Manitou Springs, a historic mountain town nestled at the base of Pikes Peak, offers a blend of natural beauty and preserved Victorian charm. Located in a scenic canyon just west of Colorado Springs, the town’s main thoroughfare is lined with colorful, historic buildings that reflect its late 19th-century origins. This setting creates an engaging experience for visitors seeking both outdoor adventure and a walkable, culturally rich environment.
Exploring the Historic Downtown
The heart of Manitou Springs is its walkable downtown, a lively stretch of Manitou Avenue filled with unique shops and local eateries. Visitors can browse a variety of specialty boutiques, art galleries, and souvenir shops housed in the town’s preserved Victorian architecture. The dining scene ranges from casual cafes to more refined options, offering everything from gourmet coffee to multi-course fondue experiences.
The Manitou Springs Penny Arcade is a nostalgic stop featuring a vast collection of over 400 games. These include antique penny machines, classic pinball, and retro favorites like Pac-Man and Skee-Ball. Many vintage machines still operate on their original coin denominations, providing an affordable trip back in time.
Scattered throughout the downtown area are eight naturally carbonated mineral springs. These springs are the town’s namesake, with the water rising from deep underground aquifers where it is infused with carbon dioxide and various minerals. The carbonic acid in the water creates a natural effervescence as it erodes the surrounding limestone and granite.
Each of the eight springs offers a unique flavor profile due to its mineral composition. For instance, Iron Spring is known for its high iron content, which gives the water a coppery or metallic taste. In contrast, the 7-Minute Spring is the most mild, offering a flavor closest to regular water with only a hint of mineral flavoring. Sampling the waters from the artist-decorated fonts connects visitors to the town’s history as a 19th-century health resort.
Adventures and Natural Wonders
For the active traveler, the Manitou Incline presents an extreme physical challenge. This hiking trail is composed of approximately 2,750 steps, which are the remnants of an old funicular railway track. The trail gains over 2,000 feet of elevation in less than one mile, with an average grade of 45% and sections reaching a steep 68%.
The Incline attracts athletes and fitness enthusiasts from around the world. Hikers must make a free online reservation to access the trail. The descent is typically made via the gentler, three-mile Barr Trail that connects at the summit. The reward for the strenuous climb is a view of Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs, and the plains stretching eastward.
Just a short drive from downtown, the Cave of the Winds Mountain Park features a historic cave system, first explored in 1881. Visitors can take guided tours to see underground formations like stalactites and flowstone. The family-friendly Discovery Tour is electrically lit, while the more adventurous Lantern Tour navigates darker, narrower passages.
Beyond the subterranean exploration, the park offers several attractions perched on the edge of Williams Canyon. These include the Wind Walker Challenge Course, a ropes course suspended 600 feet above the canyon floor, and the Terror-dactyl, a ride that launches guests off a 200-foot cliff face. Manitou Springs also serves as a gateway to Pikes Peak, with the Barr Trail trailhead starting in town for those attempting the difficult 13.5-mile hike to the summit.
Historical and Cultural Sites
The Manitou Cliff Dwellings showcase the architecture of the Ancestral Puebloans. The structures were originally located in McElmo Canyon in the southwestern corner of Colorado, near Mesa Verde. In the early 1900s, preservationists carefully dismantled the dwellings stone by stone and relocated them to Manitou Springs to protect them from looting and erosion.
The reconstructed dwellings allow visitors to walk directly through the multi-room structures, providing an educational experience about the Ancestral Puebloan people. Adjacent to the dwellings, a museum displays authentic artifacts, pottery, and tools from the Four Corners region. The site was preserved and relocated to protect and showcase the fine stonework architecture.
Another architectural landmark is the Miramont Castle Museum, a 14,000-square-foot National Historic Landmark built in 1895. The castle was originally the private residence of Father Jean Baptist Francolon, a French-born Catholic priest. Its design blends nine architectural styles, including Romanesque, English Tudor, Byzantine, and Moorish, all crafted from locally quarried greenstone.
The castle now operates as a historic house museum, with over 30 rooms furnished to reflect the Victorian era. Visitors can take a self-guided tour to appreciate the architectural details and learn about the town’s history. The castle, along with the many preserved Queen Anne hotels downtown, highlights Manitou Springs’ past as a health resort established in the 1870s.