Another nice drive down to the lake. Windy and gusty which made it cooler than expected. Families…read moreenjoying lake side activities - paddle boarding, fishing, volleyball, pickleball and disc golf. Unfortunately there was an asshat today who was rude about us blocking his way. No excuse me I'm throwing in your direction but a head nods and then a 'you could move or I can throw it right at you.' Ok dude, we can't read your signals so use your words. May the wind take his disc and place it in the middle of the lake.

Palmer Lake is yet another marvelous Colorado locale. It offers what any overstimulated city brain…read moreneeds: quiet, crisp Colorado air and an abundance of trails. Wandering the paths past the esteemed Estemere is postcard perfect. Back at the lake, you stop mid-stride just to take in the reflection of the mountains on the water. It's a typical Colorado landscape - but in some places it would be the best thing in 1,000 miles! Sometimes the best antidote to city life is a simple trail and a beautiful lake.

We love this park! It's so different than where we usually go. Tons of tall pine trees so great for…read moreshade. Good sized, great for exploring and sniffing all the things. There are also benches throughout park plus some dog agility equipment. Important things: There are several trash cans throughout however, the poop bag containers are "bring some to share" meaning there may not be poop bags available all the time. Definitely bring your own. Several people bring bowls and water to share but I would recommend bringing your own. There is a separate small dog area too.

This is not a dog park. This is nature. Nature where your dog gets to roam free…read more Seriously blown away by this dog park. A true hidden gem in the Colorado Springs area. Took my little, crazy puppy there this weekend, and was blown away by all the trees and pathways you could take within the dog park (let alone the full park). As someone that loves to take her dog on long hikes in the middle of nowhere and allow him to run free (when no one is around and there are no leash laws), this park gave me the perfect place to take him when I can't drive a few hours for one of our solitude hikes but I still want him to run free in nature. All the dogs are great, and due to how big the park is, no dog showed signs of being territorial.

I really enjoyed this peaceful hike and would definitely recommend doing this in the spring,…read moresummer, or fall. It was around 2-3 miles round trip and very flat for most of it so it would quite easy for the beginner/intermediate hiker. On the way there we passed by several beautiful flower fields and even saw some wild deer! The monument rock itself was a nice sight to see and I guess you could say stuck out like a sore thumb!

Landmark in Monument, Colorado…read more.. My sister had never heard of this hiking trail and had never been in the area. Since it was nearby to our dinner place, I suggested that we take a look. When you get closer to Monument Rock, the road isn't paved anymore. There are signs, but my sister was able to see Monument Rock before the line of trees blocked the view. We went a bit past the trail entrance and turned the car around in the parking lot. It was 8pm and getting dark, so we left after we got a few photos. I'd get pictures of the pond if I returned!

Mind numbing Loops around Palmer Lake for 24 Hours? You betcha! I mean I signed up for this. Might…read moreas well rock it! I signed up because I thought it would be interesting and fun. I've been a big city and small town marathoner for over 13 years now, and have dipped my toe in the ultramarathon world in recent years, trying a hand in going beyond the 50 km mark, without avail. I arrived here fresh and ready to tackle 24 hours of Palmer Lake here in Palmer Lake, Colorado on the last Saturday morning of September 2023 around 7:15am. It is a low-key race that features 24 hours of loops around the lake. The course itself is very runnable dirt path that's about less than a mile long. The course is generally flat. There was no expo for this race, but there was packet pick up the day before, which was held out outdoors type store in Monument, Colorado. We picked up our packet and we were in and out within a minute. Literally a minute. No line. We just had to tell them our name and they looked us up in on a list and we received our packets instantly. The formula was simple, do as many laps around the lake as you can within the allotted time of 24 hours. The race would keep track of you by an electronic chip that is worn on your ankle. We would count our labs by running over a timing mat that would be read electronically. There was two large television screens that were on site before and after the timing station that provided live results. It'll show us how much we've done so far, which helps for our mental sanity. For the most part though, this race does help the Lake Palmer community by its donation to keep the park nice, clean, and neat. There is one main aid station that holds the food and other aid that runners may need throughout the event - day and overnight. At 2am, who doesn't need to have ramen while running? The overall experience here at the 2023 24 Hours of Palmer Lake was educational, fun, and inspiring, while being exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. A few of the runners at the top of the field manage to wrangle their 100 mile goal. Others who have their own mileage goals came to play. I managed to capture 50km for my 2nd round marathon/ultra 50 states here in Colorado & the race was my 120th marathon/ultra lifetime. Truth be told that I wanted more than 50km, but had to take a break because I was falling asleep on the course after 9pm. The temperature dropped after 10pm and was windy. I didn't realize that the real feel temps dropped to 41 F, rather than 55 F that was reported overnight that weekend. I decided to seek shelter at the main aid station for majority of the overnight hours, but managed to get up and out to for a few more laps before ending it at 50km. It was nice to see familiar faces and meet new friends. My only regret that I didn't push myself when I was tired but the body knows what it needs. During the day was nice and peachy, but as the sun sets, it gets interesting especially with the usage of the head lamp. After the race, we turned in our timing ankle bracelets to the timing guy and proceeded to watch the award ceremony. It was short and congratulated the winners before we had to pack up and head out of the area. It was one of those races where you want to be there and running is a great way to escape the ordinary and be extraordinarily. At least for a day. If you're ever wondering what it's like to be an ultra runner or participate in your first race, consider the 24 Hours of Palmer Lake if you are in the area or will travel to the area. 24 Hours of Palmer Lake is staged annually at the Palmer Lake Regional Park in Palmer Lake, Colorado. Registrations are tendered online at ultrasignup website, so they accept major credit cards there. Best thing to do is register early enough and not wait to the last minute. Or waiting to book travel. There is one main aid station on the loop, which has basically everything you would need during the course of race day and into the overnight hours of the event. The race staff is awesome and friendly. As far as parking goes, there are two parking areas, but the southern parking lot is the closest one to the race course. The other one you need to cross over an active railroad crossing. And yes, the active railroad crossing is active 24/7, so you would hear the trains coming at all hours of the day and night. Much like air travel. For the most part though, the event is great for anyone who wants to try their hand at ultra distances. Or need extra time tackling their first half or full marathon. And if you are trying to do your 50 states half marathon or marathon for Colorado, this one is awesome too. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. Support local! A+

Quaint, hipster little town. It has some local shops, as well as some touristy type places to buy…read moresouvenirs. The view is nice, with this town being at the base of the mointaind. It has a nice little mountain vibe and it's fun to walk from one end to the other to browse the shops.

Manitou Springs is an adorable, quaint little Rocky Mountain village outside of Colorado Springs…read morethat is a *must* for folks who enjoy an active lifestyle. The stairway to heaven known as the Manitou Incline https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-incline-manitou-springs is here, as well as nearby Cave of the Winds https://www.yelp.com/biz/cave-of-the-winds-mountain-park-manitou-springs, Pike's Peak https://www.yelp.com/biz/pikes-peak-americas-mountain-cascade-2 and Garden of the Gods https://www.yelp.com/biz/garden-of-the-gods-visitor-and-nature-center-colorado-springs with all of their trails and scenic views. Plus, you can sip from several different naturally carbonated springs http://manitoumineralsprings.org/pdf_files/brochure.pdf and eat some fabulous meals & desserts at the numerous quirky restaurants on the main drag. When you're ready to slow down, you can visit one of 11 art galleries. Almost everything is accessible on foot or via the free shuttle system that circulates through town. It's about 75 miles or a 90-minute drive from Denver (depending on traffic), but if you have the extra time and don't want to drive or park, you can take a Bustang $12 fare South Line https://www.ridebustang.com/south-line bus into Colorado Springs and from there catch the $2 fare #3 shuttle into Manitou https://coloradosprings.gov/sites/default/files/rt3_spweb2018.pdf. Free parking is available at Memorial Park https://www.yelp.com/biz/memorial-park-manitou-springs, from which you can take a free shuttle https://www.yelp.com/biz/bus-system-mountain-metropolitan-transit-colorado-springs-2 into town, the Incline, or the Pike's Peak Cog stop, but walking most of the village itself is totally doable from the park if you are fit. Don't forget your refillable bottles for the spring water! More helpful links (since Yelp doesn't want to update the biz listing to include a relevant URL): Mineral Springs CC & Visitor's Bureau https://manitousprings.org/ Mineral Springs Foundation http://manitoumineralsprings.org Mineral Springs City Government http://www.manitouspringsgov.com/

We have gone to Under The Sun for both doggy daycare and dog training and have loved it! So…read moregrateful for a reliable pet care option when we are in a pinch, and we felt the group obedience classes were well priced and actually worked!

Our neighbors have been telling us about this place for about 6 months and how amazing (and…read morereasonably priced) the training program is here. We finally buckled down and called to set up a consultation. To be honest- before going in, we were skeptical thinking they would try to sell us a bunch of things, unnecessary or not applicable classes in order just to make money...but it was nothing like this! Tim was A-MAZING! Cannot say enough great things about this trainer! He is a straight shooter and tells it like it is, and I like that. We are coming there to get our dog under control not have a tea party....so this is wonderful that he is knowledgeable and sees exactly what needs to be done. He told us the types of collars and leashes to buy for our pups, and what type of classes we would benefit most from! I even admitted in the consultation that "I need some training" and Tim agreed that most owners do. I liked this! So, we have our first class this upcoming Friday, ordered the leashes and collars through Chewy, and we are good to go! Excited, hopeful, and SOOOO grateful for this facility and Tim!

The zip lines at AVA were super fun and the people are really nice. We had Megan and Blake as our…read moreinstructors, they were so funny and helped us have lots of fun on the zip lines. We rode on top of a truck up a mountain to the first line. AVA is so funny and I would definitely recommend doing it if you have time!

My group and I had a disappointing and confusing experience with a zip-line instructor. We had…read morebarely left the first tutorial line when one of our instructors began acting rude and short with us. We only made it halfway through our group before one of us got stuck on the second line. It took a few minutes to get them unstuck and over to the other side. After that, with no warning, the instructor told us to follow him and said we were going to hike back to the rest of the group. When I asked if something was wrong, he gave me no response. Once we rejoined the other half of our group, our other guide explained that our trip was being cancelled and that we'd need to hike back down. This was shocking and disappointing to all of us--especially the children in our party, who had travelled from out of state and specifically picked this zip-line as the thing they most wanted to do in Colorado. It wasn't worth the long drive just to get up there and have the plug pulled on us with no explanation. I will say the front desk was very kind and helpful. After hearing our account of what happened, they issued us a full refund. Overall, it was a disappointing trip that left all of us confused about what went wrong.