Travel with Terri
Colorado Springs…O Beautiful!
By Terri Farris
Photos by Greg Holder
“O beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain. For purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain. America! America! God shed His grace on thee and crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.”
Imagine a place beautiful enough to inspire these words. In 1893 Katharine Lee Bates, a professor and poet, agreed to join a wagon expedition to the summit of Pikes Peak. At the summit the view left her in complete awe and admiration. She immediately wrote the poem that became the anthem “America the Beautiful” which led to Pike’s Peak becoming known as “America’s Mountain”.
Colorado Springs and the Pike’s Peak region is a destination filled with beauty and grandeur so enticing that General William Jackson Palmer, a Civil War hero from Pennsylvania, wrote to his wife upon first sight of the area in 1870 “Could one live in constant view of these grand mountains without being elevated by them into a lofty plane of thought and purpose?” He was so enticed by the stunning scenic beauty he began planning the city of his dreams – a resort community that today – more than 130 years later – is visited by millions.
Appropriately labeled the gateway to southern Colorado’s “Outdoor Adventure Play Land”, Colorado Springs and the Pike’s Peak region is filled with options for outdoor activities. With over 300 days of sunshine and moderate temperatures, the area is perfect for hiking, biking, horseback riding and numerous other outdoor pursuits. www.visitcos.com
In November 1806, American explorer Zebulon Montgomery Pike traveled through the area and is credited with discovering Pike’s Peak. He and his group attempted to reach the summit but were unsuccessful without the proper dress or equipment. The summit is 14,110 feet and the trek to the summit is memorable no matter what method of transportation you use to reach it. Regarded as one of Americas’ top scenic drives, taking a car to the top of America’s mountain requires – at the very least – a very alert driver! Most of the 19 mile highway is without guard rails and with the twists and turns in the road it looks as if you will drive right off into the clouds! While the ascent is thrilling the descent is even more so. Vertical drops, narrow lanes and controlled two-way traffic results in a thrill ride better than any roller coaster. In fact, there are t-shirts in the gift shop on the mountain with the motto “Real Men Don’t Need Guard Rails”!
The summit can also be reached via the Manitou Springs and Pike’s Peak Cog Railway. With tracks running along the edge of the mountain and unsurpassed views of the land below, the railroad is the way to go for those not up for the challenge of driving without guard rails. www.cograilway.com
There is also an option for the classic over-achiever – The Assault on the Peak. A bicycle race to the summit. One of the most challenging cycling events in the world, the 18.5 mile route ascends 6,360 vertical feet from the base of Pikes Peak to its 14,110 foot summit. Now that is a challenge! www.RidePikesPeak.com
Colorado Springs has an abundance of activities and attractions off the mountain as well. Many of the original homestead ranches are now authentic dude ranches. The Pike’s Peak or Bust annual rodeo held each July showcases the area’s Wild West Heritage. The rodeo is one of the nation’s premier rodeo competitions and features many other activities including a Chuck Wagon Cook Off competition. www.coloradospringsrodeo.com
Keep an eye out for wildlife while in the area. At any juncture visitors may spot red fox, bobcats deer or bears. If you want to be assured of a wildlife spotting, there are three excellent options. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of the largest breeding zoos in the nation. One of the zoo’s highlights is the opportunity to hand feed the giraffe herd. www.cmzoo.org
A visit to The Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center is another place to go for an amazing look at wildlife from the area. The center is an operating wolf sanctuary and provides educational walking tours and an option for a private photo session with the wolves. www.wolfeducation.org
There is also the Serenity Springs Wildlife Center, a big cat sanctuary with over 120 big and exotic cat species. Tours are offered as well as package options to view the cats being fed and photo sessions. Many of these beautiful cats were used in films and commercials. www.serenityspringswildlife.org
Just below Pike’s Peak is the Garden of the Gods. This amazing public park is filled with spectacular red rock formations. The huge boulders are tilted and balanced in the most unusual ways. There are numerous trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Due to the steep rock formations, rock climbing is a popular activity within the park. Visitors can also drive through the park to view the spectacular rock formations. In August 1859 two surveyors were assisting with the set up of nearby Colorado City. In their explorations of the region they discovered this site. One of the surveyors, M. S. Beach, declared it would be a “capital place for a beer garden”. His companion, Rufus Cable, was awestruck by the impressive rock formations and exclaimed, “Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the gods to assemble. We will call it Garden of the Gods.” There is no beer garden here, but it truly seems as if the gods could assemble in this spectacular place! www.gardenofgods.com
In a place as beautiful as Colorado Springs no ordinary hotel will do and the Garden of the Gods Club is anything but ordinary! While the Club is private, anyone is welcome to reserve lodging in one of the 69 spacious rooms and suites as well as 18 golf cottages. Guests of the club have access to superior amenities including a full-service spa, 27 holes of championship golf at Kissing Camels Golf Course and a state-of-the-art fitness center. During the summer months, the resort’s Recreation Center features a junior Olympic-sized pool, cabanas and a recreation room. There are also four tennis courts, a basketball/soccer court and a children’s playground. After all the fresh air and exercise, guests can choose a casual gourmet dining experience in the Kissing Camels Grille overlooking the golf course or celebrate with a special dining experience in the Main Dining Room with stunning views of the Garden of the Gods Park and Pike’s Peak. The amenities are unquestionably extraordinary, but even they cannot compete with the views. Imagine enjoying breakfast on the balcony or patio of your room overlooking the spectacular cliffs, towers, red rock formations and Pike’s Peak. You may never want to leave! www.gardenofthegodsclub.com
Terri is a freelance writer with regular columns on travel, chocolate and bar reviews. She is busy each month visiting new places to bring unique travel destinations and events to you. Yes, it is a sacrifice – but she is willing to do that for her readers! You can see more of Terri’s writing at www.examiner.com where she is the National Chocolate Examiner and at www.barzz.net. You can contact Terri at [email protected].