Alexi & Robert’s guidebook
Restaurants Popular with the Locals
We do live in a very rural area, but there are a few nice restaurants within a 20 minutes drive.
A relatively new restaurant for Florissant. They offer a little fancier menu, and thus are a little pricier, but they also seem very eager to please. They're brewing their own beer and baking their own pastries. It's been hit or miss for us--but they're getting rave reviews.
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Iron Tree Restaurant & Funky Town Brewery
37 Costello AveA relatively new restaurant for Florissant. They offer a little fancier menu, and thus are a little pricier, but they also seem very eager to please. They're brewing their own beer and baking their own pastries. It's been hit or miss for us--but they're getting rave reviews.
This is our go-to restaurant if we're looking for dinner and don't want to drive all the way into Woodland Park. Great pizza from their wood-fired oven and pub-style food. We've also ordered every salad on the menu, and they're delicious, too!
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McGinty's Wood Oven Pub
11115 W US-24This is our go-to restaurant if we're looking for dinner and don't want to drive all the way into Woodland Park. Great pizza from their wood-fired oven and pub-style food. We've also ordered every salad on the menu, and they're delicious, too!
Locally famous, friendly biker bar with a pool table in the back. If you want a real taste of local culture and a drink to go with it, then the Thunderbird is the place to go. And order a Buffalo Burger. You won't regret it.
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Thunderbird Inn
17801 Teller County Rd 1Locally famous, friendly biker bar with a pool table in the back. If you want a real taste of local culture and a drink to go with it, then the Thunderbird is the place to go. And order a Buffalo Burger. You won't regret it.
The Costello Street Coffee House has been a longtime favorite of the locals. It offers breakfast items, lunch fare, and, of course, coffee. The coffee house is named for an early settler of the area, Judge James Costello. (Costello happened to have named Florissant after his own hometown--Florissant, Missouri.)
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Costello Street Coffee House
2679 US-24The Costello Street Coffee House has been a longtime favorite of the locals. It offers breakfast items, lunch fare, and, of course, coffee. The coffee house is named for an early settler of the area, Judge James Costello. (Costello happened to have named Florissant after his own hometown--Florissant, Missouri.)
Some Fun Hikes and Local Attractions
If you're ready to lace up your hiking boots or just want to check out a beautiful spot, then these would be some great choices.
Just about five minutes away, the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument has a nice variety of hikes/walks at just about any length you want. And if you're into geology or natural history, this will be an intriguing spot. Once upon a time, the nearby Guffey Volcano blew and the ash settled into this area, which over thousands of years, created some fascinating fossils. If that just feels like a teaser to you, talk to someone in the Visitor's Center. They'll tell you all about it.
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Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
15807 Co Rd 1Just about five minutes away, the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument has a nice variety of hikes/walks at just about any length you want. And if you're into geology or natural history, this will be an intriguing spot. Once upon a time, the nearby Guffey Volcano blew and the ash settled into this area, which over thousands of years, created some fascinating fossils. If that just feels like a teaser to you, talk to someone in the Visitor's Center. They'll tell you all about it.
Just down the road in Lake George is one of the prettiest spots in the state. Eleven Mile Canyon has enchanted fisherman and campers alike. Bald eagles nest in the treetops. Trout frolic in the river. And the road winds lazily through the rocky canyon. More than once, we've gone back here on a summer evening and enjoyed a picnic of fresh-caught trout and s'mores next to the river.
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Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area
Yankee Fork RoadJust down the road in Lake George is one of the prettiest spots in the state. Eleven Mile Canyon has enchanted fisherman and campers alike. Bald eagles nest in the treetops. Trout frolic in the river. And the road winds lazily through the rocky canyon. More than once, we've gone back here on a summer evening and enjoyed a picnic of fresh-caught trout and s'mores next to the river.
If you asked me what my favorite hike is in the area, Pancake Rocks is it. The trailhead is less than thirty minutes away. It's a moderate climb to the top with some steep sections, but the view at the top is worth every bit of the effort. Not to mention that the rock formations you'll be standing on look like stacks of pancakes! By the way, do not follow the map that Airbnb attached automatically that's another trail by the same name near Colorado Springs. Check out the guidebook in the apartment for directions to the trailhead.
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Pancake Rocks Trail
Pancake Rocks TrailIf you asked me what my favorite hike is in the area, Pancake Rocks is it. The trailhead is less than thirty minutes away. It's a moderate climb to the top with some steep sections, but the view at the top is worth every bit of the effort. Not to mention that the rock formations you'll be standing on look like stacks of pancakes! By the way, do not follow the map that Airbnb attached automatically that's another trail by the same name near Colorado Springs. Check out the guidebook in the apartment for directions to the trailhead.
About five minutes away is a rather secret back entrance to Dome Rock State Wildlife area. A great place to hike, explore, and see wildlife, it's another treasure in our area. From our house, take a right out of the driveway on Southpark Road to the T, take a right on North Mountain Estates Road. Follow North Mountain Estates Road approximately 1.8 miles to Sentinel Way, and take a left. Then a quick right onto Rampart Circle. Look for the trailhead on the right.
Dome Rock
About five minutes away is a rather secret back entrance to Dome Rock State Wildlife area. A great place to hike, explore, and see wildlife, it's another treasure in our area. From our house, take a right out of the driveway on Southpark Road to the T, take a right on North Mountain Estates Road. Follow North Mountain Estates Road approximately 1.8 miles to Sentinel Way, and take a left. Then a quick right onto Rampart Circle. Look for the trailhead on the right.
Scenic Drives and Day Trips
Oh boy. We've got some good ones.
The loop through Cripple Creek is beautiful, and it's especially gorgeous in the fall when the aspens are in their golden glory. Take Teller County Road One to Cripple Creek, go through this famous historic mining town onto Divide on Highway 67, and then catch Highway 24 back to Florissant, completing the loop. The views along this winding mountain road are pretty stupendous. If you're into trying your luck at the slot machines, linger in Cripple Creek. If not, just get ice cream at the Mile High General Store, check out their funky local souvenirs, and mosey on. Be on the lookout for wild donkeys roaming through town. The Historic Museum and a tour of the Molly Kathleen, an old gold mine have also intrigued visitors. Total drive time: Approximately an hour.
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Cripple Creek
The loop through Cripple Creek is beautiful, and it's especially gorgeous in the fall when the aspens are in their golden glory. Take Teller County Road One to Cripple Creek, go through this famous historic mining town onto Divide on Highway 67, and then catch Highway 24 back to Florissant, completing the loop. The views along this winding mountain road are pretty stupendous. If you're into trying your luck at the slot machines, linger in Cripple Creek. If not, just get ice cream at the Mile High General Store, check out their funky local souvenirs, and mosey on. Be on the lookout for wild donkeys roaming through town. The Historic Museum and a tour of the Molly Kathleen, an old gold mine have also intrigued visitors. Total drive time: Approximately an hour.
If you're wanting to see a long, impressive stretch of the Rocky Mountains, then drive west to the top of Wilkerson Pass, and you won't be disappointed. Go past the Visitor's Center at the top of the pass and keep your eyes peeled for the dirt pull-off point on your left. Park there, and you'll be overlooking the wide expansive valley of South Park. You'll see several mountain ranges, including the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Collegiate Peaks. If you time it so you're at the top of the pass at sunset, it's stunning. Approximate drive time one way: half an hour.
Wilkerson Pass Drive
Wilkerson Pass DriveIf you're wanting to see a long, impressive stretch of the Rocky Mountains, then drive west to the top of Wilkerson Pass, and you won't be disappointed. Go past the Visitor's Center at the top of the pass and keep your eyes peeled for the dirt pull-off point on your left. Park there, and you'll be overlooking the wide expansive valley of South Park. You'll see several mountain ranges, including the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and the Collegiate Peaks. If you time it so you're at the top of the pass at sunset, it's stunning. Approximate drive time one way: half an hour.
If you're up for a drive and beautiful roads are your jam, then Breckenridge makes a nice day trip. About an hour and a half away, you'll climb over two beautiful mountain passes to reach it, and once there, you'll have a quintessential Colorado ski town to explore.
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Breckenridge
If you're up for a drive and beautiful roads are your jam, then Breckenridge makes a nice day trip. About an hour and a half away, you'll climb over two beautiful mountain passes to reach it, and once there, you'll have a quintessential Colorado ski town to explore.
To the west, the town of Buena Vista sits at the base of the Collegiate Mountain range and makes a lovely day trip . Once you're there, it will be very clear to you how Buena Vista, or "beautiful view," got it's name. In town, go down Main Street for coffee shops, restaurants, and ice cream. There are also two hot spring resorts in the area to enjoy. Cottonwood Hot Springs is funky and rustic. Mount Princeton Hot Springs is more upscale with a "Spa Club" side that's a nice splurge. Approximate drive time one way to Buena Vista: one hour. Add a half hour to get to one of the hot springs resorts.
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Buena Vista
To the west, the town of Buena Vista sits at the base of the Collegiate Mountain range and makes a lovely day trip . Once you're there, it will be very clear to you how Buena Vista, or "beautiful view," got it's name. In town, go down Main Street for coffee shops, restaurants, and ice cream. There are also two hot spring resorts in the area to enjoy. Cottonwood Hot Springs is funky and rustic. Mount Princeton Hot Springs is more upscale with a "Spa Club" side that's a nice splurge. Approximate drive time one way to Buena Vista: one hour. Add a half hour to get to one of the hot springs resorts.
Sightseeing
The Hornbek Homestead is definitely a step back in time. Roaming through the house and the outbuildings, it's fairly easy to imagine the life of Adeline Hornbek, one of the very earliest homesteaders of Florissant. The historic spot is ten minutes down the road, if that.
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Hornbek Homestead
15806 Co Rd 1The Hornbek Homestead is definitely a step back in time. Roaming through the house and the outbuildings, it's fairly easy to imagine the life of Adeline Hornbek, one of the very earliest homesteaders of Florissant. The historic spot is ten minutes down the road, if that.