Plaza Of The Rockies, Colorado Springs, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

Plaza of the Rockies is a downtown spot on Colorado Avenue in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where the street lines up with Pikes Peak. The mountain, more than 14,000 feet high, is the reason to pause here and look west, and its story runs from the Ute people to the gold rush slogan 'Pikes Peak or Bust'.

The story behind it

The view from here is dominated by a mountain named after a man who never climbed it. In November 1806 the explorer Zebulon Pike tried for the summit, but deep snow, bitter cold and poorly equipped soldiers forced him to turn back. The first recorded ascent came on 15 July 1820, by the botanist Edwin James.

The mountain had a name long before either of them. The Ute people called it Tava, which means 'sun'. In 1858 the name of Pikes Peak became the rallying cry of the Colorado gold rush, 'Pikes Peak or Bust', even though the big gold deposits were not actually close to the mountain itself.

What to look for

• Look west along Colorado Avenue and find the broad summit on the skyline, which is Pikes Peak.
• Notice how the street runs toward the mountains, which makes the peak feel like the end of the avenue.
• Pick out the shape of the summit against the sky and think of Pike turning back in the snow in 1806.
• Watch the weather on the peak, since the summit can be clear or wrapped in cloud while the street stays sunny.

Tips for your visit

• Ten minutes is plenty for the view, but it works best as one stop on a longer walk through downtown.
• Pick a clear day, as the mountain is the whole point. Mornings are often clearer than afternoons when clouds build over the peaks.
• Bring a camera and face west along Colorado Avenue for the best angle on the summit.
• Check current access and opening hours if you want to enter any building on the plaza.

See it on a quest

Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in Downtown, Colorado Springs passes this spot. You reach it on foot as one stop of a longer route through downtown, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle in front of you. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.

Colorado Springs Detective Mystery: Infiltrate a Secret Society. also goes by here. Instead of stopping at a sign, you walk from place to place, hear the story of each one and work out a puzzle on the spot. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.

Ghost Hunt in Colorado Springs is a third way to take in the area, with a spooky theme. You walk the streets at your own pace, the app tells you about each place along the way, and you solve a puzzle at each stop. It is a paid quest, and one ticket covers the whole group.