Colorado is more than just mountains. Heck, half of the state is flat as a board, and looks like Kansas. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But, Colorado has waterfalls, wildflowers and fall colors galore. Here are some of the best destinations for those seeking the very best Colorado natural attractions, most within a two-hour drive from Colorado Springs.
Everyone loves a good waterfall
First, let’s do the easy hikes. Helen Hunt Falls, named after famed and historic writer Helen Hunt Jackson, is a popular attraction in Colorado Springs’ North Cheyenne Canon Park.
Bonus: Hike up the trail that crosses the falls then take a gander at the smaller Silver Cascade Falls, less than a third of a mile up the trail.
If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, drive up past the Helen Hunt Falls visitors center, and park at the large and newly paved Powell Trailhead. From there, it’s a six-mile round trip hike to St. Mary’s Falls, situated at the base of Stove Mountain. From the parking lot, follow Gold Camp Road past the gate (the road is closed to cars), and over to the closed tunnel. Look for the sign pointing to St. Mary’s Falls and continue from there. Most of this hike is fairly easy, but the last half-mile or so is a bit steep and strenuous. This waterfall is best viewed during the spring run-off season.
In nearby Manitou Springs, Rainbow Falls Historic Site is a short, pleasant walk on paved surface to the waterfall.. You can walk along the creek,and, conditions permitting, rock hop to get photos of the falls including the 1932 bridge that towers over the site.
Bonus: At certain times of the year, the sun strikes the waterfall just right to create a rainbow effect, giving the falls its name.
Note: Please check the El Paso County Parks and Recreation website for any closure notices before heading out.
Horsethief Falls
Horsethief Falls is a short hike off Highway 67, towards Cripple Creek. With careful planning, you can incorporate a hike to these falls with a side-trip to the gold-mining-town-turned-gambling-mecca. The roughly two-and-one-half mile round trip hike is a moderate, lovely trek to the falls, which flow at their best during the spring run-off. Going there in the fall? Still a great idea. While the water flow is less than in the spring, the beautiful fall colors make up for it.
How to get there:
The Horsethief Falls trailhead is on the Cripple Creek side of the old railroad tunnel off of Highway 67 (you can’t miss it), about nine miles from the town of Divide. Added bonus: En route to the falls look for the “Horsethief Park” sign pointing to your left. The easy first mile or so of that trail also has lots to see in the fall when the aspens change color.
Zapata Falls
Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of the most unique in the country, with its towering sand dunes hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean beach. A popular short side- trip on your way to the dunes is the popular Zapata Falls. It’s an easy one-and-a-half mile round-trip hike to the falls, although you might have to do a bit of rock-hopping to get to the falls itself. Open all year, you can even visit in the winter. During warm weather, you’ll want to be careful on the slippery rocks as you work your way across the creek to get to the falls, and in the winter, when the falls are frozen over, you’ll want some kind of traction aids on your feet.
How to get there:
The road to Zapata Falls is about 10.7 miles from Highway 160 on the way to Great Sand Dunes. The road to the falls is a bumpy, dirt road and while passable with two-wheel drive vehicles, four-wheel drive is preferred. The trailhead is about three-and-one-half miles down the dirt road.
Wall-to-Wall Wildflowers
One of the nice things about Colorado is the wildflower “season” that extends from late spring to early fall. While some places, such as Arizona, have a short season to view wildflowers, Colorado offers several months to view (and photograph!) these blooms. But, there is a catch. Different wildflowers bloom at various times and elevations. Colorado’s state flower, the blue columbine, is the most sought-after flower to view and photograph, but to find this elusive bloom, you’ll need to reach above Colorado Springs since they don’t grow at this elevation.
The closest place to Colorado Springs to find not only blue columbine, but also the rare golden (yellow) columbine is in the city’s North Cheyenne Canon Park near Helen Hunt Falls. Park at the visitors center and ask the staff to point you towards the Buffalo Canyon Trail, then keep your eyes peeled. They usually bloom in this area around late June into mid-July. While there, also look for the tiny shooting star flowers, which tend to grow right at the edge of Buffalo Creek.
If you’re looking for grand vistas of wildflowers, head towards Shrine Mountain, near the top of Vail pass off I-70. It’s one of the best locations for a wide variety of high-altitude flowers, and majestic alpine views. The roughly four-mile round-trip hike up the mountain isn’t very difficult, but keep in mind that the elevation gain will be nearly 1,000 feet from the 11,000-foot trailhead. If you’re not accustomed to these elevations, be sure to pace yourself. This trail has everything, from red, green, purple and blue Indian paintbrush to the blue columbine. This trail is usually prime from late July to mid-August.
How to get there:
From Colorado Springs, take I-70 west to exit 190 at the top of Vail Pass. Cross over I-70 towards the rest area, then continue straight onto the dirt road that is Shrine Pass Road. The washboard road is suitable for all but the lowest clearance cars. The Shrine Ridge Trailhead is 2.3 miles from the rest area (you can’t miss it). If you don’t want to climb the mountain, you can find plenty of wildflowers right along the road. Go slowly and keep your eyes open.
Aspen Leaf Peeping
I’ll let you in on a little secret. One of the best months to visit Colorado is September. The weather is still comfortably warm with little or no snow, and the swarms of summer visitors are long gone. But, best of all, it is the month that Colorado’s famed “quaking” aspen trees start to change color from green to gold.
If you want to satisfy your urge to hike and view the beauty of Colorado’s fall colors, here are a few places to check out:
Mueller State Park, is about a 40- minute drive west of Colorado Springs, and is notably one of the best places to combine leaf-peeping and hiking. Pick almost any trail for a wealth of color. My personal favorites are the trails at the far north end of the park, starting at the Grouse Mountain Trailhead. The trails there are fairly easy, and the views of Pikes Peak are an added bonus. If you’re not sure when or which trails to catch the colors at “peak”, the folks at the visitor’s center are always very helpful. Make sure you bring your camera.
Note: Entry fees apply. Dogs, motorized vehicles, are not permitted on any trails.
A few more miles down the road, the Horsethief Park Trail, about half-way to Horsethief Falls, is Aspen-rich, with leaves that turn gold in the fall.
One of the most overlooked destinations for autumn foliage is Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, just south of the town of Florissant. While most of this National Park Service site is made up of pines, the Shootin’ Star and Twin Rocks trails on the east side of the park, have nice aspen stands, including some surrounding a small lake. The hike on both trails is an easy six miles out-and-back. Entry fees do apply. Dogs, motorized vehicles, are not permitted on any trails.
