Very nice place to visit! I went there once almost 30 years ago, and the visit has remained one of…read moremy favorite memories about Colorado. So much has changed compared to today! The waterfall is still beautiful though! As mentioned in other reviews, I would highly recommend making your reservation online before your visit. Try to get the earliest time slot available. Also, wear good walking shoes and bring enough water! It seems like the way you get to Seven Falls has changed quite a bit. I don't remember having to park downhill and take a shuttle to the entrance. The walk to the waterfall, although still beautiful, also feels narrower and more developed than I remember. There are more walkways and structures along the way, which make the experience feel a little more tourist-oriented, or, as I kept thinking, a little "Disneyfied." It's still a beautiful walk, but perhaps not quite as natural or rustic as I remember it from 30 years ago. We went on a Sunday morning in September, and the weather was beautiful. We arrived shortly after 9 a.m. and had no trouble finding parking. We only had to wait about 10 minutes for the next shuttle. If you purchased your tickets ahead of time, they simply scan them while you're waiting in line, so the process was very quick. The shuttle drops you off by the big fence. From there, you walk to the waterfall. It is an uphill walk, but not too steep, and the walkway follows alongside a beautiful stream. Along the way, there is a tunnel you can walk through, with an elevator at the end that takes you to a viewpoint and gift shop. There is also a staircase outside the tunnel that takes you to the same place. You can take the elevator back down or choose to use the stairs. After some more walking, you reach the waterfall. There is a seating area at the bottom where you can relax and enjoy the view. There are 224 stairs to climb if you want to get to the top of the waterfall, but that part is optional. You can admire the waterfall from the bottom. The stairs to the top are definitely tiring! Use the handrails whenever you can, and don't hesitate to stop and rest if you need to. Once you reach the top, there are two trails you can take for further exploration--one is shorter (20 min. round trip) and the other is longer (40 min.). There are signs to guide you. All of the staff members we encountered were friendly and helpful.

Seven Falls was absolutely, positively beautiful in every way. Words can't even describe it, but…read morehopefully these photos can convince you. Seven Falls started out with a semi-short shuttle ride to the actual scenery. From there, it just got more amazing. I understand how the steps could be strenuous for many, and it definitely wasn't easy, but a little stop to catch your breath is provided about midway through. I saw a couple people who didn't feel up to finishing the steps stopping at the rest point, taking some photos, and coming back down. The views were still stunning from that height. Heck, they're stunning from any height or viewpoint. There was also a little shop with delicious popsicles located before the steps. Clean bathrooms along the way as well. It all just seemed very well-thought-out. This was also partially due to the employees, who were all very helpful and pleasant. To put it simply, Seven Falls has it all-it's beautiful, clean, and unique. Amazing in every aspect, stunning from every angle. I felt immersed in the mountainscape from the first step out of that shuttle.

This is truly America's mountain! This striking fourteener of the Rocky Mountains inspired America…read morethe Beautiful AKA the national anthem. If you aren't one to drive up the treacherous switchbacks, you can take the cog railway. It's a toll road so you'll have to pay either way, although if you drive the peak may be closed occasionally due to harsh winds and weather - there was a tornado three years ago on the mountain! If you decide to drive, there are several shops on the way. I would recommend heading straight up to the summit if it's open just so you get that out of the way before any chance of inclement weather spoils your plans. There's a roomy carpark at the top, and the visitor center has washrooms, gift shop, cafeteria, and also a small museum regarding the history of the mountain. I definitely felt breathless at the top, from the beauty or the thin air, I'm not sure...

We drove from Denver for our last big Colorado adventure together on the 4th of July! Here is the…read moreexact timeline of how our morning went and what to expect: The Timeline & Experience 2:00 AM - Woke up and packed our homebrewed coffee to stay awake for the drive 2:28 AM - Left the house in Denver. 3:50 AM - Arrived at the entrance. It was pitch black and so many people were already waiting in line to enter! 4:15 AM - Drive up the mountain. It wasn't bad at all, we just took our time as needed on the turns Arrival at the Summit - We made it to the top to find it was freezing! We didn't think about that since it was so hot in Denver. Summit Survival & Breakfast Thankfully the gift shop and cafeteria were open! We parked, went to the gift shop, and bought ourselves $65-$68 jackets. It was expensive, but worth it to enjoy the sunrise comfortably. I said thank you to the workers there that early! They were so kind and troopers for being there so we all could enjoy it! After buying sweaters, we went to the cafeteria for doughnuts, hot dogs, and water for breakfast The Sunrise View We headed outside to find a spot and it was magical. It was a bit smoky that day from the fires, which made the sun a deep red-orange color. You could even see the shape of the sun as it started peaking through right as the Cog Train arrived at the summit! We also saw shuttle buses bringing people up. Reservation Details- They only allow people up for sunrise a few times a year!- I got our reservation online on their website about a month before. It was $5 for the vehicle pass online, plus $25 per person in the car to get in. 100% worth it! Core Memories:This was the best way to start the 4th of July.

Super amazing quick little hike that you can drive up to near manitou springs with a good amount of…read morefree parking. The views from on top and bellow are spectacular and this is definitely meant for all ages. The twisty roads might be a little challenging for some drivers but it is definitely worth the drive if you can make it here!

This was a wonderful place that we visited recently, while we were visiting the Colorado Springs,…read more CO community. It was just west of town and it is a small waterfall on the Cheyenne creek. They is a parking lot on site, that can accommodate small and large vehicles as well as some small Class B or C campers. There is also a few hiking trails as well...for visitors that enjoy the outdoors.

I wanted some vibes like Garden of the gods but did not want the crowds so I checked out Red Rock…read moreCanyon Open Space! I was really impressed with this open space. Parking was easy, they had plenty of spots while I was visiting. They've got something for everyone! Hiking trails, bike park/paths, rock climbing (permit needed), an off leash dog park. I specifically went for the hiking trails. They were great for my 4 year old. When I go with him I try to look for trails under 3 miles. My only complaint is I wish they had real bathrooms by the parking lot. The porta potty was pretty gross. P.s. you can see garden of the gods from this park! They are pretty close to each other!

Colorado is the healthiest state in the US (this is fact, you can look this up on the CDC website)…read moreand I can see why. With such amazing hiking available, that is free to residents and visitors, all over the state, it encourages you to get outside and enjoy what mother nature has to offer. Red Rock Canyon Open Space has a series of canyons and ridges sculpted by erosion of the area's uplifted rock strata. The ridges and canyons offer beautiful views that are photo worthy for those wanting to post to their social media (or hey, just keeping these photo keepsakes in your own camera roll is also fine too). Red Rock Canyon Open Space is dog friendly, with some off leash areas (where noted), and 11 trails that you can hike. The trails are anywhere from 1.7 miles to 5.4 miles, with a lot of pretty easy trails for those that are not as active but still want to partake in the journey. You can also see views of Garden of the Gods, which is nearby. Red Rock Canyon Open Space is not nearly as busy as Garden of the Gods (but highly recommend a visit there too, which is also dog friendly). From May 1 and Oct. 31, you can enter Red Rock Canyon Open Space between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.; during the rest of the year, the park closes at 9 p.m. There is free parking available and also one porta potty at the beginning of the trail (but I did not use it) and also trash cans (I did not see trash cans anywhere else in this open space). My husband and I visited Red Rock Canyon Open Space with our little girl dog. We came on a Sunday afternoon, a little after 1 pm. It was an overcast day, which was nice. But it was rather busy but not crowded. We were able to find a parking spot without any trouble. We only did 2 light trails but enjoyed the views. The trails we had were pretty easy for the most part. We also did see a handful of dogs during our visit. Please note that there is hardly any shade so make sure you plan accordingly (hat to shade your face, plenty of water, etc).

August 2-7, 2026 - Colorado Springs, CO…read more We spent five nights here and really enjoyed our stay. From the moment we arrived, we were impressed with how clean and well-maintained the campground was. Our site was spacious and had full hookups, and the campground offers a nice variety of amenities, including hiking trails, a visitor center, showers, laundry facilities, and even a game room. The setting is one of the best things about this campground. We were tucked right at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain and had a beautiful view of the city from our site. We also had several visits from mule deer during our stay, which was a fun bonus. And then there was my first-ever sighting of a scorpion! I wasn't necessarily hoping for that particular wildlife encounter, but it certainly made for a memorable camping experience. We enjoyed exploring the hiking trails, and I appreciated that the campground clearly identifies which trails are dog-friendly. Some trails allow dogs and others don't, but the information is clearly shown on the trail map and on the trail signage, so there was no guesswork involved. There is one thing I wish we had known before arriving. If you're visiting from out of state, there is an additional Colorado State Parks pass fee on top of your camping fee, ranging from $10-$17 per day. We weren't expecting that extra charge, so a little more communication about the pass requirement during the reservation process would have been helpful. We made our reservations many months ago, and from what I understand the park pass fee took effect in May of this year, so that might have been the issue. A "heads-up" email from the Parks system would have been appreciated. We also didn't realize that an annual Colorado State Parks pass was an option. Since we had another six-night reservation at a different Colorado State Park during our trip, purchasing the annual pass would have saved us money. That's definitely something I would recommend checking into if you're planning to visit multiple state parks. Overall, we had a wonderful five-night stay. The clean campground, spacious sites, great amenities, beautiful mountain setting, wildlife, and convenient hiking trails made this a favorite stop on our Colorado trip. We would definitely stay here again!

My experience is a little different. We just had a wedding and rented the pavilion and the…read moreamphitheater. The price was exceptionally good and the areas were incredibly maintained. The facilities were so clean and well maintained. Since we had these spots all day, we had a hike in the morning for people attending the wedding as well as the actual wedding in the evening. Most of our guests explored the facilities and hiked most of the morning. I know many of them will return soon because it was great. The amphitheater had electrical connection on the center circle. We didn't need it because the acoustics of the amphitheater were amazing. We had a harpist and the music carried beautifully. Their voices were clearly heard throughout the amphitheater. Our rainy day plan was the pavillion, which is lovely and amazingly well planned. This is a gorgeous place for a wedding. I can't believe I didn't mention the staff. They were so communicative and helpful. They were such a joy.

Stopped here on the "way" to some other activities in Colorado - this might have been my favourite…read morestop! What magnificent wonders! We were only here for about an hour, but oh my - it was worth it! When I say we were on the way to other things, well, we specifically drop about an hour and a half each way to go here, but it as worth it! 2026: 61/100

I had a little time before my flight home and opportunity knocked as I was very close to this…read morenature walk. Spectacular and easy way to choose your own adventure. There were a lot of people and the park offered tours including jeep and Segway. Spectacular views. Next time, I would like to do the entire loop since I was only able to get 3 miles in on this visit. Please come and create your own adventure.

This park is really nice. You can camp here but we just day tripped. We hit the river. Went…read moreswimming. Beautiful view. Lots of room to not he near people if you chose not to. Pueblo itself is a terrible city but this park is gorgeous.

The reservoir is a great place to go spend time on the water. All the people that work there are…read morevery helpful and full of knowledge. Love spending time out there. So easy to add the park pass when you renew your vehicle plates. Really a beautiful reservoir.

We stopped at Great Sand Dunes National Park during a scenic drive to Durango and were impressed by…read moreits unique landscape. The massive dunes set against the surrounding mountain range create spectacular views unlike anything else in Colorado. The visitor center was well maintained, with clean restrooms, an informative museum, and had a short film highlighting the dune ecosystem. There is also a large gift shop, though prices were on the higher side. While I would not consider it a destination on its own, it is absolutely worth a stop if you're traveling through this part of the state. Note: No vehicles of any type are allowed on the dunes.

Great Sand Dunes National Park is otherworldly and honestly one of the most unique landscapes to be…read moreexperiences in North America. It's a bit of a smaller park in terms of trails and not going to be like RMNP so make sure you know what you're getting into. We planned our trip for May when the creek is usually flowing and the dunes are optimal for sledding. Unfortunately for us we hit a patch of bad weather and it was drizzling our whole day spent here. Additionally the park is experiencing a dry spell and the creek that is usually flowing in May was still dry. C'est la vie! We still had a blast climbing the dunes, letting the kids play in the sand, and taking in the views. To be honest the views are the best part - it's incredible to see these dunes and learn more about the history of the landscape in this region of Colorado. We didn't get to sled as the conditions were not ideal for it but we plan on someday returning and doing the full experience. If you're on the fence about coming here it's well worth a visit!