What you didn’t know about Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Colorado Springs sits at one of the most fascinating intersections of geology, ecology, and American history, a landscape shaped by ancient oceans, shifting tectonic plates, and centuries of human movement through the Rockies.
Garden of the Gods, for example, wasn’t simply “formed”, its massive sandstone fins were pushed upright by the same uplift that created Pikes Peak, exposing rock layers that date back nearly 300 million years. The region’s elevation creates microclimates that shift quickly: alpine ecosystems on the mountain, foothill shrublands around the city, and pockets of prairie that once stretched endlessly eastward. Indigenous tribes, including the Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne, considered Pikes Peak sacred long before Western settlement, and traces of their presence remain across trails and mountain passes. Even Manitou Springs carries geological magic: its mineral springs naturally carbonate underground, a rare phenomenon caused by volcanic activity and limestone interaction. And the military presence here isn’t incidental, NORAD, the Air Force Academy, and Cheyenne Mountain shaped the city’s modern identity while sitting beside some of the country’s most extraordinary natural formations.
Five fascinations about Colorado Springs.
5. Nikola Tesla had a secret lab here.
In 1899, Tesla set up a lab in Colorado Springs to experiment with wireless electricity. It’s said he produced man-made lightning visible for miles, no big deal.
4. It’s one of the sunniest places in the U.S.
Colorado Springs averages over 300 days of sunshine a year, perfect for the hikers, bikers, and wanderers who call its trails home.
3. Garden of the Gods was a gift to the people.
The iconic red rock park was donated in 1909 by the Perkins family with one condition: it must always remain free to the public. And it still is.
2. It’s home to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum.
Opened in 2020, this interactive museum celebrates Team USA’s greatest moments, with exhibits designed to be inclusive, immersive, and world-class.
1. Pikes Peak inspired “America the Beautiful.”
Katharine Lee Bates penned the famous poem after standing atop Pikes Peak in 1893. Today, you can still drive, hike, or ride the Cog Railway to the summit that sparked a national anthem.
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