Many of our guests are visiting from outside Colorado. Here are some friendly suggestions to help make your visit wonderful:
- Altitude Sickness. Nauseousness is common when hiking a trail, but running to lower ground is not the recommended solution. We are at approximately 7,000 feet. The best way to acclimate is to drink plenty of water. Aspirin is the commonly recommended over-the-counter solution.
- Lightning. We live where the highest percentage of lightning strikes occur in the U.S. Be aware that most strikes happen before it starts raining, which is different from lower altitudes. Sitting outside to await a storm rolling in is not advised. If hiking a mountain, try to be off by mid-afternoon when most storm clouds roll in.
- Wild Animals. All of our properties are fairly close to civilization. However, the Rocky Mountains and Pike National Forest sometimes bring unwelcomed critters. Please review the special section on wild animals.
Area Attractions (with distances from you)
Several Colorado attractions are just minutes away from Monument Creek, our first Monument Glamping property. Distances vary for Pinecone Ranch, but you will get the idea:
- Pike National Forest, Monument Rock, Monument Lake, Historic Downtown Monument (within 2 miles)
- Palmer Lake, Western Museum of Mining and Industry, Air Force Academy Visitors Center (within 10 miles)
- Planetarium, Focus on the Family, Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame (within 15 miles)
- Pulpit Rock Open Space, Garden of the Gods Visitors Center, Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, Academy Riding Stables, Downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum (within 20 miles)
- Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Old Colorado City, US Olympic Training Center, Memorial Park, Renaissance Festival, The Edge Ziplines & Adventures, Broadmoor World Arena (within 25 miles)
- Outlets at Castle Rock, Manitou Springs, Miramont Castle, Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings, Cave of the Winds, Manitou Incline, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Cheyenne Mountain State Park, North Cheyenne Canon Park, Broadmoor Seven Falls (within 30 miles)
- Denver Tech Center (40 miles) and Downtown Denver (50 miles)
Hiking Trail Suggestions
“Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?” —Aldo Leopold
Monument Glamping properties have designated trails to help guide you to some outdoor experiences, but larger trailheads are a short drive from you. We’ll let you find the popular sites online (i.e. Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, etc.), but we have a few secret spots we like to recommend. These trails are local.
- Monument Rock (easy). Start at Mount Herman Trailhead for a two-mile hike, or drive up Mount Herman Road another mile to cut the distance in half. Monument Rock is tough to miss. Just walk West and you’ll get to it.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/monument-rock - Mount Herman (intermediate). This is a 2.1 mile walk, but a steady incline to the top of the big mountain to the west of our home. Drive up Mount Herman Road (a little rough for low-clearance vehicles) around the mountain to get to the trailhead. If you want to see a beautiful view, this is the trail to hike! A journal awaits you at the top to make your mark. See https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/mount-herman-trail
https://www.trilakeschamber.com/uploads/1/1/7/8/117813478/mt._herman_information.pdf - Palmer Lake Reservoir (intermediate). There are two reservoirs, both one and two miles up the trail. If you keep hiking (approximately 4 miles in) you will come to a valley of boulders that is absolutely breathtaking. No dogs allowed on this trail and a parking fee is required at the trailhead.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/palmer-lake-reservoir-via-la-deux-reservoirs-trail - Palmer Lake (easy). Drive up Hwy 105 to the next town, one of our favorite mountain towns to visit. The lake itself has a pleasant trail all the way around it. Closest rentals are in Colorado Springs. Perfect for kayaks, water boards, and fishing. https://communityservices.elpasoco.com/parks-and-recreation/palmer-lake-recreation-area/
- Monument Creek (super-duper easy). Our original property has Monument Creek flowing through it. All glampers are welcome to walk down to the creek and enjoy its natural beauty. The bell tent glampers are closest to the creek, so please be considerate to their space.
- Walden Trails (super-duper easy). Our second property, Pinecone Ranch, borders a housing development to the east. A county trail called “Walden Trail” will be accessible in 2023 by gate.
Our Suggestions for Local Food
Your grill is always available for you. Pick up some goodies and go at it. If you would like to eat local (we’ll let you google the regular chains), here are our favorite localities:
In Monument:
- Arlene’s Beans – New Mexican restaurant in town…let us know how you like it!
- Bistro on 2nd – American bistro dishes from meat to seafood. Cozy place, too!
- Black Forest Foods – Sandwich and fries type of place with sidewalk seating.
- Broken Bones BBQ – If you like brisket, this is the place to be.
- Coffee Cup Cafe – Perfect breakfast house. They don’t skimp on the bacon!
- Columbine Gardens – There are several oriental restaurants in town, but this is our fav.
- Evergood Adventure Wines – They actually make wine from lemons — Delicious!
- Jasmine Garden – Standard Chinese eatery in a casual strip-mall setting.
- Jing Young Chinese & Hot Pot – Chinese restaurant on the south side of town.
- La Casa Fiesta – Mexican sit-down restaurant in town, and the closest to the camp.
- Lolly’s Ice Cream – One of the newest places in town. All natural ingredients!
- Papa Bear Pizza – Local and family-owned, they make the best pizza around.
- Pikes Peak Brewery – Homestyle brewery with great finger food. Great atmosphere, too!
- Serrano’s Coffee – Local coffee shop on this side of I-25.
- Three Margaritas – Another Mexican restaurant, great service and food.
- Trail’s End Taproom – A great place for a glass of suds after a good hike.
- Wesley Owen’s Coffee – Another local coffee shop…get the “T-Rex” Scotch egg. Delish!
In Palmer Lake:
- Bella Panini – A very nice sit-down Italian. Pizza and pasta are all excellent.
- O’Malley’s – Cook-your-own steak and homemade fries, a Harley hangout in the summer.
- Rock House Ice Cream – Have the kids sit on the wall and pull for horns.
A great resource for everything in the tri-lakes area is the Tri-Lakes Chamber. Visit TriLakesChamber.com or their visitor center in Monument. Monument Glamping is a proud member!