U.S. Air Force Academy
Cadet Chapel

PINECONE LODGE
OF PIKES PEAK

Local Attractions

Our Featured links:

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (A five minute drive; enroute to Cripple Creek, if you wish. We recommend a visit. Take the tour, stop in the bookstore.)

http://florissantfossilbeds.areaparks.com/

http://www.nps.gov/flfo/

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_nm/co_flori.htm

Mueller State Park (A 20 minute drive)

http://www.parks.state.co.us/default.asp?parkID=87&action=park

Cripple Creek (A 20 minute drive, well worth the trip. Good views enroute. Cripple Creek is in a caldera. You pass a llama ranch about half way there. We recommend the museum, railroad, Molly Kathleen gold mine. Casinos? A personal preference. The Cripple Creek Café is a very nice place for lunch, and it’s not inside a casino.)

http://www.cripple-creek.co.us/

Cripple Creek Museum http://www.cripple-creek.org/

Cripple Creek Narrow Gauge Railway http://www.cripplecreekrailroad.com/

Cripple Creek Casinos http://www.cripple-creek.co.us/casinos.html

Molly Kathleen Gold Mine Tour http://www.goldminetours.com/

A Cripple Creek Brothel http://www.cripple-creek.co.us/homestead.htm

Victor, six miles from Cripple Creek http://www.victorcolorado.com/

Eleven Mile Canyon (A 10 minute or less drive; views of a mountain river rushing through a canyon. Well worth the trip. Excellent photo opportunities! Also great for fly fishing.)

http://www.denverwater.org/recreation/eleven.html

Eleven Mile State Park (A 15 minute drive; great if you fish, as it is considered gold medal waters. Otherwise, yes it has great views, but so does Pinecone Lodge.)

http://www.discoveringcolorado.com/eleven.htm

http://parks.state.co.us/default.asp?parkID=82&action=park

http://www.wildernet.com/pages/area.cfm?areaname=Eleven%20Mile%20State%20Park

http://coloradostateparks.reserveamerica.com/jsp/commonpage.jsp?goto=/usa/co/elmi/newindex.html

http://www.discoveringcolorado.com/eleven.htm

http://www.go-colorado.com/Eleven-Mile-State-Park

Spinney Reservoir (a 20 minute drive; great if you fish, as it is considered gold medal waters. Otherwise, yes it has great views, but so does Pinecone Lodge.)

http://shop.flyfishing.about.com/fishing_rep/8/1/100.htm

http://www.bigtrout.com/spinneymtn/intro.html

http://www.flyfishingconnection.com/southplatte.html

http://www.coloradofishing.net/gm_splatte.htm

http://parks.state.co.us/home/publications/Fact_Sheets/Spinney.pdf

Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center (A 20 minute drive to Woodland Park. An excellent dinosaur museum.)

http://www.rmdrc.com

Breckenridge (a 1.5 hour drive. You drive over a high mountain pass. It’s a safe drive, and the views are stunning. Breckenridge is an international ski resort, and is a Victorian town. Visit, walk around, shop a little, have lunch. Well worth the trip. The views from Pinecone Lodge to Breckenridge are classic Rocky Mountain views. You will probably pass a buffalo herd enroute. Stay at Pinecone Lodge when you ski Breckenridge so you don't have to pay the high lodging rates at the ski resort.)

http://www.gobreck.com/page.php

http://www.breckenridge.snow.com

http://www.breckenridge.com

Pikes Peak Area Attractions (a 30 minute to 1 hour 15 minute drive, depending on the attraction)

http://www.pikes-peak.com/

Pikes Peak (Pikes Peak is at 14,110 feet above sea level. Either drive up, it's a 19 mile drive, or take the cog railway. Yes, you may hike up if you wish; it's a 13 mile hike up Barr Trail. Plan on half a day to drive up or to take the cog railway.)

 http://www.pikes-peak.com/Attraction/22.aspx

Pikes Peak http://www.pikespeakcolorado.com/

Pikes Peak http://www.visitpikespeak.com/

Pikes Peak Cog Railway http://cograilway.com/

Van Briggle Pottery in Colorado Springs (Very nice tour of a pottery factory. High class products.) http://www.vanbriggle.com/

Flying W Ranch for dinner and family entertainment in Colorado Springs (Highly recommended.) http://flyingw.com/

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs (A free city park with stunning views of red rocks. Highly recommended.) http://gardenofgods.com/home/index.cfm?flash=1

Seven Falls in Colorado Springs (Very nice.) http://sevenfalls.com/

U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs (Highly recommended. Great tourist center, great views.) http://www.pikes-peak.com/Attraction/4.aspx

Royal Gorge, in Canon City (A 45 minute drive.)

Canon City http://www.canoncitycolorado.com/

Canon city http://www.rgcountry.com

Royal Gorge Railroad http://www.royalgorgeroute.com/

Royal Gorge Bridge in Canon City (Stunning. You are on a very high bridge over a very narrow canyon.) http://www.royalgorgebridge.com/

Rocky Mountain National Park (A three and half hour drive.)

http://www.nps.gov/romo/

http://www.rocky.mountain.national-park.com/

http://estes.on-line.com/rmnp/

http://www.rmnp.com/

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_park/co_rocky.htm

http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgresults.cfm?destination=rocky_mountain@622