Visiting the Springs was a long time coming. We knew we'd eventually hit the area, but army family brought us there sooner!
In late March, our friend came from Co Springs to visit us on his Spring Break, sans his wife and daughter -they were out of town elsewhere. The same dude was stationed with us in Fort Lewis, WA (yes, before it was a joint base and before he was married), deployed with my husband to Afghanistan in 2009-2010, and once again he was stationed in Germany with us. No joke, he and his family arrived in Bavaria only four days before we did.
The years in between: While we spent three years in Ft Campbell (between Lewis and Germany), he and his wife spent three years in Hawaii, where their daughter was born. Funny how army life comes full circle every few years! It really is a small world. Now the friend is out of the army, but chose the Colorado Springs area as his landing point after army life.
Y'all know I cannot tell a lie. I really wanted to visit the Springs area because I have to wonder if it could be the next place for us. You never really know where you'll go in this lifestyle that we call "normal". It has been years and years since I have visited Colorado, but who better than to show us around than folks who actually live there, and not by the army's rules?
Trust me, it kinda makes a difference.
We rolled in on Friday afternoon on Memorial Day weekend. The drive was kinda boring, but thankfully not far; the ride was about 7 hours total and the majority of it was a straight shot across the I-70 west. We actually live a stones throw from the I-70, so getting on that same highway is an every day thing for us.
I was dealing with some sinus issues before our visit, so on day one, I really just wanted to chill and not head anywhere crazy. The next day, the friend and his wife had things to do, so our family got dressed and headed out of their place (they didn't force us out, but sitting in someone's house while they are gone is weird to me). First we ventured to post: Fort Carson.
The way it was described to us by a lot of folks who have previously been stationed there is that the nearest gate to Colorado Springs is far and out of the city limits. SAY WHAT? Um, no it isn't.
From our friend's place in the center of CO Springs, it took us maybe 10 minutes to get to the nearest gate off of Academy Blvd. Actually, Academy Blvd was the only main road we used to get there.
Post was post. They're all the same in many ways, though we did notice a buttload of solar panels on top of post houses, which was something I have never seen (nor noticed) on any installation. But just like any other installation, you'll find newer neighborhoods and older ones, too. We stopped at the PX because my husband needed a haircut before returning to work anyway. The PX is a whole lot nicer than ours in Fort Riley, and bigger, but nothing out of the ordinary. I'd say it was comparable to Fort Campbell's.
After post, we drove back to Academy Blvd, which seems to be the road that can take you anywhere in CO Springs. We wandered in the Goodwill Outlet (because I had only ever heard of it and never been to one), hit up a few thrift shops, ate Del Taco, found the mall, and went back to our friend's place. From the friend's house, we all decided to take a drive to Guffey Gorge to see Paradise Cove by suggestion of our friends. They hadn't been there yet and were looking for a reason to visit.
I didn't know anything about the gorge until the friend mentioned it. All I knew was that it was an hour and a half drive beyond the mountain after looking it up on Google. We grabbed some water bottles, a backpack, and we were on our way.
Getting to the area was pretty easy and the drive didn't feel like an hour and a half, not to me at least. We passed through small towns that reminded me of Arizona's northern towns off highways and byways, like in the Heber/Payson area if you're familiar to AZ. It was on this drive that I saw what was the most beautiful Walmart I have ever seen. Not even kidding. The exterior looked like a Cabela's at the base of a mountain. We didn't stop, but I assume the inside was just as mediocre as any other Walmart in the US.
Once we got to the gorge, we found a primitive parking lot. Our friend explained he didn't have to pay to park because all active duty/retired/veteran folks have free admission and parking to all of Colorado's state parks. He had a Florida Vet license plate and ours is regular old Kansas plates, but because of the area, we didn't figure anyone really regulated the parking situation.
The hike to Paradise Cove wasn't long or strenuous. I am so out of shape and did it without breaking a sweat. I will say that once you reach the area where you have to hike down to the cove, having good shoes is a must. The rocks are slippery, and it isn't exactly a short drop if you loose your footing. But the view of the cove is quite amazing and worth nearly slipping over!
The was one park ranger monitoring the area from the top of the cove, seriously laying on a rock watching the shenanigans going on. He looked like a khaki wearing Kurt Russel and said "hello" as we passed. When we responded with "How's it going?", he replied "Just another day of babysitting". We all laughed before we realized why he said it...
We hiked down into the cove where we were surprised to find a ton of college aged kids drinking and cliff jumping. Okay, I wasn't surprised after looking the area up on Google before hand, but I was taken aback at how many people there were. Yup, Ranger Russel was a bonafide babysitter in the middle of the woods. He wasn't joking.
Aside from garbage, lewd drunkards, and a few piles of dog shit, the area is dang gorgeous. It's a shame people don't clean up after themselves. We settled on a rock, watching the drunks cliff dive and their girlfriends at the top of the cliff too scared to jump. I realized by watching these folks, who aren't much younger than myself, that I was indeed a parent, and one of the few there (aside from our friends and my husband). I cringed watching these young people with bright futures jump into the water, unsure of what awaited them at the bottom. One guy claimed he hit his leg on something hard. One girl belly-flopped. Another girl looked as if she couldn't swim after she had already smacked the water. It was terrifying from a parental perspective!
After an hour or so of hanging out and watching folks defy gravity from the safety of the ground, we hiked back to the car. It was there we found a big, yellow, parking citation on our windshield and we weren't the only ones. Our friends didn't have one, but a lot of the college Hondas in the dirt lot did.
Now, we did see a place at the trail head where you are supposed to pay for parking by writing your plate number down on a given slip and putting it along with $6 of cash in a provided envelope then into a wood box with a collection slot. We didn't, obviously. Because our friend explained the military CO state park situation, I figured we could fight it later. I'll get to that at the end of this post...
The next day, we hit up the festival going on in Old Colorado City called "Territory Days".
We didn't know a festival would be happening until our drive into town. The radio advertised it at least 100 times before we actually got to our friend's house off the highway. I was kind of excited to attend the thing because the last festival my family experienced was in Germany!
Parking for the festival was a bitch. I felt bad having to bum $10 off of our friends because we didn't think to bring cash. I did pay them back, though. We walked to the festival area from the car and began wandering around.
The festival was pretty crowded on that day, and it was super hot. I found an ATM and withdrew $100. Within 10 minutes, $32 bucks was spent buying lemonade slushies for four kids.
Note to self: Bring corner store slushies next time.
There weren't a ton of rides, but more so a lot of vendors. There was all kinds of neat stands and if I hadn't spent a small fortune on drinks for the kids, I probably would've bought a crap ton of gypsy skirts and crystal necklace pendants.
After getting a nice sunburn, our friends wanted to head to lunch in Manitou Springs, but I wasn't keen on spending another fortune at a brewery. So we told them we'd meet up with them in Manitou after lunch. We parted ways and headed to Taco Bell, because cheap seemed to have a better taste that day. At Taco Bell, I looked up the one thing I considered a "must see" in the area: Garden of the Gods. By this time, it was already 3pm and the Google info for Garden of the Gods stated the park closed at 5pm, which we later found out was wrong. My husband texted our people and asked them if they still wanted to meet in Manitou. They decided to head home because their daughter needed a nap, so we drove down the road to see the biggest attraction in the city before we thought it would close.
I became a little disheartened when it started raining on the drive into the park. But in a strange twist of events, it made for some good lighting after the drizzle stopped. We parked in the first lot in the park, hopped out of the car, and started walking the trail.
Garden of the Gods is SO much more prettier in person than in photos. There's not a whole lot to it if you are an avid hiker because the paths are paved, but the rock formations are quite a sight. And yes, you can rock climb here if you have the proper gear and permits. The area kind of reminded me of Sedona, AZ, though Sedona has much more scenery to openly gaze at. But for being in the middle of the city, I though GotG was impressive and a neat way to escape the fast paced world on the outside.
We didn't stop at some of the other highlights when leaving (because I want something to do should we return or happen to get stationed there someday), but when we crossed the highway and stopped in a random park to Google more stuff in the area, we found ourselves in Manitou Springs.
Manitou Springs is adorable and I can see why our friends wanted to take us there. It reminded me a little of Gatlinburg, TN but without the German alpine vibe. Manitou has kitschy shops, a large arcade, ice cream on every corner, and tons of cute architecture. I fell in love with a store at the end of the main drag called "El Camino Real". It has awesome hand painted fiesta style loose tiles that I've been searching for everywhere, and there the tiles are only $1 per! Online they are outrageously priced. I honestly think I loved this store because it reminded me of Arizona; my home.
After a pizza night with our friends, we woke up the next morning, said our goodbyes, and we were on the road again. Our friend suggested we stop at the painted mines in a small town called Calhan on our way to the I-70, so we did.
We weren't stopped for long, but it was totally worth it! Though it was freezing on this Memorial Day morning, I enjoyed our quick roadside attraction. I could've stayed longer if we were dressed for the part. My kids were wearing slipper sandals for the ride home, which aren't exactly exploring shoes.
I would love to return to CO Springs in the fall or early winter. I would say I'd return in the snowy winter and rent a mountain cabin somewhere, but no thanks. Kansas gets enough snow as it is.
We had a great four day weekend, and though we had a small taste of what the Fort Carson area has to offer, I can say I don't think we'd mind being stationed there one bit. Still rooting for the east coast, though!
***As for our $130 parking violation, it turns out that you have to be registered through either the state or have the "America the Beautiful" federal and state land pass to get away with free parking. Colorado does offer the occasional free parking and use of public lands for military personnel on certain occasions, but not all of the time. Our friend got lucky, probably because of his Vet plates. We didn't and there was no fighting it. The fine has since been paid. Ouch.
But, if anyone out there finds it helpful, fees for the "America the Beautiful" national passes are waived for military folks. These passes can get you into a long list of places across the US and are available all over. Google "America the Beautiful" Pass with your city name or state, and you can find more info about how to get one and save the headache of parking fees at many public parks across the country!
In late March, our friend came from Co Springs to visit us on his Spring Break, sans his wife and daughter -they were out of town elsewhere. The same dude was stationed with us in Fort Lewis, WA (yes, before it was a joint base and before he was married), deployed with my husband to Afghanistan in 2009-2010, and once again he was stationed in Germany with us. No joke, he and his family arrived in Bavaria only four days before we did.
The years in between: While we spent three years in Ft Campbell (between Lewis and Germany), he and his wife spent three years in Hawaii, where their daughter was born. Funny how army life comes full circle every few years! It really is a small world. Now the friend is out of the army, but chose the Colorado Springs area as his landing point after army life.
Y'all know I cannot tell a lie. I really wanted to visit the Springs area because I have to wonder if it could be the next place for us. You never really know where you'll go in this lifestyle that we call "normal". It has been years and years since I have visited Colorado, but who better than to show us around than folks who actually live there, and not by the army's rules?
Trust me, it kinda makes a difference.
We rolled in on Friday afternoon on Memorial Day weekend. The drive was kinda boring, but thankfully not far; the ride was about 7 hours total and the majority of it was a straight shot across the I-70 west. We actually live a stones throw from the I-70, so getting on that same highway is an every day thing for us.
I was dealing with some sinus issues before our visit, so on day one, I really just wanted to chill and not head anywhere crazy. The next day, the friend and his wife had things to do, so our family got dressed and headed out of their place (they didn't force us out, but sitting in someone's house while they are gone is weird to me). First we ventured to post: Fort Carson.
The way it was described to us by a lot of folks who have previously been stationed there is that the nearest gate to Colorado Springs is far and out of the city limits. SAY WHAT? Um, no it isn't.
From our friend's place in the center of CO Springs, it took us maybe 10 minutes to get to the nearest gate off of Academy Blvd. Actually, Academy Blvd was the only main road we used to get there.
Post was post. They're all the same in many ways, though we did notice a buttload of solar panels on top of post houses, which was something I have never seen (nor noticed) on any installation. But just like any other installation, you'll find newer neighborhoods and older ones, too. We stopped at the PX because my husband needed a haircut before returning to work anyway. The PX is a whole lot nicer than ours in Fort Riley, and bigger, but nothing out of the ordinary. I'd say it was comparable to Fort Campbell's.
After post, we drove back to Academy Blvd, which seems to be the road that can take you anywhere in CO Springs. We wandered in the Goodwill Outlet (because I had only ever heard of it and never been to one), hit up a few thrift shops, ate Del Taco, found the mall, and went back to our friend's place. From the friend's house, we all decided to take a drive to Guffey Gorge to see Paradise Cove by suggestion of our friends. They hadn't been there yet and were looking for a reason to visit.
I didn't know anything about the gorge until the friend mentioned it. All I knew was that it was an hour and a half drive beyond the mountain after looking it up on Google. We grabbed some water bottles, a backpack, and we were on our way.
Getting to the area was pretty easy and the drive didn't feel like an hour and a half, not to me at least. We passed through small towns that reminded me of Arizona's northern towns off highways and byways, like in the Heber/Payson area if you're familiar to AZ. It was on this drive that I saw what was the most beautiful Walmart I have ever seen. Not even kidding. The exterior looked like a Cabela's at the base of a mountain. We didn't stop, but I assume the inside was just as mediocre as any other Walmart in the US.
Once we got to the gorge, we found a primitive parking lot. Our friend explained he didn't have to pay to park because all active duty/retired/veteran folks have free admission and parking to all of Colorado's state parks. He had a Florida Vet license plate and ours is regular old Kansas plates, but because of the area, we didn't figure anyone really regulated the parking situation.
The hike to Paradise Cove wasn't long or strenuous. I am so out of shape and did it without breaking a sweat. I will say that once you reach the area where you have to hike down to the cove, having good shoes is a must. The rocks are slippery, and it isn't exactly a short drop if you loose your footing. But the view of the cove is quite amazing and worth nearly slipping over!
The was one park ranger monitoring the area from the top of the cove, seriously laying on a rock watching the shenanigans going on. He looked like a khaki wearing Kurt Russel and said "hello" as we passed. When we responded with "How's it going?", he replied "Just another day of babysitting". We all laughed before we realized why he said it...
We hiked down into the cove where we were surprised to find a ton of college aged kids drinking and cliff jumping. Okay, I wasn't surprised after looking the area up on Google before hand, but I was taken aback at how many people there were. Yup, Ranger Russel was a bonafide babysitter in the middle of the woods. He wasn't joking.
Aside from garbage, lewd drunkards, and a few piles of dog shit, the area is dang gorgeous. It's a shame people don't clean up after themselves. We settled on a rock, watching the drunks cliff dive and their girlfriends at the top of the cliff too scared to jump. I realized by watching these folks, who aren't much younger than myself, that I was indeed a parent, and one of the few there (aside from our friends and my husband). I cringed watching these young people with bright futures jump into the water, unsure of what awaited them at the bottom. One guy claimed he hit his leg on something hard. One girl belly-flopped. Another girl looked as if she couldn't swim after she had already smacked the water. It was terrifying from a parental perspective!
After an hour or so of hanging out and watching folks defy gravity from the safety of the ground, we hiked back to the car. It was there we found a big, yellow, parking citation on our windshield and we weren't the only ones. Our friends didn't have one, but a lot of the college Hondas in the dirt lot did.
Now, we did see a place at the trail head where you are supposed to pay for parking by writing your plate number down on a given slip and putting it along with $6 of cash in a provided envelope then into a wood box with a collection slot. We didn't, obviously. Because our friend explained the military CO state park situation, I figured we could fight it later. I'll get to that at the end of this post...
The next day, we hit up the festival going on in Old Colorado City called "Territory Days".
We didn't know a festival would be happening until our drive into town. The radio advertised it at least 100 times before we actually got to our friend's house off the highway. I was kind of excited to attend the thing because the last festival my family experienced was in Germany!
Parking for the festival was a bitch. I felt bad having to bum $10 off of our friends because we didn't think to bring cash. I did pay them back, though. We walked to the festival area from the car and began wandering around.
The festival was pretty crowded on that day, and it was super hot. I found an ATM and withdrew $100. Within 10 minutes, $32 bucks was spent buying lemonade slushies for four kids.
Note to self: Bring corner store slushies next time.
There weren't a ton of rides, but more so a lot of vendors. There was all kinds of neat stands and if I hadn't spent a small fortune on drinks for the kids, I probably would've bought a crap ton of gypsy skirts and crystal necklace pendants.
After getting a nice sunburn, our friends wanted to head to lunch in Manitou Springs, but I wasn't keen on spending another fortune at a brewery. So we told them we'd meet up with them in Manitou after lunch. We parted ways and headed to Taco Bell, because cheap seemed to have a better taste that day. At Taco Bell, I looked up the one thing I considered a "must see" in the area: Garden of the Gods. By this time, it was already 3pm and the Google info for Garden of the Gods stated the park closed at 5pm, which we later found out was wrong. My husband texted our people and asked them if they still wanted to meet in Manitou. They decided to head home because their daughter needed a nap, so we drove down the road to see the biggest attraction in the city before we thought it would close.
I became a little disheartened when it started raining on the drive into the park. But in a strange twist of events, it made for some good lighting after the drizzle stopped. We parked in the first lot in the park, hopped out of the car, and started walking the trail.
Garden of the Gods is SO much more prettier in person than in photos. There's not a whole lot to it if you are an avid hiker because the paths are paved, but the rock formations are quite a sight. And yes, you can rock climb here if you have the proper gear and permits. The area kind of reminded me of Sedona, AZ, though Sedona has much more scenery to openly gaze at. But for being in the middle of the city, I though GotG was impressive and a neat way to escape the fast paced world on the outside.
We didn't stop at some of the other highlights when leaving (because I want something to do should we return or happen to get stationed there someday), but when we crossed the highway and stopped in a random park to Google more stuff in the area, we found ourselves in Manitou Springs.
Manitou Springs is adorable and I can see why our friends wanted to take us there. It reminded me a little of Gatlinburg, TN but without the German alpine vibe. Manitou has kitschy shops, a large arcade, ice cream on every corner, and tons of cute architecture. I fell in love with a store at the end of the main drag called "El Camino Real". It has awesome hand painted fiesta style loose tiles that I've been searching for everywhere, and there the tiles are only $1 per! Online they are outrageously priced. I honestly think I loved this store because it reminded me of Arizona; my home.
After a pizza night with our friends, we woke up the next morning, said our goodbyes, and we were on the road again. Our friend suggested we stop at the painted mines in a small town called Calhan on our way to the I-70, so we did.
We weren't stopped for long, but it was totally worth it! Though it was freezing on this Memorial Day morning, I enjoyed our quick roadside attraction. I could've stayed longer if we were dressed for the part. My kids were wearing slipper sandals for the ride home, which aren't exactly exploring shoes.
I would love to return to CO Springs in the fall or early winter. I would say I'd return in the snowy winter and rent a mountain cabin somewhere, but no thanks. Kansas gets enough snow as it is.
We had a great four day weekend, and though we had a small taste of what the Fort Carson area has to offer, I can say I don't think we'd mind being stationed there one bit. Still rooting for the east coast, though!
***As for our $130 parking violation, it turns out that you have to be registered through either the state or have the "America the Beautiful" federal and state land pass to get away with free parking. Colorado does offer the occasional free parking and use of public lands for military personnel on certain occasions, but not all of the time. Our friend got lucky, probably because of his Vet plates. We didn't and there was no fighting it. The fine has since been paid. Ouch.
But, if anyone out there finds it helpful, fees for the "America the Beautiful" national passes are waived for military folks. These passes can get you into a long list of places across the US and are available all over. Google "America the Beautiful" Pass with your city name or state, and you can find more info about how to get one and save the headache of parking fees at many public parks across the country!
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