Manitou Springs

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On my day off, I drove south to Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings, which is south of Colorado Springs. The cliff dwellings were the homes of Anasazi Indians, built over 700 years ago!! The Anasazi Indians lived in the area from 1200 BC to 1300 AD. They were originally called "Cliff Dwellers."

It was pretty cool because, unlike other cliff dwellings, here you are actually able to walk among and inside the different buildings.


After checking out the dwellings, I walked through thte town of Manitou Springs. Manitou is a native american name for "spirit." It is named such because there are nine natural mineral springs in the town. They are fed from the snow of Pikes Peak, which rises to the west of town. Before white men lived here,Native Americans considered the area sacred. The eruption of bubbles in the mineral water was considered the breath of the Great Spirit and offerings of beads and fetishes were left in gratitude. The soothing effects of the soda water on sour stomachs and dry skin attracted not only the Mountain Utes, who wintered here each year, but the Cheyenne, Arapahoe, and other Plains tribes. All were free to share in the gifts of the waters without worrying about conflict.

"The source of these famous waters lays deep underground in a system of cavernous aquifers. As the ancient water erodes the surrounding limestone, carbonic acid is created which gives Manitou’s springs their special effervescence. This natural carbonation forces the water back to surface through cracks in the rocks, where it absorbs high concentrations of sodium bicarbonate (soda) and other healthy minerals." (www.manitousprings.org)

Walking through town, you can find all the mineral springs, and drink from them, too.

Lastly, I went walking around Garden of the Gods. Being a gorgeous day, there were a fair amount of people about, including 2 couples rock climbing. They made it look so easy!

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Photos

Ute Chief Springs
one of the mineral springs in Manitou Springs

Comments

[CG]

Fantastic place
We just did Manitou Cave Dwellings and Manitou Springs today, what a fantastic trip! I WILL be going back!