Ready for more? We are! It’s a good problem we hear guests experience every time they visit Colorado Springs; too much to do and not enough time to do it. So come back, we always say! We’ll be happy to host you again and again at Cheyenne Mountain Resort. But before we get ahead of ourselves, plan now to take full advantage of your first visit and look forward to all the fun in store for you when you choose from the activities in the second half of our list of Lucky 13 .
COLORADO WOLF AND WILDLIFE CENTER
We start our list back in the beauty of Divide and Woodland Park, Colorado, located just west of Colorado Springs on a quick drive up Highway 24. Surrounded by unspoiled wilderness and nestled among one million acres of Pike National Forest, charismatic Woodland Park, CO is your perfect mountain hideaway. Tucked beneath the boughs of the evergreens of Divide, the Wolf Wildlife Center has become home to beautiful creatures like coyotes, red foxes, wolves, and wolf-hybrids. Open all year, winter is a wonderful time to visit the sanctuary since the animals are much more active in the cooler months. A variety of different tours are offered to learn a little more about each species. The best part? In each one, you get to howl with the entire pack. All the while, you’ll be surrounded by spectacular views of Pikes Peak and the Rampart Range, thick stands of spruce, pine and aspen, deep blue skies, and fresh air like your lungs have never breathed in. Centrally located, the towns of Divide and Woodland Park, Colorado are your ideal base camps for day trips or weekend getaways into the Pikes Peak region.
ICE CLIMBING
Book a winter excursion with Front Range Climbing Company. As the Exclusive Rock Climbing Concessionaire at the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, the company’s expert guides offer daily trips for every skill level. So whether you’re just starting out or have been climbing for years, Front Range Climbing has the right climb and adventure for you. Sign up for the introductory trip and soon you’ll be climbing above the crowds. Intro classes at the Garden cover everything you need to know to become a climber including knots, belaying, rappelling, and moving across stone. Front Range Climbing Company also offers guided climbs and trips to Colorado’s best climbing areas, including Red Rock Canyon, North Cheyenne Cañon, the Denver and Boulder area, and Colorado National Monument. In winter, they offer ice climbing lessons and trips. Their private ice wall is the ideal place to learn a new outdoor skill. Book a half-day tour at any level and enjoy the beauty of places like Camp Alexander and frosty Silver Cascade Falls.
PLAY DIRTY ATV TOURS
With a mission to help you and your family enjoy Colorado’s wonderful natural resources in Pike National Forest, Play Dirty ATV Tours invites families on a rugged ATV to ride into the Pike National Forest for an exclusive look into the Pikes Peak Region’s history along backcountry trails. Perched at an elevation of 6,400 feet above sea level, Texas Creek is one of Colorado’s top All-Terrain Vehicle driving destinations with adventure-seekers of all levels able to enjoy unique views of the Rocky Mountains. A variety of family-friendly tours range from two- to four-hours and children aged five and under ride for free. Your personal interest and riding ability will determine which adventure awaits you. Spend a day on a top-of-the-line ATV and treat yourself to an unparalleled opportunity to travel through the pines with a chance to see spectacular Colorado views and wildlife!
SCENIC SNOWSHOEING AND HIKING
Backcountry exploration in the snow can be a beautiful and fun way to get some fresh air and sunshine during the winter so enjoy the short snow season with several winter and snowshoe hikes for beginners or experienced snowshoers. Close to Cheyenne Mountain Resort you can snowshoe in Mueller State Park or take to the snowy trails in Garden of the Gods Park. For a longer adventure, snowshoe Old Monarch Pass Loop in nearby Salida for 3.2 miles of mellow high-altitude terrain and stellar Continental Divide views. Generally considered an easy hike, it takes about an hour and a half to complete in the snow pack. Given that it’s a popular trail for cross-country skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing you’re sure to have company, while still enjoying some solitude during quieter times of day.
ZIPLINING
Tired from snowshoeing? Give your legs a rest and try ziplining! What better way to take in postcard-worthy winter scenes than soaring overtop snow-dusted pine trees? Bundle up and strap into a harness for a thrilling adventure through a winter wonderland with one of several awesome local outfitters. Adventures Out West boasts a course perched high above Manitou Springs and Gregory Gulch with five ziplines varying in length from 225 to more than 600 feet for incredible views of the Front Range of the Rockies. Broadmoor Soaring Adventure has ten ziplines ranging in distance from 300 feet to 1,800 feet as well as moderate hiking, rope bridges, and a rappel that provide stunning views of the canyon. These two plus AVA Zipline and Cave of the Winds Mountain Park all offer exciting tour packages for first-timers and regulars alike.
ICE ART
Last, but certainly not least, watch sculptors carve ice into beautiful works of art at the Cripple Creek Ice Festival. Scheduled for February 18th through 26th watch head-to-head carving challenges on Saturdays where carvers will compete in a stadium setting for a $1,000 cash prize. Carving teams will also be doing their best to win the People’s Choice Award for an overall cash prize of $5,000. Between competitions, stroll through the charming mountain town’s main street and shop amongst talented vendors peddling the perfect souvenirs for you to bring home. Make sure to hit the ice bar and liquor luge for a refreshing beverage.
That concludes our list, but only teases the endlessly good time you’ll have when you visit Colorado Springs this winter. Book your stay at Cheyenne Mountain Resort and begin your outdoor adventures!
