Last Updated on: 13th May 2025, 03:27 pm
Founded in the late 19th century, the scenic and charming town of Manitou Springs has a bit to offer everyone. Whether you’re looking for historical architecture, cave tours, or thrilling hiking trails, the following list of the top things to do in Manitou Springs covers the main highlights.
Please note that we are not sponsored by or associated with the town of Manitou Springs in any way, nor with any of the establishments featured below. As such, the following list is a completely unbiased description of Manitou Springs’ main attractions based on personal experience.
For more info on where to stay in the general area, be sure to check the end of the article.
Explore The Town Center
Before going into detail on the attractions in and around Manitou Springs, it’s worth noting that the tranquil little town is an attraction in its own right.
The town, founded in 1872, was named after its natural mineral springs and was intended to be a health resort. And given its location at the base of Pikes Peak, Manitou Springs has been a tourist town since its very inception.
Today, one of the best things to do in Manitou Springs is simply wander around the town center and admire its historical architecture. As one might expect, the town is filled with tourist-oriented souvenir shops, while you’ll also find a plethora of international restaurants.
While I only drove past it, one of the most remarkable examples of historical architecture in town is the Miramont Castle Museum and The Queen’s Parlour Tea Room.
Another fun activity would be to seek out the various mineral springs located around town. You’re allowed to fill up your water bottle at many of them.
Hike Through Garden of The Gods
While most people enter Garden of the Gods via the neighboring Colorado Springs, the southwestern end of the 1,367-acre park does indeed border Manitou Springs, so we’ll be including it here.
Simply put, if you only had time for one activity from this list, exploring Garden of the Gods should be your top priority
As we already have a detailed hiking guide to the Garden of the Gods, we won’t be going into too much detail here. But in summary, there are a few different ways to enjoy the area’s towering sandstone formations.
A main road runs through the park, and it’s possible to drive to many of the significant overlooks. The best way to experience this free park, however, is to walk or hike.
Garden of the Gods has a series of paved walking trails which take you right up to many of the impressive formations. The other trail network, meanwhile, is unpaved, and exploring these trails is a good way to escape the crowds.
While you can spend as long or as little as you like here, most of the highlights can be seen in roughly 2-3 hours.
Visit The Manitou Cliff Dwellings
The state of Colorado is home to one of the USA’s most spectacular archaeological sites: Mesa Verde National Park, situated in the southwest part of the state.
And when first hearing about the Manitou Cliff Dwellings (open daily from 9:00-17:00, $12.75 per person), I was surprised that the Ancestral Puebloan civilization had built anything this far northeast.
While not a lot of online sources explicitly mention this, it was only after arriving at the Manitou Cliff Dwellings and reading the brochure that I learned that this site is indeed a replica.
Supposedly, the stones were collected from the area around Cortez, Colorado before being reconstructed here. And the experience is meant to mimic some of the ranger-led tours of the cliff houses at Mesa Verde. But here, visitors can explore freely.
While we won’t be going into much detail about the Ancestral Puebloan civilization here, you can find plenty of information in our other articles:
Similar to those sites, here you’ll encounter features like kivas, multi-story dwellings, and bedrooms.
Along the walls, meanwhile, are various informational placards describing the functions of each area, along with some info about the Ancestral Puebloans (also known as Anasazi) as a whole.
You’ll even get to squeeze through a tiny door to access a replica of an ancient bedroom. But you still may be wondering: Are the Manitou Cliff Dwellings worth the visit?
If you’re someone who’s never been to an authentic Ancestral Puebloan archaeological site, this experience can’t really compare with the real thing.
On the other hand, it is very educational and serves as a great introduction to the Puebloan culture. And hopefully, it encourages many visitors to visit the real sites in the future.
if you’re someone who has already been to numerous Ancestral Puebloan sites, there’s no real need to visit a replica. Nevertheless, it is a scenic area, while it’s also pretty close to many of the other top things to do in town.
Tour The Cave of The Winds
Not far from the Manitou Cliff Dwellings is the Cave of the Winds, often touted as one of the top things to do in the area. And there are numerous ways to experience it, such as a Haunted Lantern Tour or Expedition Tour.
But I went with the standard Discovery Tour, which lasts about 45 minutes and costs $28 per person. (Buy tickets here.)
Before we go any further, it’s important to understand that this is far from the most impressive cave you’re ever going to see. And considering the $28 price tag, I found it rather underwhelming.
With that said, the Cave of the Winds has been a major tourist attraction in Manitou Springs for well over a century. Hopefully, the following description will help you decide if it’s right for you.
Note that even if you don’t end up booking a tour, the views from the Visitor Center of the surrounding mountains are spectacular, so you still might want to make a brief stop at the parking lot.
All tours are guided, and shortly into the tour, visitors will line up at a particularly scenic area for photos. Of course, they’ll try to sell them to you at the end, but there’s no pressure to buy them.
This spot is worth mentioning because it’s arguably the most scenic part of the cave. While there are a few other rooms with prominent stalactites and stalagmites (pictured below), much of the tour involves walking through rather unremarkable tunnels.
Your guide, at least, will tell you some interesting stories about the cave’s history. While millions of years old, the Cave of the Winds was first discovered by Europeans in 1881.
But well before that, the local Jicarilla Apache Indians told stories of a cave in which the Great Spirit of the Wind resided.
Yet another geological highlight is what’s known as ‘cave bacon,’ a hanging formation which results from water running smoothly down an overhanging wall.
These multicolored thin strips do indeed resemble bacon, and it’s pretty cool to see them in person.
Another part of the cave features a quote that reads ‘Dreams of Mountains, as in Their Sleep, They Brood on Things Eternal.’ While not his original quote, it was the favorite quote of George Jefferies, a man who paid to have cave tours extended in 1930.
He did so on the condition that this quote be placed here and that his name be mentioned in every future tour.
Near the end of the tour, you’ll get to briefly experience the cave in pitch darkness, while you’ll also encounter a spot where local residents would come to place coins for good luck.
So is visiting the Cave of the Winds worth it? While I did enjoy the tour overall, I still found the price to be rather outrageous, and came away feeling like it was a tourist trap.
If you’ll be visiting other caves during your tour of the Western US, then this attraction isn’t as essential as the others on this list.
Ascend The Manitou Incline
One of the most unique things to do in Manitou Springs is conquering the Manitou Incline. While the state of Colorado is home to plenty of scenic mountain trails, this isn’t quite your typical hike.
Rather than hike through a forested trail to seek out waterfalls or tranquil mountain lakes, the Manitou Incline’s appeal is how straightforward it is. It simply involves walking up a straight staircase comprising of no less than 2,768 steps!
Of course, that’s much easier said than done, and not everyone who attempts the challenge ends up succeeding. But with enough willpower – not to mention plenty of breaks and water – you’ll probably be able to make it to the top within a couple of hours.
If you’re worried about your knees during the descent, hikers can thankfully take more of a typical mountain trail back to the bottom.
The entrance to the Manitou Incline is situated right by the next item on this list, the Cog Railway. Be sure to read our dedicated guide for details on exactly how to get there, along with important preparation tips.
Ride The Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Pikes Peak, which stands at 14,115 feet, has long been one of Colorado’s top attractions. And the summit can be reached by hiking, driving, or by taking a special tram known as the Cog Railway.
The Cog Railway has been running since as far back as 1891, and it’s remained a popular Manitou Springs attractions ever since.
I didn’t end up riding the Cog Railway for two main reasons. Firstly, I had already reached the summit of Mount Blue Sky – which is a similar height to Pikes Peak – by car.
Secondly, the price of the Cog Railway is a whopping $59 per person (you can purchase tickets here).
And based on my research, much of your day will be spent on the tram, with just a short amount of time at the summit.
And if you’re a photographer, it might be difficult to get decent shots of the scenery during the ride, as you’ll have to shoot through thick glass.
With that said, riding the Cog Railway seems like a great idea for those who want to enjoy a Colorado ‘fourteener’ (a mountain over 14,000 feet) without having to hike or drive.
Additional Info
Given the size of Manitou Springs, many of the centrally located accommodations are motels, such as the Eagle Motel or Villa Motel. The Cliff House at Pikes Peak would also be central enough to walk most places.
Just next to Manitou Springs is the small city of Colorado Springs, most known for being home to Garden of the Gods. For those interested in staying here, highly-rated mid-range options include Quality Inn & Suites Garden Of The Gods and Home2 Suites.
And those able to splurge a bit more might want to look into Historic Home w/Pikes Peak Views or the Cheyenne Mountain Resort.
Manitou Springs can also be visited as a day trip from Denver. Expect the journey to take you around 90 minutes to 2 hours, depending on traffic and which neighborhood you’re staying in.
I’m far from an expert on Denver. But when researching hotels for my recent trip, I had a very challenging time.
Nearly every time I found a place that seemed to be a good value in a convenient location – whether the city center or suburbs – I encountered numerous reviews complaining of strange individuals loitering in the hallways and parking lots.
In the end, I chose to stay at La Quinta Inn in the southwestern suburbs of Lakewood. This was also convenient for some of the day trips I’d be taking. The area turned out to be fine, though it may not be convenient for those spending multiple days in central Denver.
Whichever place you choose, I would carefully read the reviews, as Denver seems to be going through a rough time at the moment.