Exploring My Own Backyard: Colorado Springs Adventure

This post is sponsored by Visit Colorado Springs.

I love to travel. Ever since I took my first long haul flight to Australia and New Zealand at thirteen I caught the bug. Exploring new places, cultures, and food makes me seriously happy and expands my horizons. But I’ve realized as I’ve gotten older, and especially since my move to Colorado, that exploring my own backyard can be just as fun and just as rewarding! I’ve lived in the Denver metro for seven years this month, and while I’ve been up into the mountains countless times, I had only been down to Colorado Springs maybe twice. So when Visit Colorado Springs reached out I knew I had to grab my two fluffs and take the short trip down to where Pikes Peak guards the sky.

Speaking of Pikes Peak, that was first on my list. I had always heard the views were spectacular but I had never been up to see them. 14,115 feet above sea level, the mountain is one of the 53 famed ‘14ers’ in Colorado, and boasts being the tallest mountain in the southern front range of the Rocky Mountains. You can hike up the Barr Trail or drive up Pike’s Peak Highway. With two fluffy puppies in tow and snow still on the ground, I decided on the latter option. I was minus a workout but plus some incredible views! 

As I descended the mountain (and passed a gorgeous little crystal shop outside of the gates that took all of my self control to *not* go in) I decided to take the pups to one of my favorite hiking spots that I’ve found in Colorado- Garden of the Gods. Garden of the Gods will take your breath away and make you think ‘nature truly is spectacular’ with its castles of red rock spurting up from seemingly nothing and a green backdrop that offsets the spires perfectly. And, not only is the park stunningly beautiful, it is also super accessible! You see so many different walks of life in the park, and with both paved paths and fun rock outcroppings to explore there is a bit of adventure for everyone!

Coloradans are known for their affinity for the outdoors and Colorado Springs has everything an outdoor enthusiast could hope for. From quick drives up to mountain peaks to miles and miles of hiking trails and camping opportunities, you won’t be wanting for some peace and quiet and dense, pristine forest. And the trails really are pristine! The Springs places a huge emphasis on ‘Leave No Trace’ and the public definitely adheres to that principle. You all know how passionate I am about sustainability and preserving this world (and making it better!) for future generations, so I tend to be hyper-aware of trash where it shouldn’t be. The entire day that I was exploring I didn’t spot one piece of trash which is so impressive!

Unfortunately this jaunt down to Colorado Springs was only a day trip for me, but I am looking forward to driving the hour and a half back down soon! I now a have a checklist of places that I’d love to see next time!

• The Broadmoor Seven Falls
• Royal Gorge Bridge & Park
• Paint Mines Interpretive Park
• Manitou Incline
• The foodie scene downtown (I’ve heard Edelweiss is fabulous!)
• Visit The Broadmoor Hotel (a good friend of mine got engaged there!)

I’d love to know- which Colorado Springs attractions are on your list? My number one of the sites I want to see is definitely the Paint Mines Park but I’ll have to leave Tinkerbelle and Meeko at home for that one! I’m looking forward to paying more attention to all of the experiences I can opt for and all the memories I can make close to home. I’ve really only scratched the surface of what Colorado has to offer! Make sure you pop over to the Colorado Springs website to learn more about what it has to offer and mindful tourism with Leave No Trace!

This post is sponsored by Visit Colorado Springs.

All opinions are my own.