There’s Gold Here

September 23 – October 3, 2021

The next leg of our journey was a 3 hour drive from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Colorado Springs

Located about 60 miles south of Denver at an elevation of 6035 feet, Colorado Springs is the second most populous city in Colorado. With unique scenery and rock formations (such as the Garden of the Gods) as well as cultural and historical attractions, Colorado Springs is worthy of multiple visits. This was our second.

Our choice for home base this time was Mountaindale Cabins and RV Resort, a great campground about 18 miles outside of Colorado Springs. Most of the sites are huge (40+ feet wide and 55+ feet long) with lots of trees and well-designed landscaping. Because of the tree coverage we were unable to utilize satellite but their internet speed allowed streaming so we were happy. This year-round campground was quiet and provided some frequent visitors.

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Royal Gorge

For our first outing we took a 45 minute drive to the Royal Gorge near Cañon City.

The Royal Gorge is a canyon of the Arkansas River located west of Cañon City, Colorado. Being one of the deepest canyons in Colorado, it is also known as the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas (River), with a maximum depth of 1,250 ft. The canyon is also very narrow, measuring from 50 ft. wide at its base to 300 ft. wide at its top, as it carves a path through the granite formations below Fremont Peak and YMCA Mountain, which rise above the north and south rims, respectively.

wikipedia

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Crossing over the gorge is the Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge which was built as a tourist attraction in 6 months during 1929. At 955 feet above the river, the bridge was the highest bridge in the world until 2001 when the Liuguanghe Bridge (1001 feet high) was built at Liu Guangzhen, Guizhou, China. The bridge is the centerpiece of the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, an amusement park with rides and attractions on both sides of the gorge. Passenger vehicles are allowed to cross the bridge before/after park attractions open/close but large vehicles are not permitted.

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A railroad runs along the bank of the Arkansas River at the bottom of the gorge. This is the Royal Gorge Route Railroad. This 2 hour scenic tour through the canyon rides along what is considered to be the most famed portion of the former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. We actually took this tour a few years back but found the view from the top of the gorge much more impressive than from the bottom.

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There are several trails along the top of the gorge. I couldn’t resist photographing some of the cacti along one of the trails.

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Cheyenne Mountain State Park

On Sunday, we set out to explore Cheyenne Mountain State Park. We stopped by the Visitor Center and then drove through the campground to scope out potential campsites for the future. (We have friends who love to camp here and we were curious). Then we hiked a couple of the well-marked trails for some scenic views.

Formerly the JL Ranch, the park is situated just south of Colorado Springs and represents the protection of one of the last significant open spaces along the southern section of the Colorado Front Range. The 2,701-acre park lies beneath the eastern flank of Cheyenne Mountain, and borders the plains of Colorado in a stunning transition from plains to peaks. The land is in remarkable natural condition, and wildlife is abundant as well as diverse due to the property’s relatively undisturbed and unfragmented nature. Wildlife in the park includes deer, elk, black bears, cougar, coyotes, foxes, prairie dogs, red-tailed hawks, golden eagles and wild turkeys.

The park opened in October 2006 and is the only state park located in El Paso County. There are 28 miles of trails throughout the park which are open to hikers and bikers as well as 51 full service campsites.

wikipedia

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Phantom Canyon Road

The next morning we decided to drive up to Cripple Creek via Phantom Canyon Road. Initially we had some concerns about whether the truck would fit along this narrow gravel road but the lady in the campground office assured us we could do it.

Phantom Canyon Road, a detour off the popular Gold Belt Tour scenic and historic byway in south-central Colorado, features green-spotted canyon walls and twisty turns lying on top of what was once a powerhouse railroad (the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad) connecting the lucrative 1800s mining districts of Cripple Creek, Cañon City and Florence.

Engineers of narrow-gauge railroads like the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad excelled at navigating sharp, narrow turns and steep, un-guarded drop-offs. As the road slowly gains in elevation from 5,500 to 9,500 feet, you’ll squeeze through two tunnels that were meticulously chiseled out of dense mountainous terrain by miners making room for a booming gold industry.

Another sight to keep an eye out for is Adelaide Bridge, which spans Eightmile Creek. This steel architectural landmark is an official site of the National Register of Historic Places and is the only remaining bridge from the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad.

Standard vehicles without trailers are welcome on Phantom Canyon Road as long the driver gives ol’ lead foot a break (it’s a stretch of the imagination to wonder how a train completed these angular turns). Pull off at one of the rest stops for a hike and snapshots of the area’s tree-covered ravines and textured vertical walls.    

colorado.com

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As we increased in altitude, the aspens became more predominant along the road and in the hills.

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And the mountains in the distance appeared.

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Victor

As we reached the apex of Phantom Canyon Road we drove through Victor, Colorado. Located at an elevation of 10,000 feet, Victor is one of the few remaining gold-rush towns.

Gold was discovered in the area in 1890…the fever spread like wildfire, bringing thousands to the Pikes Peak area, the largest boom of its kind to hit the West. In 1890 and 1891 prospectors discovered the rich gold ore that touched off the legendary Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Rush. The ranching country on Pikes Peak’s western slopes was quickly transformed as prospectors flocked to the area to seek their fortunes in gold. Towns sprang up on the sunny mountainsides as did over 500 gold mines, all requiring fuel, supplies and transportation. It became a priority to link the Cripple Creek and Victor Mining District to Colorado Springs, and beyond. Two stage roads and three railroads were built to carry lumber, food, coal, ore and people to and from the mining district towns and goldfields.

victorcolorado.com

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Cripple Creek

From Victor, we continued our drive on to Cripple Creek where we spent time exploring the town.

Cripple Creek was the site of the last and greatest mining boom in Colorado, attracting tens of thousands of people to the western flank of Pikes Peak in the 1890s. After it was destroyed by fire in 1896, the town and surrounding mining district reached peak production and population in the early twentieth century before experiencing a long decline. After World War II, the town turned to tourism as its primary economic engine, but since the 1970s the giant Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine has also provided steady production and employment. In 1990 Colorado voters approved an amendment that allowed Cripple Creek to build casinos, which have generated millions of dollars for the local economy and historic preservation across the state but have also transformed the town they were supposed to help preserve.

Cripple Creek

We certainly agree with the intent of the casino amendment but found the town to be so focused on casinos that there was little else to do. Rather disappointing.

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After lunch in Cripple Creek we took the High Park Road to Cañon City and from there back to the RV.

Manitou Springs

The following day we drove into Manitou Springs, about 6 miles west of Colorado Springs. Located at the base of Pike’s Peak, Manitou Springs is home to the Manitou and Pike’s Peak Cog Railway and famous mineral springs. Having ridden the cog railway to the top of Pike’s Peak on a previous trip, we decided to spend this excursion exploring the shops along Manitou Avenue. So much shopping, so little time.

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We debated about having lunch in Manitou Springs but decided to drive back to Colorado Springs for some German food at Edelweiss Restaurant. We were promptly seated on the patio. Bill ordered the Jagerschnitzel and an Oktoberfest beer (which he was really looking forward to) while I ordered the Chicken Normandy. When served, Bill immediately noticed that the waitress had poured the wrong beer and pointed to the description on the drink list. The waitress argued with him but eventually brought him another beer which was still not what he ordered. Aside from that experience, the food was ok – not the best German food we’ve had.

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Old Colorado City

The next day we decided to explored Old Colorado City, a historic neighborhood within Colorado Springs.

Old Colorado City was founded in 1859 and was the first capital of the Territory of Colorado and the center of early settlement in the Pikes Peak region.

By 1873 Colorado Springs de-throned Colorado City as the county seat of El Paso County. Nonetheless, Colorado City did its share of growing during the 1890s. General William Jackson Palmer’s Denver & Rio Grande Railroad went through here and Colorado City became a center of industry and gold ore processing.

Coined the “Wild West” town during the 1890s, Colorado City boasted more than 20 saloons, gaming parlors and brothels. When gold was discovered on the western slope of Pikes Peak during that time, gold miners would flock to Colorado City to buy supplies and spend their money in the saloons and brothels, but if they struck it rich, they generally built homes in Colorado Springs.

Until 1913, Colorado City remained independent, fueled by gold, entertainment and industry. However, prohibition hit this town of saloons hard. In 1917, with no economic recovery in sight, the residents voted to become part of Colorado Springs.

Though no longer a town of its own, Old Colorado City has survived as a center of retail, restaurants and commerce. Today, Old Colorado City is a historic district, tourist attraction and center of entertainment for families and history buffs

Old Colorado City

After walking a portion of the historical tour and visiting a number of interesting shops, we decided to have lunch at Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna. We started with saganaki – flaming cheese – followed by a gyro sandwich for Bill and a souvlaki sandwich for me. The food here was awesome. Definitely a keeper!

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Next up, Kansas

We really enjoyed our time in Colorado Springs and no doubt will return some day. For now, it’s time to move on even though Bill says he’s not leaving. Stay tuned for the next post to see if I was able to get Bill to actually leave Colorado.