Manitou Springs can be explored through a variety of destinations: at Soda Springs Park, mineral springs and Fountain Creek shape the landscape, while trails range from a downtown section to long climbs. There are also historic sites, museums, and recreational activities. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on trails and scenery, mineral springs, or culture.
Mineral Springs and City Life
Soda Springs Park is a 1.9-acre green space in downtown. Fountain Creek flows through the park; it is also surrounded by eight naturally carbonated mineral springs and mountain views. This makes it a place where green space in the city meets water and scenery.
Manitou’s mineral springs are naturally enriched with carbon dioxide by water in underground cave aquifers. A tour offered in Manitou Springs visits eight naturally carbonated cold mineral springs. Twin Spring also has a place in the local beverage tradition: its water is used for Manitou Lemonade and Manitou Mojitos.
Soda Springs Park is also a venue for outdoor festivals, concerts, and recreational activities. If you are interested in visiting the city, the park brings together several aspects of the place without requiring you to plan around a specific event date.
Trails from a Downtown Section to a Climb
When choosing a trail, it is worth considering its route and scale. The described section of the Creek Walk Trail runs through downtown from Mayfair Avenue to Old Man’s Trail. This safe, accessible, and scenic multi-use trail supports pedestrian and bicycle connections throughout the city. Phase 4 was completed in November 2025.
The Manitou Incline has 2,768 steps and climbs nearly 2,000 vertical feet in less than a mile. By contrast, the Barr Trail is described as a 26-mile round trip. It begins in Manitou Springs and leads to the summit of Pikes Peak. The figures for steps, elevation gain, and total distance make the different types of trails concrete without reducing them to the same kind of outing.
For a mountain hike above Manitou Springs, the Paul Intemann Memorial Nature Trail is another option, with a length of more than five miles. In all, Manitou Springs has more than nine miles of trails and over 300 acres of protected open space. If you prefer a guided activity to a hiking trail, Cave of the Winds Mountain Park offers guided cave tours into the Manitou Grand Caverns.
History, Architecture, and Museums
The Manitou Springs Historic District covers almost the entire city and is representative of resort communities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Miramont Castle was built in 1895, is a National Historic Landmark, and features nine architectural styles. The stone Manitou Spa Building was built earlier, in 1893, around Cheyenne Spring.
Navajo Spring is also part of local history: near the Ute Pass Trail, it was a gathering place for Indigenous peoples, explorers, and early settlers. For another way to explore the past, Miramont Castle itself offers self-guided museum tours featuring exhibits on the Victorian era, local history, and the Manitou Springs fire department.
The Manitou Springs Heritage Museum displays the “Van Briggle Art Pottery” exhibit, featuring dozens of ceramic pieces from the collection. Since the exhibit may change, it is a good idea to check its current status before visiting. Another form of culture is Art on the Avenue: this constantly changing outdoor gallery supports individual sculptors and gives them opportunities to sell their work.
Recreational offerings include the Manitou Springs Penny Arcade, with more than 500 arcade games and children’s rides spread across several historic buildings. The Emma Crawford Coffin Races began in 1995 and are a Manitou Springs tradition; this information does not specify an event date. These destinations add another side of city life to the trails and historic sites.
When looking for a hotel in Manitou Springs, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: downtown trails and springs, longer trails with significant elevation gain, or historic and cultural attractions. The different distance figures and themes offer concrete guidance without prescribing a fixed itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Cimarron Hills, Colorado Springs, Calhan, Cascade-Chipita Park, Peyton, Monument, Fountain
Return to the broader travel guide: El Paso.
