Get Out of Town — The Best Day Trips from Colorado Springs
One of the best things about living in Colorado Springs is how fast you can get out of town and into the mountains. I’m not exaggerating — you can be sitting in traffic on Powers Boulevard and forty-five minutes later be standing at 9,500 feet with nothing but pine trees and blue sky around you. I’ve lived here over twenty years, and that never gets old.
Most people who visit Colorado Springs hit Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak and call it a day. And look, those are great — but they’re just the starting point. The real magic is what’s within an hour or two drive in every direction, especially if you head west toward the mountains.
These are the day trips I actually take. Not stuff I read about on some tourism website — places I’ve driven to, camped at, eaten at, and keep going back to. Some of these are RV-friendly, some you’ll want a smaller vehicle. I’ll be straight with you about all of it.
Cripple Creek — Casinos, History, and a Beautiful Drive
Cripple Creek is probably my favorite day trip from Colorado Springs, and I’ve made this drive more times than I can count. It’s about 45 minutes west on Highway 24 through Woodland Park and then south on Highway 67, and the drive itself is half the reason to go.
Let’s be honest — most people go to Cripple Creek for the casinos. It’s a small mountain gambling town, and the casinos are nothing like Vegas. They’re scattered through these old historic buildings on Bennett Avenue, and the vibe is more “mountain town with slot machines” than anything glamorous. But that’s the charm. You can walk the whole strip in fifteen minutes, pop in and out of a few places, grab a cheap buffet, and have a good time without dropping a fortune.
What a lot of people don’t know is that the casinos actually run shuttle buses from Colorado Springs to pick people up. If you don’t feel like driving — or you plan on having a few drinks — that’s a solid option.
Beyond the casinos, there’s a narrow gauge railroad that runs between Cripple Creek and the nearby town of Victor. It’s a short ride, maybe four miles, but it goes through some beautiful old mining country. Victor itself is worth a stop — it’s quieter, less touristy, and gives you a real feel for what these gold mining towns looked like back in the day.
Here’s something useful: you can absolutely take an RV up to Cripple Creek. Highway 67 is a mountain road, but it’s a proper highway — two lanes, well-maintained, and RV-friendly. I’ve done it multiple times. There’s parking in town, though the lots fill up on busy weekends. If you’re camping, there are a few spots along the way and in the Cripple Creek area.
Don’t Miss
- The Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad — fun even if you’re not a train person
- Drive through Victor on the way back for a quieter, more authentic mining town experience
- The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour if you’ve never been underground in a real mine
- Fall — the aspen colors along Highway 67 in late September are unreal
Woodland Park — The Gateway to Everything West
Woodland Park calls itself the “City Above the Clouds,” which sounds like marketing fluff until you drive up there on a day when Colorado Springs is socked in with clouds and you pop out above them on Highway 24. Then it makes sense.
I go through Woodland Park regularly. It’s only about 25 minutes from the west side of the Springs, and it’s the gateway to pretty much everything I’m about to talk about — Cripple Creek, Divide, Mueller State Park, Florissant. If you’re heading west, you’re going through Woodland Park.
The town itself is a solid stop. There are some good restaurants — nothing fancy, but good mountain-town food. A handful of shops worth browsing. And it’s got that small-town Colorado feel that the Springs has mostly lost as it’s grown. Saturday mornings there’s usually a farmers market in the summer. Gas up here if you’re heading further west — prices are a little higher than in the Springs but way better than what you’ll find in Cripple Creek.
The Divide area just past Woodland Park is where things really open up. This is Teller County, and once you get past Divide you’re in serious mountain country. I spend a lot of time out here. It’s where you turn off for Mueller State Park, and the whole area has that high-country feel — meadows, aspens, elk. It’s a different world from the city and it’s barely an hour away.
Royal Gorge — More Than Just a Bridge
Royal Gorge is about an hour and fifteen minutes south of Colorado Springs, and it’s one of those places that’s absolutely worth the trip. The bridge itself is impressive — it spans the Arkansas River gorge at about 955 feet above the water. When you’re standing on it and look straight down, your stomach does a thing. Even after multiple visits.
They’ve built it up over the years with a gondola ride across the gorge, zip lines, a via ferrata climbing course, and other adventure stuff. Some of it feels a little theme-park-ish, but the setting is so dramatic that it doesn’t really matter. The views are the real attraction.
Here’s what I’ll tell you from personal experience — there’s a campground about two miles from Royal Gorge where I’ve camped, and I’d highly recommend making this more than just a day trip if you can. The whole Canon City and Royal Gorge area is beautiful, and rushing through in an afternoon doesn’t do it justice. But if a day trip is all you’ve got, it works. Just leave early.
Admission to the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park isn’t cheap — check their website for current pricing. But if you’re only going once, it’s worth it.
Manitou Springs — Quirky, Fun, and Tight
Manitou Springs is technically right next to Colorado Springs — it’s only about fifteen minutes from downtown — but it feels like a completely different town. And it is. Manitou has its own government, its own vibe, and its own personality. It’s quirky, artsy, a little weird, and I mean all of that as a compliment.
The main strip has shops, restaurants, galleries, and the famous Manitou Springs penny arcade, which is actually free to enter and has vintage arcade games alongside newer stuff. The mineral springs are scattered throughout town — there are eight of them you can walk to and taste. Some taste fine, some taste like you’re drinking a volcano. It’s a thing you do once.
If you haven’t already, check out our Manitou Springs guide for the full rundown. And if you’re a hiker, the Incline starts right here in Manitou — 2,744 steps straight up. It’ll humble you.
Fair warning about Manitou: parking is tight. Really tight. The town sits in a narrow canyon and the streets are small. On summer weekends it’s a circus. Do not try to bring a large vehicle or an RV into Manitou Springs. Take a smaller car, or better yet, park in the free shuttle lot and ride in. Seriously — I’ve watched people in full-size trucks try to navigate those streets and it’s not pretty.
Canon City — Rafting, Wine, and the Arkansas River
Canon City is about an hour south of Colorado Springs and most people blow right through it on the way to Royal Gorge. That’s a mistake. The town itself has some things going for it.
The big draw is Arkansas River rafting. The stretch of river through Bighorn Sheep Canyon and the Royal Gorge is some of the best whitewater in Colorado. There are a dozen outfitters in and around Canon City that’ll put you on the river for a half-day or full-day trip. If you’ve never done it, do it. The Bighorn Sheep Canyon section is great for families and beginners — Class II and III rapids, nothing terrifying, but enough to get your heart rate up.
What surprised me about Canon City is the wine scene. There are a handful of wineries in the area — the Holy Cross Abbey Winery is probably the most well-known. Colorado wine isn’t Napa, but it’s better than most people expect, and sitting on a winery patio with mountain views isn’t a bad way to spend an afternoon.
Canon City also has the Riverwalk trail along the Arkansas River, some decent restaurants on Main Street, and a more laid-back feel than the Springs. It’s a good base if you want to hit Royal Gorge and the river in the same trip.
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
This one flies under the radar, and that’s part of why I like it. Florissant Fossil Beds is a National Park Service site about an hour and a half west of Colorado Springs, just past the town of Florissant off Highway 24.
Thirty-four million years ago, this area was a lake surrounded by giant redwood trees. A series of volcanic eruptions buried everything in ash, and what’s left are some of the most detailed plant and insect fossils in the world, plus massive petrified tree stumps. The biggest one is about 14 feet across. When you see it in person, it’s hard to wrap your head around the timescale involved.
The visitor center has a solid exhibit, and there are several easy hiking trails — most are flat and well-marked. The Petrified Forest Loop is about a mile and takes you past the big stumps. If you want more, the longer trails go through meadows and ponderosa forest and are peaceful in a way that’s hard to find at busier parks.
This isn’t an all-day destination on its own, but it pairs perfectly with a stop in Woodland Park or Divide on the way back. Bring a lunch — there’s not much for food right at the monument.
Mueller State Park — Hiking, Wildlife, and Quiet
Mueller State Park is right off Highway 67 near Divide, about an hour from Colorado Springs, and it’s one of the best state parks along the Front Range. I’m biased because I love this area, but the numbers back me up — over 5,000 acres, 55 miles of trails, and some of the best elk and mule deer viewing in the region.
The hiking here ranges from easy meadow walks to longer backcountry loops. The Outlook Ridge Trail and the Elk Meadow Trail are both favorites. What I like about Mueller is that even on busy weekends, once you get a mile or so down the trail, you’ve got it to yourself. It doesn’t get the crowds that parks closer to town get.
Camping at Mueller is excellent. They have electric hookup sites, walk-in tent sites, and even some backcountry camping options. Reserve ahead in summer — it fills up. A Colorado Parks pass gets you in, or you can pay a daily fee.
Pro tip: combine Mueller with a drive on Rampart Range Road. I camp up there and the views are fantastic — you can see the whole Front Range laid out below you. Rampart Range Road is a dirt road that runs along the ridge between Woodland Park and the Garden of the Gods area. It’s passable in a regular car when it’s dry but can get sketchy after rain. Check conditions before you go. Not RV-friendly.
Eleven Mile Canyon and Reservoir
Eleven Mile is about an hour and a half west of Colorado Springs, past Lake George on Highway 24. It’s a reservoir and canyon that’s popular with fishermen, but you don’t have to fish to enjoy it.
The canyon itself is gorgeous — narrow granite walls, the South Platte River running through it, and dispersed camping spots along the road. If you want to get away from developed campgrounds and just set up next to a river, this is one of the best spots within striking distance of the Springs.
The reservoir is big — over 3,400 surface acres — and it sits at about 8,600 feet. The fishing is genuinely good: kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, northern pike, and more. Even if you don’t fish, driving the road around the reservoir is scenic, and the open-water views against the mountain backdrop are worth the trip.
Camping here is first-come, first-served for many of the sites in the canyon, and reservable at the state park around the reservoir. Summer weekends fill up fast — arrive Friday or go midweek if you can. There’s a state park fee to enter.
Planning Tips for Day Trips from Colorado Springs
After twenty-plus years of making these drives, here’s what I’ve learned:
Best Times to Go
- Weekdays win every time. Summer weekends on Highway 24 can be bumper-to-bumper. Tuesday through Thursday? You’ll have the road and the destinations mostly to yourself.
- Fall is the sweet spot. Late September through mid-October gives you aspen colors, cooler temps, fewer crowds, and all the destinations are still open. The drive to Cripple Creek in fall is one of the best in the state.
- Summer mornings. If you’re going on a weekend, leave early. By 10 AM the roads get busy and parking at popular spots fills up.
- Watch for afternoon thunderstorms from June through August. They roll in like clockwork around 2-3 PM in the mountains. Plan to be off exposed ridges and trails by then.
Which Trips Are RV-Friendly?
- Cripple Creek: Yes. Highway 67 is a good mountain highway. I’ve taken my RV up there multiple times without issues.
- Woodland Park / Divide: Yes. Highway 24 is a major highway, no problems.
- Royal Gorge / Canon City: Yes. Highway 115 south is straightforward, and there are RV-friendly campgrounds in the area.
- Eleven Mile Canyon / Reservoir: The reservoir area is fine for RVs. The canyon road is narrower — smaller rigs only.
- Mueller State Park: Yes, they have hookup sites. The road in is paved and fine for RVs.
- Manitou Springs: No. Do not bring an RV or large vehicle. The streets are narrow, parking is minimal, and you’ll regret it. Small car or shuttle.
- Rampart Range Road: No. Dirt road, narrow in spots. High-clearance vehicle recommended, RVs absolutely not.
- Florissant Fossil Beds: The parking lot can handle a smaller RV or motorhome. The roads getting there (Highway 24) are fine.
General Tips
- Gas up before you leave. Fuel prices climb the further you get from the city. Fill up in Colorado Springs or Woodland Park.
- Bring layers. Even in July, mountain temperatures at 9,000+ feet can drop 20-30 degrees from town. A jacket is never a bad idea.
- Cash is handy for Cripple Creek casinos, small-town shops, and some campgrounds. Not everything out there takes cards.
- Check road conditions in winter. Highway 24 and 67 can get icy. CDOT’s website has real-time conditions. Chains or good snow tires are a must November through April.
- Altitude matters. Colorado Springs sits at 6,035 feet. Some of these destinations are above 9,000 feet. If you’re visiting from sea level, drink water, take it easy, and don’t be surprised if you get winded on a short hike.
The Bottom Line
I’ve lived in Colorado Springs long enough to know that the city itself is only part of the story. The real draw — the reason I’ve stayed here for two decades — is what’s out there in every direction. You can pick any of these day trips from Colorado Springs, leave after breakfast, and be in a completely different world by mid-morning.
If I had to pick just one for a first-timer? Cripple Creek. The drive alone is worth it, and between the casinos, the railroad, and Victor, you’ll have a full day. If you want something more outdoorsy, Mueller State Park or Eleven Mile Canyon will give you that quiet mountain experience without a ton of planning.
The best part is that none of these are far away. An hour, maybe ninety minutes, and you’re there. That’s living in Colorado Springs — the mountains are always right there, waiting.
Already explored these? Check out our guides to Garden of the Gods, the best hiking trails around Colorado Springs, and our full Pikes Peak guide for more ideas close to home.
About the Author: Dominic Ferrara has lived in Colorado Springs for over 20 years. After working for Delta Airlines and visiting just about every major city in the United States, he chose Colorado Springs for its scenery, sunshine, and outdoor lifestyle. He lives on the west side near Ute Valley Park, where he e-bikes, camps, and explores the mountains regularly. His recommendations come from two decades of eating, hiking, and living here — not from a weekend visit.
