Editing Colorado Springs, Colorado (section)

==Parks and recreation==
{{main|Parks in Colorado Springs, Colorado|List of parks in Colorado Springs, Colorado}}

The city's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services manage 136 neighborhood parks, eight community parks, seven regional parks, and five sports complexes, totaling {{convert|9000|acre}}. They also manage {{convert|500|acre}} of trails, of which {{convert|160|mile}} are park trails and {{convert|105|miles}} are urban. There are {{convert|5000|acre}} of open space in 48 open-space areas.<ref name="City Parks">{{cite web |title=Parks, Trails and Open Spaces |url=http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1214 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725125551/http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1214 |archive-date=July 25, 2013 |access-date=May 23, 2013 |publisher=City of Colorado Springs}}</ref>

===Parks===
[[Image:Ackerman Overlook, Colo Spgs., CO IMG 5631.JPG|thumb|Ackerman Overlook, near [[United States Air Force Academy]] off [[Interstate 25 in Colorado|Interstate 25]] in Colorado Springs, is named for Jasper D. Ackerman (1896–1988), a banker and rancher.<ref>Colorado historical marker, Interstate 25, Colorado Springs, Colorado</ref>]]
[[File:Pulpit Rock, Colorado Springs, Colorado (1).jpg|thumb|Pulpit Rock, in Pikeview (North Colorado Springs)]]

[[Garden of the Gods]] is on Colorado Springs's western edge. It is a [[National Natural Landmark]], with {{convert|300|foot}} red/orange sandstone rock formations often viewed against a backdrop of the snow-capped Pikes Peak. This park is free to the public and offers many recreational opportunities, such as hiking, rock climbing, cycling, horseback riding and tours.<ref>{{cite web |title=Garden of the Gods Park |url=https://gardenofgods.com/ |access-date=January 18, 2020 |publisher=City of Colorado Springs |archive-date=January 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117130955/https://gardenofgods.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It offers a variety of annual events, one of the most popular of which is the Starlight Spectacular, a recreational bike ride held every summer to benefit the Trails and Open Space Coalition of Colorado Springs.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 18, 2017 |title=Starlight Spectacular |url=https://coloradosprings.gov/parks-recreation-and-cultural-services-special-events/article/calendar-event/starlight-spectacular |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119120543/https://coloradosprings.gov/parks-recreation-and-cultural-services-special-events/article/calendar-event/starlight-spectacular |archive-date=January 19, 2018 |access-date=December 22, 2018 |website=coloradosprings.gov}}</ref>

Colorado Springs has several major city parks, such as [[Palmer Park (Colorado Springs)|Palmer Park]], America the Beautiful Park in downtown, [[Memorial Park, Colorado Springs|Memorial Park]], which includes many sports fields, an indoor swimming pool and skating rink, a skateboard bowl and two half-pipes, and [[Monument Valley Park]], which has walking and biking paths, an outdoor swimming pool and [[pickleball]] courts.<ref name="City of Colorado Springs Parks">{{cite web |title=Community Parks |url=http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1943 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428032808/http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1943 |archive-date=April 28, 2013 |access-date=May 22, 2013 |publisher=City of Colorado Springs}}</ref> Monument Valley Park also has Tahama Spring, the original spring in Colorado Springs.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 26, 1904 |title=Used Spring 33 Years Ago |page=5 |work=Colorado Springs Gazette}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=May 16, 1926 |title=New Pavilion at Tahama Spring |work=Sunday Gazette and Telegraph |url=http://more.ppld.org:8080/SpecialCollections/Index/ArticleOrders/762613.pdf |access-date=October 20, 2018 |archive-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021024714/http://more.ppld.org:8080/SpecialCollections/Index/ArticleOrders/762613.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Austin Bluffs, Colorado|Austin Bluffs Park]] affords a place of recreation in eastern Colorado Springs. El Paso County Regional Parks include [[Bear Creek Regional Park and Nature Center|Bear Creek Regional Park]], [[Bear Creek Regional Park and Nature Center#Dog park|Bear Creek Dog Park]], Fox Run Regional Park and [[Fountain Creek Regional Park and Nature Center]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://communityservices.elpasoco.com/parks-and-recreation/#1511291070425-93afb348-61b1 |title=Parks and Recreation – El Paso County Community Services |publisher=Communityservices.elpasoco.com |date= |accessdate=November 22, 2021 |archive-date=January 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115175138/https://communityservices.elpasoco.com/parks-and-recreation/#1511291070425-93afb348-61b1 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ponderosa pine (''[[Pinus ponderosa]]''),<ref>[http://static.colostate.edu/client-files/csfs/pdfs/trees_for_frontrange.pdf Recommended Trees for Colorado Front Range Communities] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713045219/http://static.colostate.edu/client-files/csfs/pdfs/trees_for_frontrange.pdf |date=July 13, 2017 }}, p. 11, s.v. ''Ponderosa pine''</ref><ref>Kaufmann, M. R.; Huckaby, L. S.; Gleason, P., (2000), ''Ponderosa pine in the Colorado Front Range: long historical fire and tree recruitment intervals and a case for landscape heterogeneity''. In: Neuenschwander, Leon F.; Ryan, Kevin C., tech. eds. Proceedings from the Joint Fire Science Conference and Workshop: Crossing the Millennium: Integrating spatial technologies and ecological principles for a new age in fire management; Boise, Idaho, June 15–17, 1999. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho: 153–160.</ref> Gambel oak (''[[Quercus gambelii]]''),<ref>[http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/natural-resources/gambel-oak-management-6-311/ Colorado State University (Fact Sheet)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913184718/http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/natural-resources/gambel-oak-management-6-311/ |date=September 13, 2017 }}, Gambel oak (''Quercus gambelii'')</ref><ref>[https://conps.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/NativeGarden-Front-Range-4-11-2016.pdf Low-Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens: Front Range and Foothills] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118193905/https://conps.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/NativeGarden-Front-Range-4-11-2016.pdf |date=January 18, 2017 }}, p. 14</ref> narrowleaf yucca (''[[Yucca angustissima]]'', [[syn.]] ''Yucca glauca'')<ref>[https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=yuan2 USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714043544/https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=YUAN2 |date=July 14, 2017 }}, ''Yucca angustissima'' Engelm. ex Trel.</ref> and prickly pear cactus (''[[Opuntia macrorhiza]]'').<ref>[https://conps.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/NativeGarden-Front-Range-4-11-2016.pdf ''Low-Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens: Front Range and Foothills''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118193905/https://conps.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/NativeGarden-Front-Range-4-11-2016.pdf |date=January 18, 2017 }}, p. 14</ref>

===Trails===
Three trails, the New Santa Fe Regional Trail, [[Pikes Peak Greenway]] and Fountain Creek Regional Trail, form a continuous path from [[Palmer Lake, Colorado|Palmer Lake]], through Colorado Springs, to [[Fountain, Colorado]]. The majority of the trail between Palmer Lake and Fountain is a soft surface breeze gravel trail. A major segment of the trail within the Colorado Springs city limits is paved. The trails, except [[Monument Valley Park]] trails, may be used for equestrian traffic. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the trails. Many of the trails are interconnected, having main spine trails, like the Pikes Peak Greenway, that lead to secondary trails.<ref>{{cite web |title=Trails and hking in Colorado Springs |url=http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1881 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517055911/http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=1881 |archive-date=May 17, 2013 |access-date=May 23, 2013 |publisher=City of Colorado Springs}}</ref><ref name="PPG TRail">{{cite web |title=Pikes Peak Greenway Trail |url=http://www.springsgov.com/page.aspx?navid=2291 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822003814/http://www.springsgov.com/Page.aspx?NavID=2291 |archive-date=August 22, 2013 |access-date=May 22, 2013 |publisher=City of Colorado Springs}}</ref><ref name="PPG TRail Map">{{cite web |title=Pikes Peak Greenway Trail Map, and its submaps |url=http://www.springsgov.com/units/parksrec/maps/mppgrnwy13.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131082347/http://www.springsgov.com/units/parksrec/maps/mppgrnwy13.htm |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |access-date=May 22, 2013 |publisher=City of Colorado Springs }}</ref>