Tag Archive | Colorado Springs

Seven Falls

Aug23

Colorado Springs, CO

040

Seven Falls is a towering waterfall located in Colorado Springs just a few miles from the Broadmoor Hotel. It is actually not “seven” falls as the name indicates – but one continuous waterfall that flows over seven granite plateaus. This beautiful waterfall is located at the end of a natural box canyon and is flanked by pink granite walls called the Pillars of Hercules that rise 1250 feet above you. The views here are quite impressive!

043

The best way to get to Seven Falls is from the Broadmoor Hotel (due to parking and GPS issues that can be a nightmare). Admission tickets can be purchased inside the hotel for $14 and then you simply catch one of their private shuttles that drops you off right at the gate. The Broadmoor shuttles run every 10-15 minutes.

From the front entrance of Seven Falls, you may choose to ride a tram up to the falls or decide to walk the one-mile hike from the base – which is what we did. It was quite a scenic adventure! This journey up to the falls is named “the grandest mile of scenery” in all of Colorado. You walk along on a comfortable, paved trail with a slight incline that leads you through some breathtaking scenery.  You are surrounded on every side by high mountains, rocky cliffs,  rock formations, dense forests, colorful wildflowers, and the icy cold South Cheyenne Creek. The hike was peaceful, beautiful, not crowded, and most enjoyable.

 

Once you arrive at Seven Falls, there is an Eagle’s Nest platform for some great viewing opportunities a short distance from the actual falls. You can take the 180 steps up or ride the elevator to the overlook. The elevator passageway has several interesting photos, exhibits and artifacts regarding the history of the falls so I highly suggest at least popping in here for a few minutes, even if you do choose to take the steps up. Whichever route you take to the Eagle’s Nest, the views of Seven Falls are pretty awesome from this vantage point. #greatphotos!

051

When you exit the Eagle’s Nest, venture on to the base of the falls and experience the power of this water up close and personal. It is loud and powerful! From this point, the “more adventurous” can hike the 224-step stairway that leads alongside the falls for a closer view of the water and take advantage of hiking trails at the top. There are two nature hike trailheads above the falls (a one-hour trail and a 1/2-hour trail) that offer different views of the falls, the canyon, and the stream that feeds the falls.

The less athletic people (me!) can find several small shops near the falls that are filled with souvenirs, snacks, apparel, jewelry and minerals for purchase to commemorate your visit here. When your sightseeing has concluded, kick back and enjoy a snack or meal at the scenic Restaurant 1858 on the property. This rustic-styled restaurant is run by The Broadmoor and offers a varied menu – everything from salads, burgers and nachos to wood-grilled steak and trout. We had a late lunch here and really enjoyed it.

As you exit Seven Falls and walk (or ride) back down towards the gate through the canyon, look up and see if you can spot any zip-line cables, rope bridges, zip-liners, or wooden platforms high on the mountain sides. The Broadmoor’s Soaring Adventures offers zip-line tours of this canyon and falls area. If you desire to balance on rope bridges, zip-line over canyons, or rappel down rock cliffs – this may be for you! My family did this course one morning during our stay in Colorado Springs and LOVED it!!

My family and I certainly enjoyed our visit to Seven Falls. The actual waterfall and this gorgeous canyon has attracted visitors for over 160 years (since 1880) and now I see why.  I hope you get a chance to visit and see it all firsthand! 

IMG_20180708_112208846

Seven Falls is currently owned and operated by The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.

 

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Jul17

Colorado Springs, CO

073

My family and I just returned from a trip to Colorado and a visit to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The zoo was absolutely spectacular!

This zoo is located 6,800 ft. above sea level and is built on the side of a forested mountain with breathtaking views. It was founded in 1926 and is the highest zoo in the nation. It has recently been voted the 4th best zoo in the United States.  There are 15 main exhibits that cover over 140 acres and house over 170 different species of animals.  Each exhibit “mirrors” natural habitats in the wild and makes you feel like you are transported around the globe. 

IMG_20180708_142323897

One of the first areas after you enter the gates will be Encounter Africa. This award-winning exhibit puts you face-to-face with a dozen or so reticulated giraffes. These gentle, long-necked animals are eye-level and you can hand-feed them zoo-provided lettuce ($2-$5 purchase). Beware the long, slimy tongues but try to enjoy all the surprised looks when lettuce-feeders are freaked out! The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has the largest giraffe herd of any zoo in the country (16 of them!) due in part to their prolific breeding program (200 births in 6 years). This was an unforgettable experience for everyone in my family.

There are a number of other animal feedings that are offered throughout the park. We happened upon the elephant feeding ($15 for an apple and carrot).  This a once-in-a-lifetime experience and great photo op! We also fed seed-encrusted, peanut butter sticks to rooms full of parakeets in the Budgie Buddies exhibit. There was another feeding exhibition we happened upon in the Rocky Mountain Wild area. A zoo attendant was illustrating what one specific grizzly bear preferred to eat (she liked meat, watermelon, and peanut butter but did not like cucumber!). These bears were HUGE and frightening! We watched as this one female bear swatted away undesirable food offered by the attendant while the other grizzly swam, ran around, and scratched itself on a dead tree.  They were pretty entertaining….but still scary as hell! 

The one experience that my family will not soon forget was our animal encounter at the Australian Walkabout. This habitat houses emus and a tree kangaroo and is located on the uppermost part of the zoo. This is a fairly steep, though gradual, walk (beware calf muscles!). The main section is a grassy, gated-off area where adult and baby wallabies hop all around you. They recline, bask in the sun, dig in the grass, take baths, sit next to you, and jump all around with no fear whatsoever. Being up close and personal with wallabies is not something I get to do everyday in Texas! We loved this!!

I was also quite impressed with the Reptile House. I have never seen such artistic and beautiful reptile enclosures – backdrops, shiny tiles, glass sculptures, etc. It was most unusual and very interesting. A few of my other highlights included seeing a baby meerkat and wallaby, taking a selfie with a giraffe, getting up close to a moose and grizzly, and stopping every now and then to catch the gorgeous views of Colorado Springs below us. It was prefect weather and made for a great day!

There is so much more to write about this zoo, but I was just impressed by how extensive the park was and how well it is constructed. I honestly do not like even calling this a “zoo” since it doesn’t have that feel to it. It is rather compact, easy to navigate, and feels more like a wildlife sanctuary.  All the animals appear to be healthy and happy – though I certainly can’t speak for them. There are none of the small, concrete enclosures with distressed, pacing animals that have always bothered me and given many zoos a bad name. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo seems to give people a real sense of a natural habitat and doesn’t simply enclose the animals in cages for viewing. My family was impressed.

I hope that you get to visit Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the future. If you get the opportunity, I suggest you wear comfy shoes, take water and apply plenty of sunscreen. You will be glad you did!

091

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a non-profit and does not receive any local or public tax support. They participate in more than 30 Cooperative Species Survival Programs. The zoo is open 365 days a year.

Garden of the Gods

Apr21

Colorado Springs, CO

entrance with Pike’s Peak in background
Cathedral Valley

Garden of the Gods is a National Natural Landmark located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a great place to spend part of a day or a full day. You can choose to hike, go rock climbing, bike, ride horseback, or take a leisurely drive (like we did). There are 15 miles of well-marked trails (22 total) throughout the park.

local wildlife
Rock display
Visitor’s Center

We began at the Visitor & Nature Center and Museum at the park’s entrance. This is a wonderful building with geology, ecology, and cultural history exhibits. (Be sure to read about the 125 million-year-old, one-of-a-kind dinosaur fossil found here in 1886.) There are many hands-on exhibits and activities for adults and children. The visitor’s center also houses a gift shop, restrooms, a cafe, theater, and an information desk where you can pick up a free full-color trail map of the park. Step out of the center onto the observation deck for spectacular views of Garden of the Gods. This is the perfect spot to take a photo of the dramatic 300′ towering sandstone formations with the foothills of the Rockies and Pike’s Peak in the distance.  What a backdrop!

dino mural
buffalo
bear scat
photo op
one-of-a-kind dinosaur

When you leave the visitor’s center, the entrance to the park is across the highway. There is not an entrance fee – the park is free. 

Pike’s Peak in background
trail map
Balanced Rock

All the roads, trails and parking areas are well-marked and easy to find. Each turn seems to bring a different, amazing sight. All these rock formations were created by a geological upheaval 300 million years ago. The bright red, pink, gray and white rocks are various shapes and sizes – all motionless and silent. Many were tilted vertically and formed into “fin-like” spikes. Others have been toppled, slanted, pushed around, overturned and eroded.  Most of the rocks are sandstone, limestone or conglomerate and each one is a true masterpiece of Mother Nature.

Gray Rock
David on Balanced Rock
Three Graces
Kissing Camels (at the top)

As the road winds through the park, you can stop for photo ops and explore “Balanced Rock,” located right next to “Steamboat Rock.” Cathedral Valley houses the “Three Graces,” “Gray Rock,” “Sleeping Giant,” and “Kissing Camels” to name a few. There are plenty of pull-offs and parking areas throughout the park. We actually stopped at one trail head and hiked a short distance before having lunch at one of the many picnic areas. There are many trails for easy hikes if you want to check out all the natural flora and fauna. There are also more difficult trails for the athletically inclined people who want to do some actual rock climbing. 

David on a trail
hiking
red rocks

We chose to drive the park on our own this particular day. If interested, there are several other options for exploring the park: private car tours, bikes, jeeps, segways, ATV’s, luxury buses, or horseback. The Park Program also offers 45-minute Nature Walks and Nature Talks daily through the Visitor’s Center. Your call!

Pike’s Peak
mule deer

We truly had a wonderful day here and I will always remember the sight of those gigantic rock formations. The colors, shapes, and prehistoric-looking landscape will be difficult to forget. It reminds me of how powerful this earth can be, how old this planet actually is, and how land is constantly changing. I sincerely hope you have the opportunity to visit Garden of the Gods.

 

Please feel free to leave any comments! I hope you have enjoyed reading about my trip to Garden of the Gods. If you would like to read more about my dining or travel experiences, please subscribe to this blog. Thank you!