We found only 4 of 8 springs in Manitou Springs on a snowy March afternoon on a Saturday: Shoshone…read moreSpring (not working), Cheyenne Spring, Stratton Spring (my favorite), and this curious oddity. We would have never found it if it wasn't for a woman who saw us at the Cheyenne Spring drinking the water out of Cheyenne and trying to bottle it to take home. She said, "you gotta try the water at the Navajo Spring, it tastes like spicy carbonated water". When I asked her where it was, she said "right there!" and pointed to Navajo Spring a few feet away from where we were standing. I don't think we would have found this place unless it was pointed out to us as it's in a curious location, housed in a building where Patsy's Candy and Gift shop sits. The water here didn't taste that spicy to me, maybe more saltier than the Cheyenne's, but it was definitely carbonated. The history of this spring is fascinating. I got some information from The Mineral Springs Foundation: it was popular in the 1870s and young boys were hired to dip cups into the spring to quench the thirst of travelers and tourists. Cups and ladles on chains were also fastened to lower into the springs so everyone could taste the carbonated waters. The water from Navajo Springs were incorporated into Manitou Ginger Champagne, Manitou table water and cola drinks and were shipped all across the country by the Manitou Mineral Water Company. I was so enamored by the fact that this historical spring sits right in the middle of a candy store (outside and accessible) and right next door to an old-fashioned penny arcade! Right below our feet we could see the spring rushing by through the wooden floor slats. Amazing. Here's to 154 years of good health! I hope the springs stick around for another 150 years or more!

This was my favorite mineral spring in Manitou because of the sculpture, the interesting way we…read morefound it, and it just says "magic" to me. We only found 4 out of the 8 springs in town, but that's because we were walking around in snow and it was getting late. Prior to finding this spring (by accident) - This particular spring makes a high pitch noise that I mistook for birds screeching, so we walked over to investigate, and here it was! We also found the Shoshone Spring (not working), Cheyenne Spring and the Navajo Spring. All of these springs have their own stories. According to the Mineral Springs Foundation, this particular spring was named after Winfried Scott Stratton, who struck it rich with gold in the early 1900's. When he died he left his fortune of several millions of dollars to indigent children and the elderly. "On February 21, 1936, at a depth of 283 feet, sparkling soda water was struck flowing at 25 gallons per minute. Today, Stratton Spring stands as one of Manitou's iconic mineral spring assets along its downtown corridor, ensuring Winfield Scott Stratton's legacy. (from Mineral Springs Foundation webpage)" The water here is sparkling, but not as salty as the Cheyenne Spring. It had the mildest taste of all the springs in town and the sodium, potassium and calcium content here was less than all of the other springs.

You will find this natural spring right on the Manitou Springs strip near the traffic circle. It…read morenot only serves as a spring but is also has a nice sculpture on it. The bronze sculpture depicts a lady, known as "the maiden of the water", bending over. The statue is on a semicircular pedestal and under a semi-circular pergola. It is a very nice spring set-up and draws you to the spring. The statue, spring, and little plaza area that it is located could use a little TLC and is in need of some maintenance. It is still operational, but just needs some attention. The spring is named in honor of Winfield Scott Stratton, who became the region's first self-made millionaire in 1891, after discovering a huge payload of 1.3 million ounces of gold. In 1936 his Foundation drilled the Spring in his honor after his untimely death in 1902. The spring flows at about 25 gallons per minute and appeared to having air coming out with the water as evident from its hissing. It has a seltzer water taste, and this and water from the other springs are rumored to have healing properties. The water is an acquired taste, but drinkable. This is not a very long stop and is one of many springs in the area. This is something that you would probably just stumble across and not a destination. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance from here but I recommend combining a stop here with other activities like a visit to the tourist strip, with shops and restaurants, that it is located. The good news is that you can fill your water bottles here as well as look at a nice piece of street art. It is definitely worth a look if you are in the area.

this is a fun little adventure. Historic waterfall park. It is seasonal so pay attention to that…read more It is worth the little hike very beautiful and peaceful. It is under a graditi bridge that is the only thing that takes away from nature but still very cool. There are also some little caves nearby just be careful can be slippery and bears and or people living in them

For me personally, this was a fun trip because we were able to enjoy nature and hike up the…read moremountain to the Falls since there weren't any parking spaces. HOWEVER, I noticed around lunch time spaces open up. So if you're wanting to plan it where you don't have to park in Manitou Springs then walk all the way up, go during lunch! My experience started rocky, pun intended. We arrive at 9:15 not knowing they didn't open until 10 and that's when we noticed there's hardly any parking spots inside that gate. My mom had already tried to visit 3 times before this most recent but didn't have time to wait for a spot to open, so she had to leave. Anyway, the Rainbow Falls attendant came out and told us to drive around until 10 and come back. Which we did. And when we came back, right at 10, every spot was taken as we knew would happen. It was frustrating at first. After we backed out, we decided to find a spot in town and just walk, mind you had a five year old with us and didn't know if she would be able to hang it there. It was also getting in the 90s, super hot. Thankfully, we all had brought water bottles so we were able to hike it. It really was a beautiful walk, at times there's weren't sidewalks so we had to walk in the road with traffic. There's also construction going on, a bit of a mess but we made the best of it and decided to soak in the nature! Once we reached the Falls, BEAUTIFUL!!! It was very cold and I would recommend wearing crocs or shoes you can walk in the water with, there's rocks that will hurt. For us, it was perfect since we were hiking up and down the mountain to get to/from our vehicle, so the water felt great and refreshing. We came on a Saturday right as they opened, perhaps during the week might be better, parking wise? If hiking sounds like your ideal thing, then DO ITTTT. Plan to pay for parking in town and take your time walking, it's worth it :)

Quaint, hipster little town. It has some local shops, as well as some touristy type places to buy…read moresouvenirs. The view is nice, with this town being at the base of the mointaind. It has a nice little mountain vibe and it's fun to walk from one end to the other to browse the shops.

Manitou Springs is an adorable, quaint little Rocky Mountain village outside of Colorado Springs…read morethat is a *must* for folks who enjoy an active lifestyle. The stairway to heaven known as the Manitou Incline https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-incline-manitou-springs is here, as well as nearby Cave of the Winds https://www.yelp.com/biz/cave-of-the-winds-mountain-park-manitou-springs, Pike's Peak https://www.yelp.com/biz/pikes-peak-americas-mountain-cascade-2 and Garden of the Gods https://www.yelp.com/biz/garden-of-the-gods-visitor-and-nature-center-colorado-springs with all of their trails and scenic views. Plus, you can sip from several different naturally carbonated springs http://manitoumineralsprings.org/pdf_files/brochure.pdf and eat some fabulous meals & desserts at the numerous quirky restaurants on the main drag. When you're ready to slow down, you can visit one of 11 art galleries. Almost everything is accessible on foot or via the free shuttle system that circulates through town. It's about 75 miles or a 90-minute drive from Denver (depending on traffic), but if you have the extra time and don't want to drive or park, you can take a Bustang $12 fare South Line https://www.ridebustang.com/south-line bus into Colorado Springs and from there catch the $2 fare #3 shuttle into Manitou https://coloradosprings.gov/sites/default/files/rt3_spweb2018.pdf. Free parking is available at Memorial Park https://www.yelp.com/biz/memorial-park-manitou-springs, from which you can take a free shuttle https://www.yelp.com/biz/bus-system-mountain-metropolitan-transit-colorado-springs-2 into town, the Incline, or the Pike's Peak Cog stop, but walking most of the village itself is totally doable from the park if you are fit. Don't forget your refillable bottles for the spring water! More helpful links (since Yelp doesn't want to update the biz listing to include a relevant URL): Mineral Springs CC & Visitor's Bureau https://manitousprings.org/ Mineral Springs Foundation http://manitoumineralsprings.org Mineral Springs City Government http://www.manitouspringsgov.com/

It was closed when we visited March 2024 (also snowing). Apparently there are 8 natural springs in…read moreManitou Springs, and each spring has it's own distinct flavor. We only found four of them - Shoshone, Navajo, Cheyenne and Stratton. It's a bit magical to find spring water pouring out of the earth for you to drink, but not so much as this fountain. I'm still rating it a good 4-stars. It's probably open when it's not freezing, is my guess. Close to this spring is the Navajo (in a restaurant area) and Cheyenne (off the main strip), and those were working.

A good attraction! A great location! It appears that it can be a hangout for vagrants though!read more

If you are near Manitou Springs area, I would recommend visiting the Dwellings. It's self guided…read moreonce you pay the entrance fee. There are small informational signs around the area to let you know more about what you are looking at or you can download the auto tour. The Pueblo building holds pottery, photos, and artifacts. There is a very large gift shop. Bathrooms are located in that building as well.

After finishing the tours at Cave of the Winds Mountain Park, I decided to stop right next door at…read morethe Manitou Cliff Dwellings, and I'm so glad I did. The cliff dwellings are incredible to see up close. They're modeled after ancient Ancestral Puebloan structures (often associated with Southwest tribes like the Navajo), and walking through them really gives you a sense of how people lived long ago. One thing that stood out to me was seeing how small the doorways and rooms were -- it really shows how much shorter people were back then! What I loved most was the self-guided audio tour you can use on your phone. As you walk through, you just select the number for each section and it explains the history and significance of that area. It was super informative and easy to follow, and I liked being able to go at my own pace. I love history, so being able to take my time and really listen made the experience even better. The gift shop is huge and honestly impressive. They had beautiful handmade items inspired by Native American craftsmanship, along with the usual souvenirs like stickers, books, and t-shirts. But they also had unique items like jewelry, coffee, honey, and so many locally inspired pieces. It's basically a full building packed with things to browse. Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this stop. It was educational, interesting, and worth the time. I would definitely come back -- and I might bring my husband next time when he has a day off. If you love history, this is a must-stop when you're in the area.

The Manitou Incline is a hike near Colorado Springs, Colorado, featuring 2,768 steps climbing…read morenearly 2,000 vertical feet in under a mile, with grades up to 68%. The Manitou Incline is not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for a serious workout with jaw-dropping views, this is the hike for you. What makes it amazing is panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the town of Manitou Springs at the top. The trail is well-marked, and the incline attracts a mix of serious hikers, runners, and tourists, which gives it a fun energy. Parking is a challenge as the lot was full and we parked in the town of Manitou Springs and walked about a mile to get to the incline. The website made it seem like the hike required reservations and there were not any available, so I was not sure if I was going to get to hike. However, once I got to the incline I was able to do the hike at my leisure. Whether you're looking for a bucket-list hike, an intense workout, or just a chance to experience Colorado's beauty up close, the Manitou Incline delivers an amazing experience.

Park at Hiawatha Gardens - $25 Parking for 4 hours and get free shuttle bus to the Incline. There…read moreshould be other better parking options, I think we're paying too much for that. Very steep steps, not many shaded areas for you to take a break. The view is okay, conquer the Incline is more on personal pride, not for the view. I don't think the view on the summit is awesome. there are few spot for you to bailout, 395 steps, 1300 and 1800. So, no pressure, just take the trail down whenever you feel like it.

A must to visit while in Colorado Springs. The visitor center is kid friendly and has lots of…read moreeducational fun facts for kids. We took a 45 min guided shuttle tour, which was a perfect amount of time for kids! Lots of trails, I will try next time

The visitor center offers a good view of the Garden of the Gods from afar. It's two floors. At the…read morefirst floor, there's a theater that shows how the Garden of the Gods came to be. Though this is not free, it's worth checking out since the theater is small and you're surrounded by very big screens. The second floor houses the gift shop which has stuffed toys, books, shirts, mugs, rocks, and other souvenir items. The cafe and restrooms are also here. There's another part that has an exhibit of flora/fauna around the area. The Garden of the Gods is beautiful. The paths were very easy to follow. Came here in February; it was not busy but we heard that during peak seasons, it can get very crowded. This is definitely worth visiting.

Walking into the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce felt like being welcomed by old friends who…read moreactually want to help you have the best trip ever. Right there on Manitou Avenue, the staff greeted us with big smiles and hooked us up with maps, guides, and the kind of insider tips only locals know--like where to find hidden waterfalls and the best spots for hot springs. They weren't just helpful, they were genuinely excited to share their town. Whether it was pointing us toward quirky shops or telling us about the famous Emma Crawford Coffin Races, they made planning our days easy and fun. It felt less like an office and more like a hub of mountain energy and good vibes. If you're heading to Manitou Springs, this is the place to start--five stars for making us feel right at home and ready for adventure.

Outstanding service!! I do appreciate all the tips provided for a great day at Manitou Springs…read more The staff was so nice and helpful. I definitely will come back when visiting. I got maps for free and the lady even highlighted great points of interest for us!

Came to City Hall for an event hosted by my local cat shelter. This was one of the most affordable…read morevenues in the areas, which is important for a non-profit. However, the venue is a bit tired and could use some sprucing up...it's just super basic and a bit tired. The restrooms however were clean and updated.

Unprofessional at every level. I recently had dealings with city hall and was disappointed by the…read moreservice. The employees were unprofessional and unhelpful, making the experience frustrating and time-consuming. The wait times were also excessively long to get responses by any form of communication. Overall, I was left with a negative impression. This is not a place to bring your business, as City Hall does everything possible to prevent you from opening a business here. I hope that the City takes steps to improve the quality of service and facilities at the city hall to benefit its residents and encourage businesses to revitalize this failing City.