Hidden At The Base Of Colorado's Pikes Peak Is An Artsy City With Mineral Springs And Quirky Charm

Just outside of Colorado Springs, America's Olympic City, and near the base of Pikes Peak is the charming mountain town of Manitou Springs. It has easy access to some incredible hiking and biking, a downtown full of art galleries and boutiques, and a rich history. Manitou Springs is a part of the traditional territory of the Ute people; they're said to have given Pikes Peak the name "Tava," which means "Sun Mountain," since it was the first peak the sun hit every morning. By 1872, Manitou Springs was founded by Dr. William Bell and General William Palmer as a health and wellness destination; tuberculosis patients in particular came here since altitude can help with the symptoms of the disease.

Others came here to take advantage of the bubbling mineral waters that gave the town its name. The water is naturally carbonated and contains minerals like iron, calcium bicarbonate, manganese, and more. The water is thought to have healing properties, and it's been used for gut ailments, skin issues, and more. The indigenous people who lived in the area long before European contact used the water and saw it, and the area, as sacred. There are currently eight different mineral springs throughout the city where you can sample the water for free. Each one has a slightly different taste, depending on the minerals in the water.

To learn more about the city, stop by the free Manitou Springs Heritage Museum near Memorial Park. There's also the elaborate, four-story Miramont Castle Museum that takes you back to the Victorian era when it was built and features exhibits on the area's history. It also has a popular tea room serving high tea.

Along with taking a tour of the public fountains of Manitou Springs, you can soak in the healing mineral waters at SunWater Spa. You can reserve a 90-minute session in one of the private cedar tubs for up to four people. The spa also has services like the chocolate truffle body wrap, sound healing massage, and couples' hot stone massage, and it hosts events like a monthly full moon celebration and candlelight infrared recovery yoga.

Another classic Manitou Springs activity is a visit to the Manitou Springs Penny Arcade in downtown. It dates back to the 1930s and some of its 400 games date back to before the arcade was opened. What's best is that the prices haven't changed much over the decades; you'll spend less than $2 per game with some still costing just a penny.

The little town's also got some quirky annual events. Each January, there's the fruitcake toss where participants catapult fruitcakes. ​​Labor Day weekend is the Commonwheel Art Festival, which attracts artists from around the country. And in late October, there's the Emma Crawford Coffin Races; Crawford was one of the tuberculosis patients who came to Manitou Springs in the late 1800s. She was buried on top of Red Mountain; however, her coffin came down the mountain in 1929 after heavy rain storms. There's now a parade and race through downtown in her name.

Manitou Springs has a reputation for being an artistic bohemian enclave as well as a metaphysical hub. So if you're in the market for sage, crystals, tarot cards, and the like, Manitou Springs has you covered at shops like The Cauldron. Then there's Anna's Apothecary, which sells gem elixirs, tinctures, herbal teas, and organic skin care products, and at Aurathentic, you can have your chakras balanced and your aura read. For the artsy side of the city, explore work by local artists downtown at the Commonwheel Artists Co-op and Green Horse Gallery. The Manitou Art Center features rotating exhibits, makerspaces, and art classes.

With all the sightseeing and shopping, you're bound to work up an appetite. Toasted is open for breakfast and lunch with indoor and outdoor seating available. It's got great sandwiches and large breakfast burritos. For lunch and dinner, Crystal Park Cantina is a family-owned Mexican restaurant, and the Manitou Brewing Company has nearly 20 of their craft beers on tap along with food like burgers, tacos, and chicken wings. For those with a sweet tooth, Rocky Mountain Beignets and Colorado Custard Company are both popular.

There's no escaping the view of Pikes Peak from Manitou Springs. There are a number of ways to get up to the 14,115-foot summit, which inspired Katharine Lee Bates to write "America the Beautiful" in 1893. Take the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the top; the legendary railroad has been in service since 1891. Driving is an option; the steep road has plenty of switchbacks and there aren't guardrails. Make sure your car is in good shape, and make sure you have at least half a tank of gas. For a physical challenge, you can hike to the top via the Barr Trail; it's nearly 24 miles out and back. However you get to the top, the views from the Visitor Center on Pikes Peak are incredible, and if it's clear, you can see up to five states. It's about 30 degrees Fahrenheit cooler at the top than at the bottom, so make sure you bring layers.

Another iconic Manitou Springs attraction is the Manitou Incline, considered one of America's most difficult hikes. It's more than 2,000 vertical feet over less than a mile with the steepest grade at 68%. There are a couple of places where you can bail out as needed. Once at the top, after you've congratulated yourself and are taking in the views, you hike 3 miles of the Barr Trail back down. It's free, but reservations are required. Parking near the trailhead does cost.

With the elevation at Manitou Springs starting at around 6,400 feet, you'll probably want to take it easy at first. Consider saving your Pikes Peak summit trip or Manitou Incline hike for a few days into your vacation to help you acclimate.

While the Manitou Incline and Pikes Peak may get a lot of attention when it comes to Manitou Springs recreation, there are more options nearby. The Red Rock Canyon Open Space is on the border between Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs and right off Highway 24. It has a number of looping and intersecting trails of varying difficulties, so you can mix and match your hiking or biking adventure into something new each time you visit. Another must-visit hiking spot is Garden of the Gods; the free city park rivals national parks with its red rocks beauty. It's just about a five-minute drive from downtown to the park, and there are over 20 miles of trails, both paved and unpaved.

The Cave of the Winds Mountain Park has been an area attraction since the limestone caves in Williams Canyon were discovered in the 1880s. You can explore the caves on guided tours, choosing from a family-friendly option, one with ghost stories, and one where you get dirty climbing and crawling through undeveloped parts of the cave system. The park has expanded over the years beyond the caves themselves; it's really a full-on adventure destination with a via ferrata, aerial obstacle course, and a thrilling canyon swing.

For more high-flying fun, Adventures Out West has popular ziplining tours near Manitou Springs. There's nothing quite like getting a bird's eye view of the mountainside. The company also runs Segway, Jeep, and hiking tours in the area.

While you can make Manitou Springs a day trip from Colorado Springs or even Denver, it also has some great spots to stay the night. One standout is The Cliff House at Pikes Peak. It was an inn built not long after Manitou Springs became a city. It's now a 54-room boutique hotel where some of the suites have fireplaces and soaking tubs big enough for two.

Manitou Springs is about a 30-minute drive from the Colorado Springs Airport and about 1.5 hours from the Denver International Airport. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Manitou Springs area every year with summer as the busiest time. Downtown and other popular spots will get crowded, particularly on weekends. It's paid parking in the city year-round. If you can, use the free year-round shuttle to get to many of the Manitou Springs hotspots to help cut down on traffic and time spent searching for a parking space.

If you're traveling to Manitou Springs with kids during summer and fall, consider adding on a visit to The North Pole — Santa's Workshop, a 10-minute drive from Manitou Springs. It's an amusement park that first opened in the 1950s, and it's full of vintage charm. It's home to the world's highest-elevation Ferris wheel as well as other fun rides. And if you keep heading into the mountains on Highway 24 for another 10 minutes past The North Pole, you'll get to Green Mountain Falls, a small mountain town with miles of hiking trails and more great art.