It only happens once a year, so don’t miss it! This month, on May 14th and 15th, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo hosts Run to the Shrine, granting lucky walkers and runners the opportunity to climb the road to unbeatable views of Colorado Springs and the Valley of the Gods.
Run to the Shrine has become an annual Cheyenne Mountain Zoo tradition with Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend offering the the only two days of the year that intrepid guests are allowed to wind their way up Russell Tutt Scenic Highway to the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun by foot. The course rises about 2 miles uphill to sweeping views of Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak, and Garden of the Gods before descending about 1000 feet back down to the Zoo. Uniquely situated on the side of Cheyenne Mountain, the Will Rogers Shrine is an historic monument dating back to the mid-1930s. It stands dedicated to Will Rogers, who died in a plane crash in 1935. At it’s highest point, the shrine stands 8,136 feet high, which is why the views of Colorado Springs, the Pikes Peak Region and Eastern Plains are so grand. But if the bird’s eye views aren’t enough, your registration to the run gets you free access to the zoo on that day, too! So what are you waiting for? Make your plan to visit Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Run to the Shrine in Colorado Springs today! The Zoo is open year-round.
