Driving Directions
Woodland Park is about 18 miles or around a 20-minute drive from Colorado Springs, Colorado going west on HWY24 toward Manitou Springs/Pikes Peak. The road winds up through a mountain pass on a two lane highway drive.
Woodland Park is often called "City Above the Clouds" as it is at an elevation of approximately 8,600 feet (2,621 meters).
From Woodland Park to the Retreat, it takes about 15 minutes.
Guests will be given their own directions for the final part of the journey.
General Information about Woodland Park
The natural surroundings include
spectacular views of Pikes Peak and the Rampart Range. Thick stands
of spruce, pine and aspen...and deep blue skies with fresh air. In the 19th Century, Woodland Park's primary business
was saw milling. Logs were cut and sold for railroad ties and braces used for the gold mines of Cripple Creek and Victor.
Experience the history, adventure and
beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Explore the area's many exciting
attractions from Woodland Park's central location. Discover the
world famous mining towns of Victor and Cripple Creek, Florissant
Fossil Beds National Monument, Mueller State Park & Wildlife
Area, the Air Force Academy, the Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak,
the Olympic Training Center,... and much more.
Enjoy comfortable summers and mild
winters. With over 300 days of sunshine, the region is ideal for
year-around outdoor adventures. Surrounded by unspoiled wilderness,
nestled among one million acres of Pike National Forest, bathed in
sunshine at the base of Pikes Peak, is a pristine mountain
community like no other. A recreational and scenic treasure. A
small town with charm and friendliness. It's your perfect mountain
hideaway... it's Woodland Park.
(Courtesy of Woodland Park Visitor Center.)
Highlighted Links:
Woodland Park Retreat is the perfect place to enjoy any type of vacation. Whether you’re looking for activity-packed days of site seeing and outdoor adventure or a quieter vacation just relaxing in comfortable surroundings with all the amenities you desire, you can find it here. The Retreat is located minutes away from modern conveniences yet gives you a sense of being far away from it all. Below are general directions as well as some selected activities in the nearby area but there is much more to explore. Find out what awaits you in Woodland Park, Colorado.
- Official Colorado Vacation Guide
- Colorado Travel Vacation and Recreation Guide
- Pikes Peak Country Attractions
- Garden of the Gods
- United States Air Force Academy (USAFA)
- Colorado Springs Airport
- Rock Climbing (Trip Advisor)
- Live webcam views of Woodland Park & Pikes Peak
- Colorado Department of Transportation for Road Conditions
- Wikipedia: Woodland Park, Colorado
Weather (Woodland Park Weather)
Generally the weather around Woodland Park is sunny, dry and
beautiful in winter. If it snows, it doesn't lay long at all. We are
renowned for having 320 days plus of sunshine a year! The driveway is
frequently clear but winds its way through trees so the snow can lay. We
recommend four-wheel drive vehicles, because one cannot predict
snowstorms and, of course, they can be heavy in the Rocky Mountains.
Things to Do
The Pikes Peak Region of Southwestern Colorado
Experience the serenity and majesty of nature, outdoor wonders, trails, fresh air, take a road trip, enjoy events and activities, over 50 area attractions, whitewater rafting, Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, historical sites, stunning visitor centers, downtown night life, shopping, horseback riding, and an authentic mountain zoo! See Santa's home, caves, trains, dinner theaters, castles, one-of-a-kind shopping posts, cowboys, bridges, waterfalls, mining treasures, pottery, and so much more. With so much in one region, you are sure to find something for everyone in your family or group here!
Hike, enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, Garden of the Gods, the world's highest suspension bridge, and Royal Gorge. Families, kids, couples, seniors, outdoor thrill-seekers, road trippers,-this is where your Colorado adventure begins. Located 60 miles south of Denver, outdoor recreation and entertaining attractions, entertainment, and activities abound in the Pikes Peak region. (Courtesy of Pikes Peak Country Attractions.)
Woodland Park, Colorado
Woodland Park's premier attraction is the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, a terrific new museum with lots of hands-on activities for children. Also explore the nearby Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, where you'll see giant petrified redwood stumps and learn about the prehistoric times when this high country was under the ocean. Also check out the Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center, which features rescued wolves, hybrids and foxes. A paved path takes mountain bikers from town to Manitou Lake, a scenic fishing-hole eight miles away from Woodland Park but very close to WPR. The Pike National Forest is a major hub for outdoor recreation in the area.
Woodland Park itself boasts a great variety of stores from interesting locally-owned stores to well known names such as Walmart, Safeway and City Market. If you need a cowboy hat, a souvenir antique or THE T-shirt, it's there as well as office supplies, jewelry, gifts, auto garages - you name it, Woodland Park has it. There are also lots of "hidden" stores, so don't be afraid to drive slightly off the main Highway 24 to find some really interesting places to browse.
Dining Out
For breakfast or lunch a local favorite is Joanies Bakery (see below) as well as The Pantry in Green Mountain Falls (the next village down the hill from Woodland Park). It takes only a few minutes to drive there once you pass the Safeway shopping plaza on the right as you are leaving Woodland Park on your way down Ute Pass towards Colorado Springs. Look for the sign that says Green Mountain Falls and follow the road round about a mile until you see a small row of stores and the lake on the left. Go to the side of the row of stores (opposite the lake on the side street) and you will see The Pantry. Large portions, great prices - try their versions of Eggs Benny! Lovely people too. Additionally there are a few dozen places to "eat out" including most of the normal fast food chains. Go to TripAdvisor.com's Woodland Park restaurants page or click on some of the featured restaurants below.
- Joanie's Bakery & Delicatessen
- Swiss Chalet Restaurant
- Fiesta Mexicana Family Restaurant
- Hungry Bear Restaurant
- Donut Mill
- Fusion Japan
- Bierwerks Brewery
- Starbucks
- Grandmother's Kitchen
- Denny's
- Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers
- Mayflower Chinese Restaurant
- Woodland Perk
- Mangia Mangia
- SONIC Drive-In
- Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant
- Crystola Bar & Grill
Hiking
There is a local Hiking Trails book for you to browse with other Guest Information at the Retreat. Otherwise Tourist Information located in the center of Woodland Park can provide more information, some of which is put out by the local Chamber of Commerce.
Golf
Woodland Park Shining Mountain Course is an 18-hole Golf Course about 2 miles out of Woodland Park on Highway 67 on the left. (Same road you take to the Retreat.) The course is 6,464 yards from the championship tees with a par of 70. The course rating is 71.6 and has a slope of 136 on Blue Grass. The seasons are mild and the views spectacular, which makes this a superb location for golfing.
Fishing
There is a beautiful small mountain lake just two miles from WPR on Highway 67. Manitou Lake is so easy to get to that picnickers gather there in droves on summer weekends.
There is a larger, man-made lake up Rampart Range Road between Woodland Park and Colorado Springs. Rampart Reservoir holds water piped from a Reservoir near Leadville for use in Colorado Springs. It is open for fisherman and picnickers.
Highway 67 is the main route to Deckers and the South Platte River. The South Platte near Deckers is seen as one of the premier fishing streams in the state and attracts fishermen from across the nation and even from abroad. Its swift moving water with white caps and large boulders, deep pools and canyons make it one of the most scenic rivers anywhere. It is easy to get to especially as many of the most scenic locations are only a mile or so hike.
Considered one of the premier areas for fishing - please see the Colorado Fishing Network.
Skiing
Breckenridge
is the closest skiing area. If the weather is right, it takes about 90
minutes to get there but as with any ski mountain the last bit of the
road to the area is pretty hairy with several 10 mph hairpin bends - you
usually need a 4 wheel drive in winter.
National Parks, Hiking, Camping and Biking
The Retreat is surrounded by the beauty and awe of Pikes Peak National Park. For information on hiking and camping in Colorado, please see EveryTrail.com and The Colorado Hiker.
- Manitou Springs is about 25 minutes from the Retreat back down Highway 24 towards Colorado Springs. It is famous for quaint art and craft shops and is the home of the Pikes Peak Cog Railway.
- Colorado Springs has an airport and is an hour drive from the Retreat.
- Denver is 90 minute drive from the Retreat and has an International airport.
- Canyon City, a great little city not far from the Royal Gorge - take the TRAIN or go Whitewater Rafting!
- Breckenridge is about a 90 minute drive (depending on the weather) for fine downhill skiing.