Our rule for this list: no ticket, no admission fee, no "suggested donation" at the door. Parking costs are fine, and we'll flag them where they apply. We also skipped the usual paid-attraction lineup. You'll find Garden of the Gods here, but it's #10, because locals have plenty of other free favorites. Everything was checked against the official site in October 2026.
Free doesn't mean always open. Museums keep short weekday hours, and canyon roads can close for snow or maintenance. Check the link before you go.
1Manitou's mineral springs
📍 Manitou Springs · start at the Visitor Center, 354 Manitou Ave.
Why go: Eight naturally carbonated mineral springs flow 24/7 around town, and every public one is free. Each one has its own taste.
Do: Grab a map and a chart of what's in each spring at the Visitor Center, then walk the self-guided tour. Shoshone Spring, the stone house in our photo, has the highest levels of many minerals.
Good to know: Bring your own cup or bottle, or buy a collapsible steel cup at the Visitor Center ($3, or 2 for $5, cash only). Sales help the Mineral Springs Foundation keep the springs flowing.
Official site ↗
2Red Rock Canyon Open Space
📍 Westside, off Hwy. 24 · 3550 W. High St.
Why go: Red sandstone fins, old quarry walls and trails for every mood: the Contemplative Trail, the Sand Canyon Trail and the Quarry Trail past the old sandstone quarries that supplied Old Colorado City.
Do: Bring the dog. The Upper and Lower dog loops are off-leash areas, and everywhere else dogs are welcome on a leash. Trails also connect to Section 16 and the Intemann Trail.
Good to know: From I-25, take Cimarron St. west, turn left on Ridge Rd. and follow the roundabout onto W. High St. Both main lots have portable toilets. City open spaces are open 5 a.m.–9 p.m. from November through April. No fires, grills or smoking.
Official site ↗
3North Cheyenne Cañon & Helen Hunt Falls
📍 Southwest · Starsmore Visitor and Nature Center, 2120 S. Cheyenne Cañon Rd.
Why go: A canyon cut 1,000 feet deep into 1.5-billion-year-old granite, right at the edge of town. Drive about 2.5 miles up the road to Helen Hunt Falls, then walk to the bridge over the top.
Do: Stop at Starsmore for exhibits on the canyon's geology, wildlife and history. Hikers can push on past the falls to Silver Cascade Falls.
Good to know: The park is open 5 a.m.–9 p.m. from Nov. 1 to April 30. Starsmore is open Tuesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–3 p.m. outside summer. The Helen Hunt Falls visitor center only opens Memorial Day–Labor Day. There's no cell service at the falls, so don't plan on calling a rideshare. The road closes for snow and occasional maintenance, and buses and RVs aren't allowed.
Official site ↗
4Penrose Heritage Museum
📍 Broadmoor · 11 Lake Circle, across from The Broadmoor's main entrance
Why go: Thirty horse-drawn carriages from the 1840s through the 1910s, and 15 race cars from the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which Spencer Penrose started in 1916. A new exhibit marks 100 years of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Do: Walk up the two-story Hill Climb gallery, which is built to mimic the mountain itself.
Good to know: Admission is free. Hours are Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–noon and 1–4 p.m. (it closes for lunch). Park in The Broadmoor garage next door, and the museum will validate up to 1.5 hours. No pets.
Official site ↗
5First Friday Downtown
📍 Downtown · galleries all over, the first Friday of every month
Why go: Dozens of galleries, shops and nonprofits open their doors with new art, live music and special events from 5 to 9 p.m., free and open to everyone.
Do: Start at the Fine Arts Center (30 W. Dale St.). Museum admission is normally $10 for adults, but it's free during First Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., with live music in the Deco Lounge. Then head to Cottonwood Center for the Arts (427 E. Colorado Ave.), which unveils a new gallery show each month and is home to two floors of working artists.
Good to know: The next two are Nov. 6 and Dec. 4, 2026. Cottonwood has a free parking lot across Corona St. from its front door. Downtown Partnership's site lists each month's participating venues.
Official site ↗
6Palmer Park
📍 Central/east · 3650 Maizeland Rd.
Why go: A wild, rocky mesa right in the middle of the city, with hoodoos, tall pines and two big overlooks.
Do: Park at the Grandview Overlook and follow the Gazette's loop to both Grandview and Sentinel Point, with bluffs facing Pikes Peak along the way. It's about 2.8 miles with 268 feet of gain. For hoodoos, add the West Cheyenne Trail.
Good to know: Palmer Park closes at 9 p.m. all year. Leashed dogs and mountain bikes are welcome.
Official site ↗
7Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
📍 Downtown · 215 S. Tejon St.
Why go: Local history inside the grand 1903 El Paso County Courthouse. Admission is always free, and you don't need a ticket. The new exhibit, "Freedom to Thrive: The American Experiment in Colorado Springs," opened for Colorado's 150th birthday.
Do: Pair it with lunch on Tejon. The museum makes a great rainy-day hour.
Good to know: Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. It's closed Nov. 11, Nov. 26–27 and Dec. 24–25. The closest garage is at Nevada and Colorado (130 S. Nevada Ave.).
Official site ↗
8Ute Valley Park
📍 Northwest (Rockrimmon) · 1705 Vindicator Dr.
Why go: Forested hogback ridges and sandstone in the middle of northwest neighborhoods, with trails that the city calls "destination-level."
Do: Hike, run, mountain bike or walk the dog (on a leash) through rocky, forested ridges with views back over the city.
Good to know: City park hours are 5 a.m.–9 p.m. from November through April. Fires, charcoal grills and smoking are prohibited. Seasonal restrooms in city parks are closed from October through May.
Official site ↗
9Fountain Creek Nature Center
📍 Fountain, about 15 minutes south of downtown · 320 Pepper Grass Ln.
Why go: An "oasis on the plains" of ponds, marshes and cottonwoods. Herons, turtles, deer and the occasional bobcat live in the Cattail Marsh Wildlife Area.
Do: Walk the 0.7-mile nature trail around the pond, and scan the QR codes along the way for the audio tour. Inside, there are exhibits plus a monthly show from a local nature artist.
Good to know: The center and its trails are free. It's open Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Pets, bikes and fishing aren't allowed on the nature trail, but they are welcome elsewhere in Fountain Creek Regional Park.
Official site ↗
10Garden of the Gods
📍 Westside · Visitor & Nature Center at 1805 N. 30th St.
Why go: Yes, it's on every list. But it's been free since 1909, when Charles Perkins' children gave it to the city to fulfill his wish that it stay "forever open and free," so it belongs on this one too.
Do: Go early. The park opens at 5 a.m., and first light on the rocks with Pikes Peak behind them is the reward. Afterward, stop at the free Visitor & Nature Center to see the world's only Theiophytalia kerri, a dinosaur discovered right in the park.
Good to know: The park is open 5 a.m.–9 p.m. from Nov. 1 to April 30 and until 10 p.m. the rest of the year. Trail and rock-formation maps are on the city's page.
Official site ↗
Every pick was checked against its official site or a recent local news report in October 2026. Hours, menus and trail conditions change, so tap through before you head out. Spot something out of date? Email hello@cosscoop.com.
