Garden of the Gods & Manitou Springs, Colorado: An Unforgettable Colorado Stop
Sometimes travel plans don’t work out the way you expect—and sometimes that leads you somewhere even better.
Our trip to Manitou Springs, Colorado began because we were trying to outrun an early snowstorm. It ended with one of our favorite discoveries of the trip: the absolutely spectacular Garden of the Gods.
We also explored historic Manitou Springs, hunted down the town’s natural mineral springs, visited Red Rock Canyon and Miramont Castle, and had an unexpected wildlife encounter with a herd of bighorn sheep.
But Garden of the Gods? We loved it so much that we went back every single day we were there.
Running Away From the Snow
We had been staying in the Custer area of South Dakota when we learned that snow was expected the following day.
Snow and RV travel aren’t a combination we’re particularly interested in, so we packed up and headed south.
Our first stop was Guernsey State Park in Wyoming, near Fort Laramie.
And what a beautiful park!
There were fascinating rock formations, a museum right in the park, and we were looking forward to exploring Fort Laramie while we were in the area.
Then we checked the weather.
Snow was coming there, too.
So for the first time in our full-time RV travels, we stayed at a campground for just one night. The next morning, we packed everything up again and continued south toward Colorado.
Arriving in Manitou Springs, Colorado
Getting there required driving straight through downtown Denver.
Oh my goodness.
That is not an experience we’re eager to repeat!
But we eventually made it to Manitou Springs, where we settled into Pikes Peak RV Park.
The campground certainly put us in a convenient location for exploring the area, although our campsite was incredibly tight. The sites were so close together that we couldn’t even extend our awning without hitting the motorhome beside us.
But we weren’t there to sit around the campground.
The next morning, we headed straight for the place we’d really been waiting to see.
Our First Visit to Garden of the Gods
Before arriving in Colorado, we really didn’t know what to expect from Garden of the Gods.
Ed had seen a photograph of it shortly before our visit and knew he wanted to go.
A photograph doesn’t prepare you for it.
The enormous red rock formations rising against the Rocky Mountains are simply spectacular.
We climbed some stairs during our visit and suddenly found ourselves looking out over the rock formations toward the mountains.
It was one of those moments when all you can really say is…
Wow.
And perhaps the most surprising part?
Garden of the Gods is free to visit.
We enjoyed it so much that we went back every day we were staying in the area.
There was always something else to see, another angle of the rocks to discover, and another incredible view to enjoy.
Exploring Historic Manitou Springs
Garden of the Gods may have been the star of our visit, but Manitou Springs itself was a fun place to explore.
It’s a cute historic town filled with older buildings and plenty of character.
It is also fairly small—and popular—so it could feel a little crowded while we were there. Still, we really liked wandering around town.
And there was something unusual we wanted to find.
The springs!
Hunting for the Mineral Springs of Manitou Springs
There’s a reason this town is called Manitou Springs.
Natural mineral springs are scattered around town, and we decided to see how many we could find.
That turned exploring downtown into a bit of a treasure hunt.
Seven Minute Spring
One of our stops was Seven Minute Spring, where a gazebo helps mark the location.
The mineral water flows from a fountain, and visitors can actually fill containers with the water to take with them.
How often can you walk around a town and find natural mineral water coming right out of a public fountain?
Shoshone, Navajo and Cheyenne Springs
We continued our hunt and found several others.
Shoshone Spring was closed for maintenance during our visit, so unfortunately we couldn’t try the water there.
We also found Navajo Spring and Cheyenne Spring, which was flowing when we visited.
Searching for the springs was a fun way to explore Manitou Springs because it gave us a reason to wander around and see parts of town we might otherwise have missed.
Visiting Red Rock Canyon
We also made a trip to Red Rock Canyon.
It’s a fairly large area with different places to park and explore. We chose the parking area on the left and walked back from there.
The scenery was beautiful, although we never made it over to explore the area accessible from the other parking lot.
That’s one of the realities of traveling—there is almost always more to see than you have time for!
Touring Miramont Castle
For something completely different, we visited Miramont Castle in Manitou Springs.
Construction on the castle began in 1895 and was completed in 1897. It was built for a Catholic priest, Father Jean Baptiste Francolon, who lived there with his mother.
The story of the house took an interesting turn when Father Francolon unexpectedly left around 1900 and returned overseas. He never returned to Colorado.
The castle later stood empty until the Sisters of Mercy took it over around 1908. It was subsequently used as a facility for tuberculosis patients for a number of years.
For history lovers like us, Miramont Castle added another completely different experience to our time in Manitou Springs.
We had incredible natural scenery at Garden of the Gods, historic streets and mineral springs downtown, and then a beautiful 19th-century castle to explore.
But Colorado wasn’t quite finished surprising us.
An Unexpected Bighorn Sheep Encounter
While driving through the area, we spotted an incredible herd of bighorn sheep.
Naturally, we had to stop.
We pulled off and spent probably 15 or 20 minutes simply watching them.
Those unexpected moments are some of our favorite parts of traveling.
You can plan museums, historic sites and scenic drives.
You can’t schedule a herd of bighorn sheep.
Is Garden of the Gods Worth Visiting?
Absolutely.
Garden of the Gods wasn’t merely something we checked off our sightseeing list. We went back again and again during our stay.
It’s beautiful in photographs, but seeing those massive red rock formations with the Rocky Mountains behind them is something entirely different.
And with free admission, it was one of the best bargains of our travels.
Is Manitou Springs Worth Visiting?
We’d say yes to this one, too.
Our original travel plans changed because of the weather, but Manitou Springs turned out to be a wonderful place to land.
During our stay we were able to experience:
- Garden of the Gods
- Historic downtown Manitou Springs
- The town’s natural mineral springs
- Red Rock Canyon
- Miramont Castle
- An amazing herd of bighorn sheep
There’s a great combination here for anyone who enjoys scenery, history, wildlife and quirky little historic towns.
And if you’re already planning to visit Colorado Springs or Garden of the Gods, we’d definitely make time to explore Manitou Springs while you’re there.
This stop began with us trying to escape a snowstorm.
It ended with us discovering a place we couldn’t stop going back to.
Sometimes those unexpected changes in travel plans work out pretty well.
We’ll see you down the road…and Over The Hills!
Continue the Journey
If you’d like thoughtful road wisdom, practical RV tips, and reflections from life on the road, join our email list.