How to Visit Cave of the Winds: An EPIC CO Mountain Park

This website may contain affiliate links and we may be compensated (at no cost to you!).

Discovered in 1881, Colorado’s own Cave of the Winds Mountain Park is one of the longest continuous running tourist attractions in the state. And these historic caves were carved out millions of years ago! 

This Colorado cave is one of the premier caves in the United States and at 7,000 feet in elevation it’s also one of the highest.

As someone who was born and raised in Colorado Springs, I’ve enjoyed visiting Cave of the Winds since I was a kid. And it’s still a fun and interesting activity for me to this day.

If you’re wondering what it’s like to visit Cave of the Winds Mountain Park as a local, keep reading.

What is Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs?

Well known for its system of premiere show caves open for public tours, Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs is a mountain-top park with a variety of activities. 

It offers cave tours and a plethora of above-ground activities for kids and adults of all ages. 

Some of the best activities include a fun challenge course, catapult aerial adventure, cliffhanger climbing wall, and the Terror-Dactyl ride. 

Not to mention there is panning for gold or gems, the cave crawl challenge, wind walker challenge course, and an adventure slide.

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park is located in Colorado Springs and is considered a historic national landmark. Open year-round, this is one of the region’s original attractions and is a great adventure for the whole family.

Cave of the Winds in Colorado offers multiple types of tours from crawling and spelunking to haunted lantern tours.

Types of Tours at Cave of the Winds

The most popular underground cave tours at Cave of the Winds is the Discovery Tour. This is perfect for young kids and adults since it explores well-lit parts of the cave where there’s electricity and lasts approx. 45 minutes.

The Lantern Tour is better for guests over the age of 8 years old as it includes dark narrow tunnels and lasts for about 90 minutes. 

Join a knowledgeable guide as you explore a part of the cave that is completely dark and does not have lights, except for your candle-lit lanterns authentic to how the cave was explored back in the 1800s.

And during certain times of year, this turns into a HAUNTED Lantern Tour for everyone to enjoy.

This is the tour we went on recently and really enjoyed the dark cave tour with scary stories and even a few signs of hauntings! 

The rustic lanterns really add to the mystique of the tour as well as getting to hear the history of early settlers in the area and the finding of the cave system 

Depending on the time of year, you can also explore the wild undeveloped depths of Cave of the Winds with a 3-hour guided expedition crawling and spelunking tour.

This is not recommended for anyone under the age of 13, if you’re not in fairly good physical shape and OR especially if you are not a fan of confined spaces.

The Pioneer Package is another awesome 2-3 hour adventure for kids to explore the above ground activities like the climbing wall, high walker challenge course, and the aerial adventure.

Other Activities at Cave of the Winds in Colorado

Once you’ve finished with your tour, or spent time on some of the other challenge rides and adventure activities, take a break for a yummy lunch. 

Cave of the Winds offers two spots to eat, including the Canyon Rim Grill, so you can grab a filling bite of food before getting back out there. 

Some local favorites include the Bison burger and fried pickles, as well as ice cream for kids and even beer for adults.

Or stop in the gift shop for a one-of-a-kind souvenir to remember this epic experience at this mountain park in Colorado Springs. Plus, enjoy the spectacular scenery from the viewing decks near the gift shop.

How to get to Cave of the Winds Mountain Park

For anyone looking to book a cave tour or adventure day at Cave of the Winds, it’s located in the heart of the Manitou Grand Caverns near the small town of Manitou Springs.

From Interstate 25 you’ll take Exit 141 then go west on Highway 24 for about six miles. Keep an eye out for Cave of the Winds Road and the entrance to Cave of the Winds Mountain Park is on the right, just past the large sign. 

You’ll follow along the winding road up to the top of the Cave of the Winds parking lot. 

Feel free to stop at several of the pull-offs for one-of-a-kind views of the city below. This tourist attraction at the top of the mountain has it all. Plus, parking is free!

Cave of the Winds is open all year-round with summer hours differing from their winter hours, but most of the time they’re open daily from 10am – 5pm. 

Above ground attractions are usually open from 11am – 4pm daily, weather permitting.

You can check out their website for the exact hours of operation depending on the month of the year. 

Visiting Cave of the Winds in Colorado

When visiting Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs, it’s important to know that the location is 7,000 feet above sea level. So if you’re not used to the high altitude, this might be a tough activity. 

In addition, you’ll want to wear comfortable shoes, and bring plenty of water to stay hydrated. 

It can also be chilly inside the large chambers in the caves (even during summer) as the temperature can differ quite a bit from outside temperature. So we recommend bringing a light jacket or sweatshirt.

Hats, backpacks, and strollers are allowed but there are certain areas of the caves where it becomes very narrow and they may not be permitted.

Cave of the Winds is a must-see Colorado Springs attraction that features historic caves, epic adventures, and fun for the whole family. 

The history of the cave dates back to 1881 and it has been in continuous operation ever since. It’s a local favorite whether you’re a young kid or just young at heart.

For updated hours of operation and ticket prices, check out caveofthewinds.com to book your tickets online or in advance.