Colorado Springs Official Visitors Guide 2012 - (Page 11)

artwork, historical facts, photos and interactive displays. If you ever wondered how the West was settled with relative haste, wonder no more. Step into the Western Museum of Mining and Industry to see tools and implements that sped the commerce and infrastructure of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. The 1895 Corliss Steam Engine, with its 37-ton, still-operational flywheel, is on display. In fact, many of the exhibited artifacts, tools and equipment from the gold mining boom of the 1800s still work. With guided tours, hands-on lessons on panning for gold, guest lecturers and 27 acres of wetlands, open space and picnic grounds, the Western Museum of Mining and Industry is an excellent place to learn about the gold rush and the subsequent taming of the frontier. Day 2: Pikes Peak Pikes Peak is the backdrop for the historic city of Colorado Springs, commands a full altitude of 14,115 feet above sea level, and is the 31st-highest peak out of 54 Colorado “14ers”. From the summit, panoramic views of the Continental Divide, Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek help new visitors understand the topography and locale of all points of interest. There are three ways to get to the Pikes Peak summit: on foot, by car, or on the historic Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Remarkably, the mountain is accessible year-round on all but the heaviest snow days by both the cog railway and the Pikes Peak Highway. The Pikes Peak Highway is a 19-mile toll road that starts in Cascade, just 15 minutes west of Colorado Springs. The highway climbs 6,715 vertical feet from base to summit, and is rife with picnic grounds, educational programs, visitor facilities and interpretive trails. If the high-altitude 360-degree views rouse you TOP: Challenge Unlimited LEFT: North Pole - Home of Santa's Workshop RIGHT: Pikes Peak Cog Railway BOTTOM: Iron Springs Chateau Melodrama Dinner Theatre to song or poetry, you won't be the first person inspired this way: Katharine Lee Bates penned “America the Beautiful” after a trip to the summit. Thanks to Bates and her beautiful and enduring lyrics, Pikes Peak is now widely known as "America's Mountain." The 9-mile Pikes Peak Cog Railway delivers hundreds of visitors to the summit, then back each day. This unique train, capable of ascending steep grades of 25 percent, was constructed more than a century ago. It travels through four distinct life zones, from the foothills to the tundra. Clever conductors regale train guests with stories and facts about the history, flora and fauna of the mountain during the three-hour-and-ten-minute round-trip journey. 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Colorado Springs Official Visitors Guide 2012

Colorado Springs Official Visitors Guide 2012
Contents
What's New?
Get on the Radar
Regional Map/Index
Regional Itineraries
Live it Up!
Attractions Grid
SOUTHWEST
USA Pro Cycling Challenge
Pikes Peak Region Climate
Faster, Higher, Stronger
Historic Hotels
SOUTHEAST & DOWNTOWN
Are You Inclined?
Events with Altitude
Off the Beaten Path
Helen Hunt Jackson
NORTHWEST
High Altitude Tips
NORTHEAST
55 Attractions in 5 Days
NEARBY COMMUNITIES
Over the River
Distinctive Destinations
Services
Money-Saving Coupons
Listing & Advertiser Directory
Money-Saving Coupons
Drive Time Chart

Colorado Springs Official Visitors Guide 2012

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