The Indian Dwellings at Manitou Springs

I loved Colorado and I loved seeing the Anasazi Indian Cliff dwellings at Manitou Springs. These authentic Indian Cliff dwellings are situated off Route 24 just west of Colorado Springs where we were staying and are located at the foot of Pikes Peak nestling under the red sandstone overhang which protects them.

I said authentic but there does seem to be some controversy as to whether or not these are authentic Indian dwellings or not, some say that they are just out and out fakes. Some say that they are reconstructed dwellings from Mesa Verde that have been taken down stone by stone and relocated to Manitou Springs where they have been faithfully rebuilt to the original specifications. Lastly some say that these are authentic Anasazi Indian dwellings built by the Anasazi over 700 years ago.

As a simple tourist I cannot tell you which one of the above is the truth each of these opinions seem to have their following and they all seem very forceful when putting their view across. So instead of trying to judge which of these opinions represents the truth I will settle instead for sharing our day and photos of these Indian Dwellings and I hope that you enjoy them as much as we did.

One of the first things you will notice as you wander around these ancient (I’m going for the authentic view) dwellings is the complete lack of any kind of notice telling you not to touch or not to go into, in fact you are positively encouraged to climb and explore the site which is a refreshing change.

Not needing much encouragement we set about exploring the Cliff Dwellings and as it was March we pretty much had the site to ourselves so we could go at our own pace and take as long as we wanted without putting anyone else out. I don’t know how many visitors these dwellings have in the more popular summer months but I suspect you won’t have quite as much freedom to do your own thing when there are many others who all also want to see the dwellings.

We were not limited to seeing these dwelling from just the outside we were free to wander where we liked inside of the dwellings as well. On our travels we have seen many such sites that we were only able to view at a distance because the fabric of the buildings or the artefacts would not withstand for long the hands and feet of thousands of tourists as they explored.

Many of the historical sites in my own country that I could wander around at will when I was a child have now been closed off to the public because of the damage that thousands of visitors cause just by visiting. The wear and tear that just people visiting an attraction can cause can actually be responsible for destroying it. The Major Oak the oldest tree in Sherwood Forest (Robin Hood and his outlaw band lived here) which is around eight hundred years old had had to be roped off because the feet of the visitors as they went close to the tree compacted the earth to such an extent that it was killing the tree that they had come to visit.

From inside the dwellings you get commanding views of the surrounding countryside, Colorado is a very beautiful and impressive State.

Close by the dwellings just a very short walk away is the Pueblo style three story Visitor's Center in which there is housed a very good gift shop and a small museum. The building was designed to complement the dwellings which I think it does very well which is not surprising because the Pueblo Indians are the descendants of the Anasazi who are said to have been the original inhabitants of the dwellings.

When we visited in March there were no American Indian Dancing taking place for us to see and enjoy but if you visit during the summer months you will be able to see American Indian Dancing with all the elaborate and ornate costumes and trappings of the dance. Below is a short video I found on YouTube of The Eagle Dance being performed this year at Manitou Springs I hope you enjoy it.

Well this brings this visit pretty much to a close, I hope that our visit and the photos that we took while there have given you an idea of what you will find at the Indian Dwellings in Manitou Springs.

Fellow Hubber PeggyW has done an excellent hub about her visit to the Cliff Dwellings at Manitou Springs with lots of photographs and videos.

PeggyW is such an excellent writer that you feel like you are on her visit right there alongside her.

Give yourself a real treat and go see for yourself http://hubpages.com/hub/Pictures-of-Indian-Dancing-Cliff-Dwellings-at-Manitou-Springs-Colorado

Did we enjoy our visit?

Yes we enjoyed our visit.

Would we go again?

Probably not it was nice to see but not worth a second visit once I think is enough.

Take some time out and see some of the other places we have been to. If you have never been to Spain then check out the Guadalest and Villajoyosa hubs you will be in for a real treat the photographs give you a real taste of Spain.

My other Travel Hubs

If you have enjoyed this hub you might enjoy some of the other places I have visited and written about.

 The Indian Dwelling at Manitou Springs

I loved Colorado and I loved seeing the Anasazi Indian Cliff dwellings at Manitou Springs. These authentic Indian Cliff dwellings are situated off Route 24 just west of Colorado Springs where we were staying and are located at the foot of Pikes Peak nestling under the red sandstone overhang which protects them.

 Tombstone Arizona

If you are looking for a page full of facts figures and history then this is not the page for you and there are plenty of other sites on the web already that can give you that. As someone who has been a tourist in America many times this hub will give you a typical tourist’s view of a visit to Tombstone as seen through the eyes of someone that comes from another country.

 Guadalest Spain

Guadalest or to give it its full title El Castell de Guadalest has to be one of the most photographed towns in all of Spain and no matter what time of year you visit there always seems to be some tourists about.

 Guadalest part two the Old Town

Welcome to part two of my hub on Guadalest in this hub we are continuing where we left off at the ‘Portal de San José’. The upper part known as the Castle village is entered through this 15 meter long, man made, tunnel through solid rock called the ‘Portal de San José and it is a much photographed part of Guadalest as the tunnel frames photographs wonderfully.

 Easter in Villajoyosa Spain

Villajoyosa is a small seaside town on the Costa Blanca in Spain. It is a delightful mixture of the old and the new. The old dates back to the 1300’s and the new is being built all around us as I write. Villa as it is often called by the locals is a fishing port that still has a beautiful harbour and marina plus a working boat yard.

 Villajoyosa Moors and Christian Fiesta

I cannot believe that it is July again already, and things are beginning to hot up in Villajoyosa in more ways than one. The Spanish are saying that the hot weather we are having at the moment is more like August weather than July weather and the temperature looks set to rise some more. Two days ago it was the presentation of the two Kings ready for this year's Moors and Christians fiesta.

 Shoshone Falls Idaho

This guide to Shoshone Falls is not a typical tourist guide as I am not a travel writer, I don’t work for a travel agency I am just a simple tourist and this article is written from a real tourists’ perspective. What you read is our own personal experience as tourists who were actually visiting Shoshone Falls and hopefully you will get a more realistic idea of what is on offer than that which is from the some blurb written by someone with a vested interest. I hope the photos will also give a proper taste of what is actually there.

 The Real Grave of Billy the Kid

This hub is designed to give you a real tourist’s eye view of the Billy the Kid tourist attraction. So often the stuff written about these places are written either by travel writers or tourist information places who either are paid for their opinions or want to encourage you to go so that they can part you from your money.

 A very Special day in St George Utah

This is another of my travel hubs and as usual it was a fly-drive holiday with only the first and last nights accommodation booked. What follows is from the perspective of an ordinary family of tourists on holiday, I hope that you will enjoy your virtual trip to St George in Utah with me.