Days 12-14 Colorado Trip: Castle Rock/Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs

August 04, 2026

Days 12-14 Colorado Trip: Castle Rock/Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs

We made it to the tail end of our trip. We stayed in a great airbnb in Castle Rock. It was a great place to stay on our final days of our trip. We were able to do laundry, which is something we love to do when we travel. Coming home and not having to do laundry is HUGE. The home was very comfortable!

What we ate/coffee:

Castle Cafe: In Castle Rock, Co. Known for their down home atmosphere and it was recommended we try their fried chicken. We also tried an appetizer and a soup (it's been so long I can't remember what we had).

The Keg Lounge: Manitou Springs. We had soe onion rings, I had the Bacon Bleu Salad with grilled steak, my hubby had a steak dinner. It was very good.

Adams Mountain Cafe: (Manitou Springs) We stopped here after my hubby climbed the manitou incline. It was so good! My hubby had the Royale Street Shrimp n'grits and I had the Avocado omelette. Very good food and service and a really neat atmosphere.

Loved the inside of this cafe. Every table and chair was different. I loved the vibe, and the food was amazing.

Red Dog Cafe: I went here while my hubby climbed the Manitou Incline. They didn't open til 7:00, so I did have to kill some time. I sat in the car and read. This was another neat place to stop. I was there too early to have any food and I knew my hubby was going to want breakfast after he was done climbing. Great coffee, and their other menu items looked great. The place is unique and if you love plants, this is your place! They also sold mugs and other fun, quirky gifts.

What we saw/did:

Manitou Incline: the incline is less than a mile but with a 2,000 foot elevation gain and 2,768 steps. It is an intense climb but one my hubby wanted to conquer. I did not do it as I was dealing with some achilles tendonitis and knew I'd slow him down. I had done a somewhat similar climb in Hawaii and didn't feel a need to do this one. He completed it in less than an hour. We did this toward the end of our trip so he had finally acclimated to the altitude which helped a lot. He also regularly walks one of our hills near home and had gone on some hikes prior to our trip. I definitely recommend being prepared for this..both altitude and the elevation gain.

This photo was taken the day before my husbands climb. He wanted to go and just "see" what it looked like. It was dark when he started his climb and cloudy when he made it to the top.

Garden of the Gods: This is well worth the stop and the exploration. It is so beautiful. I know we didn't see it all, but what we did, we enjoyed.

Red Rock Amphitheater: We also didn't realize how close we were to the amphitheater so decided to stop. Well worth visiting even when there's not a concert. There were people exercising, artists drawing and painting, people just visiting, others reading. There is an area that shows the history and the musicians who have played there.

Pikes Peak: There are a few options for Pikes Peak. You can take a train, OR you can drive it. We decided to drive. It was beautiful but it was also scary. Very few guard rails and steep edges. Oh, and the road isn't overly wide. With that said, it was worth it. There are a few spots you can pull off which was nice and the views were stunning. At the top we walked around, there is a great observation building with a cafe and information.

Hoosier Pass: I believe we hit this on our way to Castle Rock, after leaving Breckenridge. Either way, it's worth stopping. My hubby took a very windy, cold hike, while I traipsed around at the bottom and read.