Our first full day at Eleven Mile, we headed out towards Colorado Springs to see all the sights. Passing through Woodlake Park (which is a very beautiful town and area), we saw the Dinosaur Resource Center. Then we headed to Pikes Peak; all the guides and tourist information said, you absolutely have to see "America's Mountain". I had noticed on the map that it said "toll" on the Pikes Peak roadway, so we expected a modest toll (though none of the guide / tourist info or advertisements mentioned a fee). Visitors be warned; we were expecting a toll of perhaps $8 - 10 per vehicle! We were surprised to find, it was not a vehicle toll at all, but rather an Admission charged of $12 PER PERSON, to drive up the mountain; we made a U-turn right there and this sign below is all we saw of the road up Pikes Peak.
There are many spectacular mountains and scenic drives which are free - we are not willing to pay this exorbitant price for a drive up any particular road. Same goes for the Royal Gorge and Seven Falls, other local attractions for Colorado Springs, which charge a high admission fee.
We went from our disappointment and disgust, to delight at the Garden of the Gods, which was FREE. Neat rock formations, great trails for biking and hiking, and nice visitor center.
can you see the kissing camels?
Continuing our scenic drive, next was Manitou Springs which is a touristy venture, where you can taste the natural spring water and visit many interesting historic sites. This town reminded me of Eureka Springs, AR except the buildings weren't leaning.
From Manitou Springs, we drove to Mueller State Park; wish we could have stayed here. There are lots of trails, streams, ponds, and dense woods. It is a beautiful park.
Finishing off our scenic loop, we visited Cripple Creek, a historic mining town with little casinos. The Cripple Creek Heritage Center was a must-see (free!), with terrific displays on the history of the mines, wildlife, and mountains.
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