Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek, Colorado is best known for its casinos and gold rush history, but this historic mining town in Teller County also sits at the edge of some of the best things to do in the Colorado Rockies. From day trips to Royal Gorge and Garden of the Gods to a cog railway ride up Pikes Peak, here are nine attractions worth the drive — ordered by how close they are to Golden Nugget Cripple Creek, from a short hop to a full day’s round trip.
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19.1 miA top pick for wildlife lovers visiting Teller County, this rescue and education sanctuary near Cripple Creek lets you get close to wolves, foxes, and coyotes in their natural mountain habitat.
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45 miNo list of things to do near Cripple Creek is complete without the Royal Gorge Bridge, one of the highest suspension bridges in the country, strung nearly a thousand feet above the Arkansas River canyon.
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49.2 miPair your visit to the Royal Gorge Bridge with a scenic train ride along the canyon floor, offering Colorado canyon views you can’t get from above.
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39.8 miA free, must-see stop on any Colorado road trip from Cripple Creek, with towering red sandstone formations set against the Front Range and open to explore year-round.
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38.7 miA popular Colorado Springs attraction near Manitou Springs, combining guided cave tours below ground with cliffside thrill rides above Williams Canyon.
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39.9 miSkip the hike and let a cog train carry you more than 8,000 feet to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak, one of Colorado’s most famous fourteeners.
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43.7 miA can’t-miss stop in downtown Colorado Springs, this interactive museum celebrates Team USA athletes and America’s Olympic and Paralympic history.
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45.8 miTour the working training facility where elite Team USA athletes prepare for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, just outside Colorado Springs.
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59 miCatch a national touring act at this outdoor concert venue in Colorado Springs, set against a dramatic Front Range mountain backdrop.
Visit websiteA couple of the best things to do in Cripple Creek come and go with the calendar.
0.3 miLocated just steps from Golden Nugget Cripple Creek, this seasonal steam train loops through the historic Cripple Creek and Victor mining district from spring through fall.
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Late Sept – OctEvery fall, the drive along State Highway 67 and the Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway turns gold, making it one of the best places to see fall foliage near Cripple Creek.
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