NorahColorado Springs is one of my favorite cities in the United States. When I think about easy access to nature and a plethora of things to explore, I think about Colorado Springs. The actual city itself is similar to many other cities in mountain areas, but the sheer amount of outdoor adventures one can find within five miles of the city is groundbreaking. In this Colorado Springs Itinerary, I will be walking you through my ideal two day trip to Colorado Springs.
What time of year should I go to Colorado Springs?
Good question! There are many activities you can do in Colorado Springs year round, but I would recommend aiming to visit in either the summer or shoulder seasons. This will ensure the best weather and will also ensure that you are able to maximize your chances of everything being open. In the winter, there are completely different outdoor activities you can do!
Disclaimer: Most of these activities are centered around outdoor adventures around Colorado Springs, because the city is known for its ready access to nature.
Day 1
Morning
You will start your trip to Colorado Springs by heading to Garden of the Gods, which is easily one of the most spectacular little parks in the country. Garden of the Gods is totally free, and there are over 21 miles of hiking trails available in the park.
The park itself offers several different methods for exploring, including guided bike trails, segway tours, and rock climbing classes. I really enjoyed walking around the main loop through the park, which weaves in and out of the jutting rock fixtures and has several different spur trails to various viewpoints. You can make the hike as long or as short as you like!
Afternoon
I would recommend spending about 2-3 hours at Garden of the Gods, and then continuing on to the Air Force Academy. The Air Force Academy is an active school and military base, and has many different exhibits to explore. I do not know too much about the military, but I really enjoyed the visitor center and watching the documentary shared about the life of a cadet their first year. There is also a chance of seeing skydivers; we did!
Disclaimer: One of the coolest things to do while in this area is visit the Air Force Chapel-it is a stunning building. However, the building is currently being renovated until 2026 and is closed for the public.
Have dinner at Adam’s Mountain Cafe-a phenomenal restaurant that has folksy and eclectic vibes to it! I recommend the vegan tacos, but you cannot go wrong with anything!
Day 2
Morning
Day 2 is really where things get super fun. For this day in the park, I recommend driving (or hiking-go you!) up to Pikes Peak-one of the famous 14rs and an absolute mammoth of a mountain. You will need to book tickets in advance, and make sure you are not planning to visit during the car race. Otherwise, you should be good!
As you drive up Pikes Peak, there are multiple different ecosystems you will drive through and multiple different stops to make. My personal recommendation is to drive all the way to the top to start, and then hit up some small trails on the way back. This will ensure that you make it to the top of Pikes Peak before any afternoon thunderstorms roll through. Thunderstorms are quite common, especially in the summer.
Once you are at the top of the mountain, there are a couple different things you can do. From the parking lot, there are several different spur trails you can take to have better views of the surrounding area. On a clear day, you can see FAR out, and there are signs along the path that point out the various different mountains and landmarks.
Note: Try to find Garden of the Gods from the top of Pikes Peak!
I would also recommend stopping at the visitors center. There is a really neat display about the different ways that altitude can affect the body, as well as interactive exhibits about the first people to climb the mountain.
Make sure you stop by the cafe to have the world famous donuts! They are quite delicious.
Afternoon
On your way down, stop at any of the trails that peak (haha) your interest. I highly recommend completing part of the Devil’s Campground hike-you really get a wonderful sense of traveling along the tundra.
There are also various lakes you can stop at on your way down that offer beautiful scenery and chances to swim in some cold mountain water!
Make sure you are well prepared for any type of weather, as things can change quickly on the mountains. While we were on the Devil’s Campground trail, it went from bright sunny skies to a hailstorm in a matter of 10 minutes.
From Pikes Peak, make your way back to Colorado Springs.
If You Have Extra Time:
- Visit the Olympic Training Center. This area is home to state of the art facilities to help athletes train for peak performance. The high altitude makes it brutal, but you get in shape much quicker!
- Visit a historical site. There are many different historical areas in and around Colorado Springs. Most of them are centered around the mining industry.
- Visit Rocky Mountain National Park-While this is a bit of a drive from Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain is my second favorite national park (out of 35!) and I highly recommend visiting if you have the time. The area is simply stunning, and will have you breathless with its expansive, stunning mountains. I cannot recommend the area enough.
There you have it! As with all wild places, please remember to leave no trace and respect the natural environment. Have any other recommendations for Colorado Springs? Leave them in the comments!
