Colorado Springs Official Visitors Guide 2012 - (Page 14)

14 ITINERARIES VisitCOS.com love to fuel up at the 8 Mile Bar and Grill, Echo Canyon's inviting new indoor/outdoor restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Now that you've experienced the gorge from the river view, plan to spend the afternoon at the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park for an entirely different perspective. There aren't enough superlatives to describe this attraction: it has one of the world's highest suspension bridges, one of the world's steepest incline railways, one of the world's longest single-span aerial trams, and what many describe as the world's scariest Skycoaster! The suspension bridge, at 956 feet high, is a historic engineering marvel, constructed in 1929. The incline railway travels a 1,550-foot descent, at a 45-degree angle. The aerial tram crosses the gorge via cable, at an elevation of 1,178 feet. The Royal Rush Skycoaster® must simply be seen to be believed: riders in groups of one to three are winched to the top of a launch tower, then dropped towards the ground, swinging from a cable tether back and forth until brought to a rest. Royal Gorge Bridge and Park has a more sedate side, too. Young visitors love the petting zoo, trading post, antique reproduction carousel, trail and burro rides, and the memorable Wapiti Wildlife Park with its Rocky Mountain elk, bighorn sheep and American bison available to view at close range. Another appealing way to see and experience the gorge is in the seated comfort of an open-air train car on the Royal Gorge Scenic Railway. Since 1958, this “Little Train with a Big View” has enabled three million visitors to enjoy some of the most breathtaking views of the Royal Gorge and Bridge during its 30-minute, three-mile round-trip journey. A day at the Royal Gorge is embellished by one final attraction: the John May Museum Center. As you travel back to Colorado Springs via Highway 115, you won't miss the sign and giant beetle replica that point out this attraction. It features 7,000 of the world's most beautiful and unusual invertebrates at the John May Natural History Museum of the Tropics. As unlikely as a comprehensive tropical collection of global animals and artifacts may seem in Colorado, John May amassed one of the largest collections of its kind over 80 years — a testament and legacy to one man’s interest in and enthusiasm for this topic. Day 5: Cheyenne Mountain First stop is the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America's only mountain zoo, at an altitude of 6,800 feet and with a footprint of 40 acres. There are 800 creatures exhibited here and 150 individual species, with 30 endangered species represented. The grizzly bear, bald eagle, moose, wolf, lynx and mountain lion exhibits are particularly realistic, with their roomy habitats in this sub-alpine setting. Zookeepers schedule daily Keeper Talks, Beastly Bite feeding demonstrations and Wonders of Wildlife shows, which delve into details on survival adaptations in various ecosystems around the world. A chairliftstyle ride called the Mountaineer Sky Ride is another unique way to take in the zoo, with an aerial view during a seven-minute ascent to the top. The Will Rogers Shrine, a historic monument just a mile and a half up Cheyenne Mountain from the zoo, is accessible and included with a paid admission. Plan a lunchtime visit to nearby Seven Falls, a beautiful 181-foot waterfall in Cheyenne Canyon. After lunch at the snack bar, it's a toss-up whether to hike up the 224-step walkway to view the falls at closer range, ride the in-mountain elevator to the Eagles Nest lookout, take a selfguided audio tour or feed the Rainbow Trout. Native American dance performances are scheduled regularly in June, July and August. This attraction is open year-round, and the magnificent cascading water looks different depending upon seasonal water flows and weather, so a visit to Seven Falls is never the same experience twice. In summer, the falls beckon a visit after the sun goes down for a view of this natural phenomenon enhanced by colored lights. LEFT: Ghost Town Museum RIGHT: Seven Falls at Night Next stop: the Wild West Ghost Town Museum, at 21st Street and Highway 24. This museum was created in 1954 to preserve a piece of Colorado’s frontier heritage. The replicated town will send you to a different place and time the moment you enter: through portrayalists representing characters of the Old West, hands-on experiences like panning for gold, a visit with a family in a Victorian-era home, and individual exploration along the boardwalk of the general store, blacksmith and saloon. An impressive collection of everyday artifacts is displayed in each of the town’s buildings, which are themselves a collection of restored structures that were initially left to decay around the Pikes Peak region. Plan to stroll, shop and dine this evening in historic Old Colorado City, the oldest authenticated city in the Pikes Peak region. Its tree-lined streets, welcoming shops and restaurants and beautifully restored buildings belie its former reputation as a haven for miscreants and outlaws. With its rough-and-tumble beginning in 1859, Old Colorado City attracted a colorful population who enjoyed the rugged comforts of its 21 saloons. Enjoy free live music in Bancroft Park, taking place on Thursday evenings in the summer months. The first Friday of every month, from April through December,  http://www.VisitCOS.com

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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