Touring Manitou Springs, CO with Blanche & Lucy

Blanche & Lucy visited the Manitou Cliff Dwellings in Manitou, Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak which were built over 700 years ago.

The fascinating architecture of the ancient Anasazi people was wonderfully well preserved.

Amazingly, we were all able to walk among the dwellings.  You can see that the people who inhabited these spaces were pretty small, Cheryl could not enter this one but Tyler could.

In fact the tour/trail through the dwellings took us into, behind, and through each dwelling and room. Here Ethan peeks out of one of the ground floor windows.

The display plaques tell us that the people lived in the Four Corners area from 1100AD to 1300AD.  And this reserve was first opened to the public in 1907.

The quality of the Pictographs were amazing.  Tucked into the shaded part of the dwelling it did not fade with the sun.

This area was where the children slept - so Ethan & Tyler were very interested in that space... There were little beds in those rooms and only the children could climb up there as it was not originally built for heavier adults. 

The buildings were tucked into an alcove with a large overhang, so that the people were well protected from the wind, snow, rain or harsh climate.

Next to the Cliff Dwellings was this three-story Pueblo-style building. Similar structures are still inhabited by Pueblo Indians in the Rio Grand Valley of New Mexico - Taos, NM is the most famous of these communities.  Until 1984, local Native Americans still lived in these rooms.

Also on these grounds was a beautiful authentic Tipi made of Buffalo hide.

Both Ethan & Tyler enjoyed going inside and sitting on the wooden floor, imagining what the Native Americans would do inside.

Just down the road from the Cliff Dwellings, and still in Manitou Springs,  is Garden of the Gods.  Blanche and Lucy loved the view and the restful space.

This is a free city park (1,350 acres) of beautiful red sandstone rock formations,  (over 300 million years old) ideal for hiking, picnics, horseback riding, and enjoying the beauty of plant and animal life.

While Blanche and Lucy rested, Ethan & Tyler enjoyed climbing.

And Denise and Cheryl tagged along (yes Cheryl without crutches insisted she could climb & hike with the kids).

While the others hiked, I enjoyed the views, a beautiful home tucked in the mountains here fits in well with the red rocks.

Everywhere you looked were beautiful rock formations - some looked familiar.

As I rested with the dogs, this little cowboy came bounding through.

With his 'cork stopped' pop-gun, he was probably pretending he was the marshall hunting the bad guys.

After seeing deer, and horse riders the kids came back very excited.  A great time was had by all - and definitely a place to return to for more fun.