an expensive summons to appear in court.
To finish the day follow the signs north from the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center to the
Flying W Ranch. At 7 PM each evening you can enjoy a "chuck wagon" dinner
of brisket, baked potatoes, biscuits, hot coffee and applesauce, all served in a tin cup
and on a tin plate. The applesauce is
served so you'll have a cool place to hold onto your plate. After the dinner is
finished the Flying W. Wranglers do a concert of cowboy music in the style of the Sons of
the Pioneers. The dinner and concert are generally over by 9:30 PM so you can be
back to Silver Wood by 10:30. Reservations are required. Call 598 4000.
The cost varies from $7 for children to $14 for adults.
There are outstanding hiking opportunities in the region. Larry can give you lots of
first hand experience information. We'll not lay out a day of hiking except as
contained in the following descriptions.
Drive south from the Divide traffic light about 4 miles until you come to the Rocky
Mountain Camp sign. The Crags Campground is about 5 miles up a sort of rough road
and in the upper end of the campground is a small parking lot for the Crags Trail
trailhead. The trail winds uphill for 2 or 3 miles. At the top you can see into Colorado Springs and vistas to the north and west. A
round trip on the trail can be done in as little as 2 hours or you can linger through the
day. There's a $4 charge to park your car.
Three miles south of the Divide traffic signal you'll come to the Mueller State Park
entrance. Stop at the entrance booth and pay the $4 entrance fee. Ask for a
trail map. There's 75 miles of trails in the park. There just doesn't seem to
be any bad trails in the park. Larry will tell you about the one's he
likes the best. If you're lucky you'll get to see the elk herd that lives in the
park, or the big horn sheep, or a flock of turkeys.
Drive 7 miles west of the Divide traffic signal to Florissant. Turn to the left at
the Fossil Beds sign and drive 3 miles to the visitor center. Pay a $2 per person
fee. Ask for a trail map. There's 15 miles of trails in the monument. One
takes you on a tour of some large fossilized redwood stumps. Believe it
or not, 35 million years ago there were redwood trees growing there. The Sierra
Nevada Mountains of California didn't yet exist so the weather in Colorado was lots
wetter!
One of the fossilized remains is known as The Big Stump. Look carefully.
Embedded in the stump are 3 broken off crosscut saws. Several decades ago,
long before the existence of the monument, entrepreneurs tried to disassemble the stump to
take it off for display. The stump won!
About 15 miles west of the Divide traffic signal you'll come to the northbound road to
Tarryall. Along that route you'll come to several trailheads into the Lost Creek
Wilderness. Larry can tell you about the trails he's taken and the ones he's heard
about. You can spend a half day or all day in the Lost Creek Wilderness.
