Planning a Trip

Arriving

By Plane -- Major airlines offer nearly 100 flights a day to Colorado Springs Airport, located north of Drennan Road and east of Powers Boulevard in the southeastern part of the city (tel. 719/550-1972; www.flycos.com).

Airlines serving Colorado Springs include Allegiant (tel. 888/594-6937), American (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com), America West (now part of USAirways; tel. 800/235-9292; www.usairways.com), Continental (tel. 800/525-0280; www.flycontinental.com), Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com), Mesa (tel. 800/637-2247; www.mesa-air.com), Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525; www.nwa.com), and United (tel. 800/864-8331; www.united.com).

Getting To & From the Airport -- Several companies provide airport shuttle services; call tel. 719/550-1930 for information.

By Car -- The principal artery to and from the north and south, I-25, bisects Colorado Springs. Denver is 70 miles north; Pueblo, 42 miles south. U.S. 24 is the principal east-west route through the city.

Visitors arriving on I-70 from the east can take exit 359 at Limon and follow U.S. 24 into the Springs. Arriving on I-70 from the west, the most direct route is exit 201 at Frisco, then Colo. 9 through Breckenridge 53 miles to U.S. 24 (at Hartsel), and then east 66 miles to the Springs. This route is mountainous, so check road conditions before setting out in winter.

Visitor Information

The Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau is at 515 S. Cascade Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80903 (tel. 800/888-4748 or 719/635-7506; fax 719/635-4968; www.experiencecoloradosprings.com). Ask for the free Official Visitor Guide to Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region, a colorful booklet with a comprehensive listing of accommodations, restaurants, and other area visitor services, as well as a basic but efficient map. Inquire at the Visitor Information Center or local bookstores for more detailed maps. An excellent one is the Pierson Graphics Corporation's Colorado Springs and Monument Valley Street Map. The Visitor Information Center, at the southeast corner of Cascade Avenue and Cimarron Street, is open from 8:30am to 5pm daily in summer, Monday through Friday in winter. From I-25, take the Cimarron Street exit (exit 141), and head east about 4 blocks.

Visitors to Manitou Springs -- every Colorado Springs visitor should also get to Manitou Springs -- can get information from the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, 354 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, CO 80829 (tel. 800/642-2567 or 719/685-5089; www.manitousprings.org). You can also contact the Pikes Peak Country Attractions Association at the same address (tel. 800/525-2250; www.pikes-peak.com).

Heads Up -- At an elevation of 6,035 feet, Colorado Springs has two-thirds the oxygen found at sea level; Pikes Peak, at 14,110 feet, has only one-half the oxygen.

City Layout

It's easy to get around central Colorado Springs, which is laid out on a classic grid pattern.

If you focus on the intersection of I-25 and U.S. 24, downtown Colorado Springs lies in the northeast quadrant, bounded on the west by I-25 and on the south by U.S. 24 (Cimarron St.). Boulder Street to the north and Wahsatch Avenue to the east complete the downtown frame. Nevada Avenue (Bus. 25 and Colo. 115) parallels the freeway for 15 miles through the city, intersecting it twice; Tejon Street and Cascade Avenue also run north-south through downtown between Nevada Avenue and the freeway. Colorado Avenue and Platte Avenue are the busiest east-west downtown cross streets.

West of downtown, Colorado Avenue extends through the historic Old Colorado City district and the quaint foothill community of Manitou Springs, rejoining U.S. 24 -- a busy but less interesting artery -- as it enters Pike National Forest.

South of downtown, Nevada Avenue intersects Lake Avenue, the principal boulevard into The Broadmoor hotel, and proceeds south as Colo. 115 past Fort Carson.

North and east of downtown, Academy Boulevard (Colo. 83) is the street name to remember. From the south gate of the Air Force Academy north of the Springs, it winds through residential hills, crosses Austin Bluff Parkway, and then runs without a curve 8 miles due south, finally bending west to intersect I-25 and Colo. 115 at Fort Carson. U.S. 24, which exits downtown east as Platte Avenue, and Fountain Boulevard, which leads to the airport, are among its cross streets. Austin Bluffs Parkway extends west of I-25 as Garden of the Gods Road, leading to that natural wonder.

City street addresses are divided by Pikes Peak Avenue into north and south; by Nevada Avenue into east and west.