Author: Seth Boster seth.boster@gazettedev.gazette.com
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Flower power: Colorado’s beauty blooms bright in the mountains
Coming off a dry spring and record-low snowpack, it remains to be seen how Colorado’s wildflowers will be affected. Peak blooms typically occur in July and August across the high country, with the 40th anniversary of the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival set for July 10-19. Travel to any elevated region of the state, and you…
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Reflecting on the past and present of Colorado wellness
Hardship would greet Colorado’s early visitors — the likes of John Frémont, a famed explorer whose party was often outmatched by the harsh elements and treacherous terrain. In the early 1840s, tired and hungry in the stormy mountains west of modern-day Colorado Springs, it seemed the next morning was not promised. And yet the morning was…
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High in the sky: Rare air awaits atop state’s tallest peaks
No 14,000-foot peak could be called easy. As we heard once from Colorado Fourteeners Initiative executive director Lloyd Athearn: “Understand that these are extremely high mountains, and even doing some of the ‘easiest’ fourteeners involves a lot of physical ability.” Some are more forgiving, however — often called “beginner” peaks. Breaking in this summer? Here…
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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo set to open expanded space for its herd of celebrated giraffes
In its 100th anniversary year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will have something big to celebrate: a new home for its most celebrated animal. The International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe will open this summer — a $40 million project meant to benefit the hooved residents and human visitors who have long fed them…
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100 years of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: A colorful past meets an innovative present
Ahead of its much-anticipated debut at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, construction continued this spring on a state-of-the-art facility for giraffes, the treasured animal in the zoo’s logo and in the hearts of visitors, who soon will be able to interact with the herd in a whole new way. And high on the mountain overlooking the progress…
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This red rock wonderland hides behind a hogback near Denver
Around Denver, people know Red Rocks Amphitheatre. They know the red rocks of Roxborough State Park. They know the related, similarly aged Flatirons in Boulder and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. But do they know South Valley Park? Tanner Marshall, a natural resources specialist with Jefferson County Parks and Open Space, offers yet…
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Rarefied air: 8 zip lines to ride in Colorado’s mountains
The best view of Colorado? Some swear it’s from the seat of a harness, somewhere high dangling from steel cables, where the mountains meet adrenaline. Get a rush and a view on these eight zip lines: Soaring Adventure, Colorado Springs It’s one thing to see Seven Falls and Cheyenne Canyon from the ground. It’s another…
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The best chicken sandwiches in Colorado Springs: A classic, a hidden gem and elevated twists
In this weekly feature, we’re celebrating the best of Colorado Springs’ food and drink scene — as determined by voters in the 2026 Best of the Springs (thebestofthesprings.com). We’ll throw in our own recommendation, too. Up this week: Chicken sandwiches. Gold: Chick-fil-A The old reliable reigns supreme. What is it about this simple, American classic?…
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Trail mileage doubling at Baker’s Park, poised to be next mountain biking destination in Colorado
Trails are expanding as part of a mission to make a mountain biking destination in southwest Colorado. A short ride up from Silverton’s main street, the first trail of the Baker’s Park system ー a 7-mile loop opened in 2024 ー has been frequented by local and visiting hikers and runners as well. But from…