Colorado Springs, What Shall We Do Today
Written: Aug 21 '01 (Updated Aug 23 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Convenient to lot of places on the Front Range, great views of the mountains.
Cons: Takes time to get used to the altitude and dryness.
The Bottom Line: Great base for a visit to Colorado. There is a lot to do without ever strapping on skis.
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| thedragonweyr's Full Review: Colorado |
The Chief Dragon in Residence has been resident at the Weyr West, in Colorado Springs, CO, for the better part of the last six months awaiting the Dragon Consort’s transfer back east. Now that her time in this interesting state is coming to an end, she has decided to share some of what she considers its more fascinating features with her devoted readers. As her tastes run more to geology, natural history and perusal of fine arts and crafts, don’t expect to get a detailed account of the Air Force Academy, the Cripple Creek casinos, or the U.S. Olympic Training Center. All of these attractions are here as well, she just did not want to take time away from stalking prairie dogs at Fountain Creek Regional Park to go see.
It is possible to make many day trips from Colorado Springs and get more than enough visual stimulation to make the drive and expenditure of pricey gasoline well worth it. Colorado Springs is located on the high plains, an hour and a half south of Denver but higher in altitude, at the base of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The majestic Rockies form a solid wall of granite to the immediate west of town and Pike’s Peak towers over the city and is visible from nearly everywhere in town. This is the most famous, if not the tallest, mountain in the state. You can drive to the summit on a toll road and hob-nob with hordes of other visitors, if mingling with trapped tourists floats your boat. However, if you, like CDR and Consort prefer less crowded and commercialized destinations you will not be disappointed. There are countless spots to visit that you will not have to share with the unwashed multitudes.
THE GARDEN OF THE GODS
This magnificent 1,300-acre example of erosion and uplift at work is located just west of town, where the elevation rises and Route 24 begins to climb over Ute Pass. Because this wonderful park was a gift to the city by its original owner with the stipulation that it always be available for everyone to enjoy, admission is free and the entire area is easily accessible by automobile, on foot or bicycle, or on horseback. It is possible to spend hours driving around the huge and impressive red sandstone monuments, stopping at pull-offs to hike or just sit and stare in awe-struck silence.
If you enter on the east side you will find the Visitor Center at the main entrance (1809 N. 30th Street). This large and attractive building houses gift shops, inter-active interpretative exhibits, a restaurant, and very clean restrooms. It is a good idea to start your adventure here the first time you visit. You will gain a greater understanding of the local history, both Native American and European and how this natural wonder came to be. You will also learn what wildlife to be alert for and gain a greater appreciation of how closely connected the geology, zoology, and botany are in such arid areas.
Expect to see deer, prong-horn antelopes, and many different birds. Some large predators come down out of the hills (around here, great mountains are called “hills” by the locals) so don’t be surprised if you see a brown bear, bob cat or even a mountain lion.
Hiking is easy to extremely difficult. If you are tempted to climb on the rocks, be advised that a permit is required and if you get stuck you will have to pay for a rescue. Chopper rescue is fairly expensive and can devastate a holiday budget in about a heartbeat.
One of the nicest ways to visit the Garden of the Gods is on horseback. A rental stable, Academy Riding Stables (719-633-5667 for reservations) is located on the south-western corner of the park. The horses are gentle and well used to the rough terrain and the guides are very friendly and knowledgeable. The cost for one hour is $30. However for $45 you can ride for two hours and really get to see a lot more. It is not necessary to be an experienced rider or even have ever been on a horse before but you must be over the age of eight and not weigh more than 250 pounds. On horseback you will be able to climb over some of the fantastic rock formations and will see quite a lot of wildlife. This is a wonderful way to really experience the Garden of the Gods without getting tired from hiking in the thin air. Leave your cell phones in the car, the ringing annoys the horses and you will have to turn them off anyway before you mount up.
CAÑON CITY, COLORADO, WHERE THE DINOSAURS ROAM
The Chief Dragon has been availing herself of a plethora of day trips, primarily to view geology uncluttered by the east coast overburden of lush greenery. As this state is pretty arid and deficient in oxygen there is a genuine dearth of trees and shrubbery covering the underpinnings. Consequently is it possible to study fascinating rock formations without having to resort to a good flaming to facilitate the viewing or confine oneself to highway and railroad exposures.
As you may or may not be aware, Colorado is just lousy with dinosaur fossils. It is here that the famous (and enormously embarrassing to their respective academic affiliations) Bone Wars between Cope and Marsh took place. At the dawn of the science of Paleontology, in the mid-19th Century, Cope of the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences and Marsh of Yale University were locked in mortal combat, each striving to be the first with the most, biggest and oldest bones, most species discovered and named, etc. Their competition was unfriendly to say the least, but resulted in some really fine discoveries.
Today it is possible to retrace their steps and actually visit the quarries in Fremont County where some of their greatest finds were unearthed. Naturally, if there had been a greater spirit of cooperation between these two brilliant men, lots more fossils would have been dug out, crated, and sent back east. Because of their animosity, nightly raids between quarries became a normal part of the digging season. As the two Fremont County quarries are situated a scant 3000 feet apart along Four Mile Creek, these commando raids were all too often successful, resulting in destroyed finds and not a little bloodshed.
Cañon City, where you will start your Colorado dinosaur search, is about an hour’s drive south of Colorado Springs, on Route 115. If you start your tour at the Municipal Museum on Royal Gorge Parkway, you will get an overview of the area and also get to see some wonderful fossils and minerals. Admission is $1.50 per person and they are closed on Mondays.
From the museum you can walk two blocks south to the Dinosaur Depot. This museum is staffed by volunteers and has working paleontologists preparing fossils for study and exhibit. Admission is $3.00 for adults and their hours vary with the season. During the summer they are open every day. Here you will be able to learn about the various important dinosaur discoveries that have been made locally as well as see fossils of some of the big ones. The famous find of an entire articulated Stegosaurus skeleton was discovered less than ten miles away. This is the fossil that showed paleontologists that they had it all wrong about how this creature was put together. We now know that this animal was capable of quick movements and was not a “tail-dragger.”
When you leave the Dinosaur Depot you can go visit the actual quarries where many of the fossils were unearthed. The staff at the Depot will be happy to give you a map and brochure (go north on Royal Gorge Parkway to the Burger King and take a left. Follow the signs to Red Rock Park, the quarries are about 8 miles west, look for them after you drive over the cattle guard onto BLM land. If you get to Red Rock Park you went too far). If you plan to do this, be sure to dress for hiking in rough country and bring water. To really appreciate the enormous task it was to dig dinosaur fossils you need to get down into the bottom of the dry wash and do some climbing. If this interests you, the effort will be worthwhile. There are interpretative displays at both quarries that do a decent job of identifying the Morrison Formation, but at a very superficial level. If your interest goes beyond the most basic, bring along your own research materials to get the most of the visit. There are toilet facilities at the Cleveland Quarry (the first on the right) that consist of pits under commodes. They are surprisingly not too fragrant and there was T.P. On two visits to both quarries the CDR and Consort did not encounter anything more menacing than a few grasshoppers and some lizards but rattlesnakes do live here, so be alert.
A CAVEAT
The dinosaur quarries are located on public grazing land under the administration of the Bureau of Land Management. All fossil collecting is prohibited except with a permit. Even with a permit, any fossils found are the exclusive property of the Federal Government and Dinosaur Depot. If you want to collect, you must locate private land and secure permission before digging. Fosicking without permission on privately-owned land could be fatal.
THE ROYAL GORGE
Once in Cañon City, if you have no interest in hiking in quarries, a very nice alternative is to visit the Royal Gorge. This attraction is located a few miles south of town and really is impossible to miss (unlike the quarries). Follow the signs through the State Park land and soon you will be at a large parking lot and the main entrance. The suspension bridge over the Arkansas River is privately owned. If you want to walk or drive across it you will have to pay for the privilege. The cost is steep, $14/adult during the summer and two adults for $20 off-season, but worth every penny!
The bridge is over 1000 feet above the Arkansas River and sways rather violently in the wind. Included in the admission price is access to the funicular railroad that will take you 1,053 feet, almost straight down, into the bottom of the gorge and the cable car that crosses the gorge next to the bridge. They also have food stands, a restaurant, theater, some children’s rides, and very clean and abundant rest rooms. Unless you like crowds don’t go during the summer season. May is a great time to visit, you won’t have to stand in line and the weather will be cool but spring like.
Another way to experience the grandeur of the Royal Gorge is to take the two-hour scenic railroad tour. This narrow-gauge train can be boarded in Cañon City or at another station much closer to the gorge. The train runs alongside the Arkansas River at the bottom of the gorge. The scenery is breathtaking and it is hard to imagine how early explorers were able to get around before roads and trains were installed.
ANOTHER CAVEAT
On your drive to the Royal Gorge don’t be surprised if you see elk, mule deer, prong horns, or an occasional bear. There are also lots of ground squirrels (these resemble chipmunks to easterners) and regular squirrels. You will be tempted to feed these cunning and friendly creatures. DON’T! Not only do they bite and scratch but they carry Bubonic Plague and Hanta Virus. Neither disease is a nice souvenir to bring back from the American West. Even dead animals may still harbor the fleas that carry the Plague bacillus, so don’t even be tempted to poke at road kill. Keep a sharp eye on children as they are most susceptible to the alluring charm of small animals.
HEADING WEST THROUGH UTE PASS
Drive west on Route 24 and you will pass the Van Briggle Pottery, a once-famous remnant of the American Arts and Crafts movement, and still producing pots from the original molds. This is worth a short visit, if only to see the museum and watch how pots are produced today. There are many fine examples of pots made during the height of the Arts and Crafts era displayed around the pottery and in the museum. However the pots being made today are pale imitations of the originals. They are nice but the glazes are no longer made from minerals mined from the Calhan Paint Mine, (east of town and a very interesting field trip as well) and lack a certain depth of color apparent in the old pots.
Old Colorado City is a few blocks north of Cimarron Street (business 24), follow the signs. Here you will find beautiful Victorian buildings and homes, some decent restaurants, antique shops, art galleries, gift shops all selling variations of the same stuff, and lots of tourists. It is worth a side-trip if you don’t mind crowds and have a discerning eye. A few galleries display the work of local artists and some of it is outstandingly good, but don’t expect to pick up any bargains. The good stuff is priced accordingly.
The next stop worth some time is Manitou Springs. This is a very artsy little town, reminiscent of New Hope, Pennsylvania, and lots of fun to wander around in. Here you will find the usual assortment of tourist junk and souvenir tee-shirts but you will also find many items of outstanding quality. Everything from raku pottery to blown glass to sculpture in metal, clay, and wood as well as fine paintings (oil and watercolor), excellent specimen fossils and minerals, and antiques. There are even a few shops selling unique clothing designs and some very interesting jewelry. Bargains are to be found but, for the most part, the prices, while not cheap, are very fair for the really good original work.
When you are tired of searching out treasures you can rest and enjoy a meal at any number of restaurants, coffee shops, and bar and grills that are scattered around the town. Many feature outdoor seating, making people-watching an easy fine-weather diversion.
Leaving the flatlands and Manitou Springs behind, continue climbing through the pass on Route 24. You will pass the entrance to the Pike’s Peak toll road and soon the Peak will be behind you as you drive through Woodland Park, site of a shoot-out with armed and dangerous lunatic escaped convicts back in February 2001. This is the last town of any size for some time, so if you have an urgent need to mall-crawl or purchase hardware or building supplies better do it now. The next stop will be Florissant and, while they have at least one great restaurant, a bar, and some antique shops the primary attractions are the Florissant Heritage Foundation and Museum and the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.
FLORISSANT
There is a traffic light in the center of town. Turn left and on the right, about 100 feet or so from Route 24, behind the bar, is a place where you can collect fossils on private property. The entrance is clearly-marked with a large sign. Turn right onto the gravel lane, pass the friendly chestnut horse in his lot, and park your vehicle as close to the end of the lane as you can. Walk up a slight rise to where the roped-off fossil bearing strata are visible and greet the owner of this establishment and her young employees.
This particular bit of fossiliferous land has been in private hands since pioneer days but only recently has the current owner, Diana, decided to allow the public in for collecting. She charges $7 an hour and provides all the tools you need to split shale and reveal the fossil remains inside. She and her employees are knowledgeable enough to guide novice fossickers and are very friendly and helpful. You can also purchase boxes of chunks of shale for $20 a box but are expected to split most of the material on the premises.
Unlike at other fossil sites throughout the state, here you are allowed to keep everything you find. For the hourly fee you may search through large piles of shale and mudstone but are not permitted to work the shale outcropping. Don’t worry, you will find plenty of stuff worth taking home and will have lots fun doing it without digging in the cliff.
While Dragon and Consort were grubbing around they noticed many youngsters having a great time. One lad split a layer and discovered a perfect, if tiny, spider forever preserved in stone. Many beetles were discovered as well as cones from dawn redwoods and lots of twig and stem fragments. The entire area was once a freshwater lake and everything that fell to the bottom, including large dragonflies, leaves, and fronds, was covered by layers of fine silt, leaving their black images behind as fossils.
When you tire of splitting shale, load your treasures into your vehicle and drive back down the lane where you will turn right and head out to…
FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT
The main entrance to the park is only a few miles south of Route 24. This is Federal land and you should refer to A Caveat above before you think about collecting fossils or petrified wood. There is a hefty fine if you are caught removing material from the park and your day will be ruined.
Admission to the park is only $2 per person. You are supposed to put your user fee in an envelope and deposit it in a slot at the kiosk in front of the Visitor Center. Rangers giving interpretative tours will ask for your proof of payment before you are allowed to join the tour.
There is a gigantic petrified stump in a railed-off pit by the Visitor Center. It is sort of yellowish in color and not at all colorful like the fossil wood in Arizona and New Mexico, but still worth the seeing.
Inside the Visitor Center you can get maps and information about talks and walks conducted by the rangers. You can also look at some really outstanding specimens that have been found in the local fossil beds. The treasures you found down the road will start to look pretty puny by comparison, but remember, those you can keep, these you can only look at.
STILL ANOTHER CAVEAT
If you were not wise enough to bring ample water supplies along, you will have to drink from the water cooler in the Visitor Center. The water comes from a well and tastes of sulfur. While it is cold and will re-hydrate your tissues, a lingering ghost of sulfur will remain on the back of your tongue for at least several hours or until you can burn it away with strong drink.
BACK TO THE FOSSIL BEDS
There are many well-marked trails around the park. Some are short and shaded while others are miles long and call for endurance and sun block. One trail goes past the fossil-bearing shales and you will be tempted to try and slip a small remembrance into a pocket or purse. Those rangers have excellent eyesight and are very vigilant, leave that fragment of dragonfly for others to enjoy.
The same goes for petrified wood. Another trail will take you past some gigantic specimens and there are a lot of identifiable fragments lying around on the ground. Put Satan behind you and resist the temptation to pocket a piece or five. Even the marmots and ground squirrels are part of the surveillance system here and they will rat you out to a ranger for a fistful of dried corn before you even notice they are watching. While we are on the subject of marmots and ground squirrels, please refer to ANOTHER CAVEAT above for safe behavior around wildlife.
THE DRAGON HUMBLY SUGGESTS, OR STILL ANOTHER CAVEAT
While visiting the Colorado Springs area (over 6,000 feet above sea level), there are many interesting things to do and see. However, be advised that, unless you walk here from back east and take about eight months to make the trip, your body will NOT be accustomed to the high altitude, lack of oxygen, and dry air. Do expect to tire easily, after only a little exertion. Your sinuses will give you the devil and Drixoral could well become your constant boon companion. Nosebleeds will be commonplace, from the dryness, and you will experience difficulty sleeping. If you spend a lot of time out in the sun, don’t forget your sun block lotion and apply it often as it sweats off. The thinner atmosphere allows for a more lethal dose of solar radiation to reach your tender integument. This means you will burn faster and the damage will be much worse than at sea level. Unless you are interested in cultivating a leathery complexion and being mistaken for a high-plains drifter, wear a hat and slather on the sun block and moisturizers.
According to local lore, it takes at least six months to a year to become fully acclimated to the altitude. Your Auntie Dragon mentions this so that you won’t feel so bad when you fall asleep right after the evening news or collapse in a panting, red-faced and soggy mess after a mere 2-mile hike up a picturesque canyon. Be assured that all that puffing and gasping for breath has nothing to do with your poor physical condition and everything to do with the low oxygen content in what passes for air in this state. Be comforted that as soon as you return to your near-sea level home you will once again feel great and able to do everything you are used to doing.
Copyright 2001, Pamela Matlack, All Rights Reserved
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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Member: Pamela Matlack Klein
Location: Appomattox, VA
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