Colorado Springs El Paso County

Colorado Springs is the county seat and the largest municipality in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs, CO is the principal city of the Colorado Springs, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the second-largest city in the Front Range Urban Corridor. This city can be found in east-central Colorado, just 70 miles south of Denver along Fountain Creek.

The city is located in a semi-arid steppe climate region where the Southern Rocky Mountains dominate the west, the Palmer Divide dominates north, the high plains dominate east, and the high deserts dominate south as one leaves Fountain toward Pueblo. I-25 connects Colorado Springs with Denver. It is approximately 69 miles south of Denver.

There is no municipality in Colorado with a larger total area than Colorado Springs. There were 125,287 acres of land in the city, including 232 acres.

There are more than 55 attractions and activities in Colorado Springs, including Garden of the Gods park, the United States Air Force Academy, the ANA Money Museum, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, Old Colorado City, The National Museum of World War II Aviation, and the US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center. In 2020, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum opened; the Flying W Ranch Chuckwagon Dinner & Western Show reopened in 2020. Pikes Peak Summit Complex opened in 2021 at the 14,115-foot summit. Additionally, the Manitou and Pike’s Peak Railway will reopen in 2021.

Colorado Springs’ western edge is home to the Garden of the Gods. The Red/Orange Sandstone Rock Formations, which are 300 feet high (91 m), are often seen from atop Pikes Peak. Besides hiking and rock climbing, there is also cycling, horseback riding, and horseback riding lessons at this park, which is open to the public free of charge. Each summer, the Trails and Open Space Coalition of Colorado Springs organizes the Starlight Spectacular, which is a recreational bike ride benefitting the trail system.

Many parks can be found in Colorado Springs, including Palmer Park and America the Beautiful Park in downtown Colorado Springs. Memorial Park has a sports field, a skateboard bowl, two half-pipes, an indoor swimming pool, and an outdoor swimming pool. Monument Valley Park has walking trails and pickleball courts. Tahama Spring, Colorado Springs’ original spring, is also within Monument Valley Park. Located in eastern Colorado Springs, Austin Bluffs Park provides a place to relax and enjoy the outdoors. El Paso County Regional Parks also include Bear Creek Regional Park, Bear Creek Dog Park, Fox Run Regional Park, and Fountain Creek Regional Park and Nature Center.

There are three trails that link Palmer Lake, Colorado Springs, and Fountain Creek Regional Trail to the New Santa Fe Regional Trail, the Pikes Peak Greenway, and the Fountain Creek Regional Trail. Most of the trail between Palmer Lake and Fountain is a breeze gravel trail with a smooth surface. Within Colorado Springs city limits, a major segment of the trail is paved. There is no restriction on equestrian traffic on the trails, except for those in Monument Valley Park. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the trails. There are many trails that connect to one another, including the Pikes Peak Greenway, which leads to secondary trails.

One interstate highway serves Colorado Springs primarily. North-south I-25 crosses Colorado approximately 18 miles (29 km) north of Circle Drive and south of North Gate Boulevard, entering the city south of Circle Drive and exiting north of North Gate Boulevard. Ronald Reagan Highway is known as Ronald Reagan Highway in El Paso County. El Paso is served by several state highways. Black Forest to Fountain is served by State Highway 21, which is a major eastside expressway. The road is commonly referred to as Powers Boulevard. Denver to Colorado Springs is connected by State Highway 83 north to south. From western Cheyenne County to eastern Colorado Springs, State Highway 94 runs east-west. The State Highway 115 starts in Ca*on City and runs up Nevada Avenue. I-25 runs concurrently with US 85 between Lake Avenue and Nevada Avenue. There are signs along Venetucci Blvd, Lake Avenue, and Nevada Avenue where US 85 enters Fountain.