47 Colorado Springs Facts That You May Not Have Heard Of Before!

Colorado Springs is one of the most scenic locations in the United States, acting as a municipality in Colorado.

Colorado Springs was founded on July 31, 1871, by General William Jackson Palmer, a Civil War hero, and railway tycoon. Colorado Springs was named after springs that were found around Monument Creek!

The area over which the Colorado Springs region is spread is about 196 sq mi (507 sq km). As of the 2019 data, the population of Colorado Springs currently stands at 465,000.

One of the busiest and buzzing neighborhoods in Colorado Springs is Downtown Colorado Springs. Downtown Colorado Springs is somewhat of an artistic hub for the residents where the various museums capture American history. Downtown Colorado Springs is also famous for its bars, pubs, and various restaurants!

One of the more famous regions in Colorado Springs is North Colorado Springs which was founded in 1874; it is a school district. West Colorado Springs is famous for its peaceful environment where a lot of outdoor activities are enjoyed by the residents.

Colorado Springs is a city that is located at the base of Pikes Peak Mountain at an elevation of around 1 mi (1.6 km) above sea level. What sets apart Colorado Springs as a preferred holiday destination is that the city enjoys over 300 days of sunshine throughout the year. This pleasant weather bodes well for travelers who wish to explore over 50 attractions located throughout the city.

Colorado Springs has emerged as one of the most popular travel destinations in the US. Travelers from within the country, as well as international destinations, head to Colorado Springs to explore the various attractions like Pikes Peak, Pike National Forest, Rocky Mountains, Colorado City, and much more.

Read on to know more about Colorado Springs and Colorado City before you start planning an excursion to the city. After reading these interesting facts, also check facts about Serbia and Croatia facts.

Parks, Trails, And Open Space

When you think about Colorado Springs, what comes to your mind? The natural beauty of its parks and trails where the open space offers you a lot of options for recreation must be at the top of your list. Here are some interesting facts about the parks, trails, and open spaces in Colorado Springs which you will surely enjoy.

• Did you know, Eastern Colorado Springs has been recently growing in popularity due to various mountain bikes as well as hiking trails? The region is also known to be very peaceful and beautiful in nature.
• Fun fact, Colorado Springs happens to be the second-most populous city in the Colorado region. The city’s location is in such a way that it is about 38 mi (61 km) south of Denver, Colorado. Let us study some more Colorado Springs facts.

Let us make a list of the open space and park trails (the city’s parks are very scenic in nature). These are referred to as urban trails. The urban trail system is very well developed and so are the city’s parks.

• Austin Bluffs Open Space: Named after a wealthy sheep rancher, Austin Bluffs, this open space is about 236 hectares (584 acres) large.
• Garden of the Gods: It takes a minimum of 60 minutes to walk all around this region and is very popular for its rock formations and rock climbing.
• North Cheyenne Canyon: It has over 404 hectares (1,000 acres) of scenic views and trails.
• Blodgett Peak Open Space: This loop trail is about 1.3 mi (2.1 km) long.
• High Chaparral Open Space: Contains 21.8 hectares (54 acres) of trail space.
• Manitou Incline: This popular hiking trail takes about one hour to complete.
• South Slope Recreation Area: This is a popular destination located near Manitou Springs.
• North Slope Recreation Area: It is located on Pikes Peak. There are hiking and mountain biking trails as well as three cold water reservoirs for fishing.
• Ute Valley Park: A great park with beautiful views and home to diverse wildlife.
• Red Rock Canyon Open Space: It is illegal to swim in the ponds here!
• Palmer Park: This park was named after Dr. Benjamin M. Palker.
• Stratton Open Space: Perfect for walking, cycling, and has 12 hiking trails.
• With so many trails and parks available for you to explore, the fun activities that you can have in Colorado Springs know no limit!

Nearby Military Sites

Did you know that there are several military sites that are present in proximity to Colorado Springs? Yes, this region is home to numerous military sites. Here are some extremely fascinating facts about these military sites which you are surely going to enjoy:

• Colorado Springs is famously known as Olympic City USA due to the fact that it is the epicenter of all Olympic and Paralympic-related activities. There is actually an Olympic training center (and Paralympic) in Colorado Springs.
• Colorado Springs was founded by a former Civil War hero which is fitting for the various military sites that are spread around that region of Colorado Springs.
• The military base in Colorado Springs is called Fort Carson. This is of vital importance to Colorado Springs due to the fact that the various military officers stationed in the area live in Fort Carson.
• The municipal airfield/airport in Colorado Springs is named Colorado Springs Airport which is very close to Downtown Colorado Springs.

The five military institutions that are firmly established in Colorado Springs are:

• The United States Air Force Academy: This institution is located north of Colorado Springs. It is very hard to get into with an 11% acceptance rate. The aim of this school is to instill values of pride and integrity in the American students so that they can contribute to the country’s security.
• Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Stations: This was established near the Cheyenne mountain range in Colorado Springs.
• Fort Carson Army Post: As mentioned before, this is the base of operations in Colorado Springs. This fort has housed soldiers since the Vietnam War with the number approximately being 25,000.
• Peterson Air Force Base: The area provides runways for the neighboring airport Colorado Springs Airport. Recently, Peterson Air Force Base was renamed to Peterson Space Force Base.
• Schriever Air Force Base: This was also very recently renamed Schriever Space Force Base due to the new mission adopted by the organization.
• Did you know that in the 1890s, gold was discovered in Pikes Peak attracting numerous inhabitants!

County And City Roads

Which are the most important county and city roads in the vicinity of Colorado Springs? Don't know the answer? Well, fret not, here we have some useful facts related to the different county and city roads in and around Colorado Springs.

• The altitude of any region is noted by the sea level. Colorado Springs is 14,115 ft (4,277 m) above sea level; Colorado Springs is situated on the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains.
• Did you know, Colorado Springs happens to be the county seat of El Paso County? The county seat refers to any administrative center related to the concerned county. Colorado Springs is surrounded by cities as well as mountain ranges which are very scenic to watch and enjoy while you’re there.
• El Paso county is a very famous county in Colorado. After all, El Paso is home to the Olympic City USA. The various other counties that surround El Paso are Douglas County in the north, Elbert County in the northeast, Lincoln County in the east, Crowley County in the southeast, Pueblo County in the south, Fremont County in the west, and Teller County in the west.
• One of the better-known towns in El Paso county which is nearer to Colorado Springs happens to be Palmer Lake. Palmer Lake actually has a very small population.
• Just outside Colorado Springs, the resort city of Manitou Springs acts as a leisure region. Mineral springs and mountain ranges dominate this city. The Rocky Mountain is the major mountain range in this region. Mineral Springs is a term given to a naturally occurring spring or group of springs containing dissolved minerals.
• Lake Avenue, commonly known as Lake Ave is a region in Colorado Springs which is famous for various properties around scenic locations.
• The city roads are actually very well maintained and very clean. This is majorly due to the joint efforts of the government and the residents of Colorado Springs. This tends to happen when people respect the natural gift that they get to experience!

Major Highways And Roads

Did you know that Colorado Springs is well connected with other regions in the US through an extensive network of roads and highways? Read on to know more about the highways and roads that you can take to reach Colorado Springs.

• Colorado Springs is home to the Space Museum or Space Foundation Headquarters and Discovery Center which is a very informative center for the study of, you guessed it - space!
• Colorado Springs is also home to the Pike National Park. Tourists from all over the world come to visit this national park to visit the scenic locations in the park. The Pike National Park is also a very popular camping spot for tourists.
• Let us discuss all the major highways nearing El Paso county since that county is home to the Colorado Springs municipality in the Colorado territory.
• Interstate 25: This highway goes through the corridor between Denver and Colorado Springs. It happens to cross the cities of Fort Collins, Loveland, and Pueblo.
• I-25 BL: Also known as Nevada Avenue; used primarily for business purposes.
• U.S. Highway 24: This highway stretches all the way from Minturn, Colorado to Clarkston, Michigan. This can be viewed from the Pikes Peak Highway as it cuts through the Rocky Mountains.
• U.S. Highway 85: In the state of Colorado, this highway starts south of Starkville and terminates at Cheyenne, Wyoming.
• State Highway 16: Also known as the Mesa Ridge Parkway, it happens to be an expressway near Colorado Springs. This state highway was established in 1971.
• State Highway 21: Also known as Powers Boulevard, it is an expressway in eastern Colorado Springs.
• State Highway 83: This is a state highway which is located alongside the Front Range in Colorado.
• State Highway 94: This highway is about 85.5 mi (136.8 km) long which is located east of Colorado Springs, terminating at U.S.Highway 40.
• State Highway 105: This is the main route in and out of Palmer Lake and various other small towns. This state highway runs for 29.11 mi (46.85km).
• State Highway 115: Due to the accident-prone nature of this highway, major reconstruction was done to avoid this.

Mountain Metro Mobility

Did you know that it is possible to explore Colorado Springs through various modes of transportation? Read on to know some useful information related to mountain metro mobility in and around Colorado Springs.

• The central mountains of the Front Range are actually a very popular place in Colorado. If you check out the schedule of the Colorado Springs city events, you will find that most of these are cultural events and gatherings.
• One of the natural events is called 'Pikes Peak International Hill Climb' which is an automobile hill climb!
• The Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame was established in 2000 in order to honor sports figures who bring honor to the city and the region.
• One of the sweetest things about Colorado Springs is the Mountain Metro Mobility which is an ADA paratransit service. This service is provided to those individuals who are unable to use Mountain Metro fixed-route bus service due to various disabilities.
• To become eligible for this service there must be some parameters that are to be met: Any individual who is not able to use the transit system in place due to physical or mental impairments or individuals who are bound to wheelchairs/other assistance devices for boarding or an individual with a specific disability.
• This mobility system works similar to the normal transit system and runs during the same timings in the same area. The system works seven days of the week, starting at 5:30 a.m. and ending at 9:45 p.m.
• The Mountain Metro Mobility system also has a taxi system in place so that people with disabilities can easily navigate their surroundings. The reservations need to be made three days before the trip and this taxi only tends to occur when the distance is 7 mi (11.2 km) or less than that distance.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Colorado Springs facts then why not take a look at Dominica facts, or Lebanon facts.