Colorado's Cozy Town In The Rocky Mountains Offers Unique Cold Mineral Springs

Many people don't realize that natural springs come in many different temperatures. When it comes to traveling, most people think of hot springs where you might go for a relaxing getaway. There are even some like those at Yellowstone National Park that are world-famous. It turns out that there are also cold springs that offer a totally different kind of experience that's just as special. In Colorado, the cold springs in the town of Manitou Springs draw travelers seeking wellness and restoration through a unique, historic tasting ritual rather than a warm soak.

Manitou Springs is a small resort town of roughly 5,000 people, just outside of Colorado Springs — a city beloved by nature lovers as a hub for outdoor recreation. The area was long recognized by Indigenous tribes as a spiritual site for healing. As settlers moved in, Manitou Springs began drawing wealthy folks suffering from tuberculosis in the 1800s. Today, the town's eight springs continue to be a source of wellness inspiration. Rather than being used for swimming or bathing as hot springs might be, the cold mineral waters here are primarily consumed as a beverage.

Manitou Springs offers many activities for visitors seeking to care for their minds and bodies. Given its location in the Rockies, there are many gorgeous hiking and biking trails in and around town. One option is the Manitou Incline, featured among Colorado's most iconic landmarks. Manitou Springs is also home to several yoga studios that offer regular classes, as well as spas with many kinds of pampering treatments available. There's even a cute little apothecary in town, with loads of organic and natural remedies. With its small-town charm, Manitou Springs is a perfect place to put your feet up and tend to all that ails you.

Through an incredible feat of nature, the water comes out naturally carbonated, and with some help from the city, it's available on tap anytime at each of the eight decorated fountains in town. To the unrefined palate, each of Manitou Springs' eight mineral waters might taste a bit like seltzer water. According to locals, however, each of the springs has a distinct flavor. Differences in flavor are due to the different kinds of rock formations the water passes through underground. For example, some people have claimed that the water from Iron Spring tastes a bit like sucking on a rusty nail. This is because the water flowing from that spring passes through a rock formation known as Pikes Peak, which is full of granite. As the water passes by, it draws the iron out of the rock.

By contrast, Stratton Spring is known for having the most carbonated mineral water. The process of carbonation happens as rainwater and melting snow seep deep into mountain rock fractures and collect high amounts of carbon dioxide gas from deep underground layers and the earth's mantle. As the pressurized water travels through subterranean limestone aquifers, it contains carbonic acid, which forms when carbon dioxide dissolves in water.

The springs are tested monthly for any safety issues, and there are signs indicating which fountains have significantly elevated mineral content. It's not recommended to give the water to infants, but it is otherwise considered safe to drink. Taking a self-guided walking tour of the springs is the best way to get to know the city and sample each flavor for yourself. There are even some simple local recipes you can follow for making mineral water herbal infusions, fruit fizzes, and — a favorite since the 1800s — Manitou Springs Mineral Lemonade.

There is always something going on in Manitou Springs — there's really never a bad time to visit. It's home to a handful of events that draw locals and visitors together throughout every season. Summer is a popular time for festivities, and June kicks off the season with the Manitou Springs Colorado Wine Festival offering samples from over 30 local wineries. Summer also brings the Ice Cream Social and Pie Baking Contest and free live music all summer long with the Free Summer Concert Series. Every Labor Day weekend, the town closes out summer with the Commonwheel Arts Festival that's been going for more than 50 years, celebrating local artists, followed soon after by the Heritage Brew Festival in late September.

Perhaps the most legendary event of the year is Manitou Springs' Emma Crawford Coffin Races, which have been taking place each October since 1995. Building on the story of a young woman named Emma Crawford who came to town in search of "the cure" in the 1800s, the coffin race has blossomed into a massive festival where DIY coffins on wheels compete in a downtown corridor, and the whole town comes alive around art and music. A little cold and a few snowy days won't stop the deep-rooted traditions. Winter in Manitou Springs keeps the good times rolling with the Manitou Springs Great Fruitcake Toss and the festive Carnivale Mardi Gras celebrations complete with a colorful parade.

Manitou Springs is a short 15-minute drive or 30-minute bus ride away from Colorado Springs, which features its own highly convenient commercial airport. Once you arrive, getting around town is quite easy thanks to ample public car and bike parking, a free shuttle system, and e-bike rentals. There is an assortment of cozy cabins, motels, and bed and breakfasts available for accommodations in town and within the region to make your stay comfortable.