Another Tourist Destination

I added the post about the snow on Saturday and forgot all about our a visit to Seven Falls on Thursday.  Here in Colorado Springs there is a large  waterfall called Seven Falls and is one of the tourist things to do.  Now what I find so interesting here is that these tourist destinations are privately owned so you must pay to see them.  This was the case for the Royal Gorge Bridge, The Manitou Cliff Dwellings and now Seven Falls.  You must pay to go see a waterfall!  Pikes Peak is controlled by the city and there was a charge.  Garden of the Gods was a donation from a family to the city with the stipulation it had to be free to the public, great idea and thank you!

Seven Falls is actually one large waterfall, something like 180 feet high that falls in seven steps.  The drive to the falls is really quite cool as you drive in between two very large towering cliffs on either side of you.  They have it set up so you can take a elevator up to a viewing platform, which gives you a great view and picture taking opportunities.  You can also walk up the falls via steps installed and then hike to another little waterfall about a mile further.  We did both.  The walk up the falls is 224 steps straight up!

The falls were nice and it was worth the admission charge, but really, how does someone own a waterfall!!! 

Here are the pictures

The parking lot for the falls

The falls from the viewing platform

The stairs to walk to the top of the falls

The view down from halfway up

Yeah, you are smiling now!

View from the top

This is the fall we walked for a mile into the woods for once we walked all the steps up.  Not much, but it is late in the season so water flow is very low.

A view of the falls from the top.