A Guide to Broadmoor Parks: Best Parks to Visit in Late Winter and Early Spring

Although widely lauded as home to the legendary Broadmoor Resort, the surrounding neighborhood that bears the resort's name has long been a favorite landing spot for those who value life's finer pleasures, including access to the outdoors. Late winter and early spring are especially rewarding times to explore Broadmoor area parks and open spaces. With fewer crowds, longer days, and mountain air that remains crisp but considerably more tolerable than the depths of winter, below is your guide to the best Broadmoor Parks worth a late winter or early spring visit.

Fifteen minutes south of Broadmoor, Cheyenne Mountain State Park delivers a classic plains-to-peaks experience, covering 2,201 acres with 61 campsites and a 29-mile trail system. Designed for a variety of activities, Cheyenne Mountain is a favorite for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, the latter of which can access 12 miles of trails designed for horses. The park also includes a 28-station archery range, a 9-hole disc golf course, and 2 miles of designated dog trails.

Among Colorado Springs' best parks for hiking, North Cheyenne Cañon Park boasts 1,600 acres and some of the region's most stunning scenery. Easy to access, just off Cheyenne Boulevard, the park includes two visitor centers—the Starsmore Visitor and Nature Center and Helen Hunt Falls Visitor Center. Both centers feature year-round programming and exhibits, and the latter sits adjacent to Helen Hunt Falls, the park's signature natural feature.

One of the oldest public parks in the Western US, with a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, North Cheyenne Cañon hosts more than 26 miles of trails (including horseback riding trails) and supports rock climbing and a broad array of wildlife and vegetation.

Managed by El Paso County, Bear Creek Regional Park is one of Colorado Springs' most versatile outdoor escapes, regardless of the season. The year-round, 545-acre park rests in the foothills above northern Broadmoor. Split across three sections—Bear Creek West, Bear Creek Terrace, Bear Creek East—the park includes the Bear Creek Nature Center and numerous amenities for a wide range of activities.

In addition to its 10 miles of trails, which support cycling and mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding, the central Terrace section of the park features athletic fields, tennis and pickleball courts, an archery range, a playground, multiple pavilions, and a 25-acre, off-leash dog park with creek access, prairie-and-woodland terrain, and an agility area. Reservation season for archery lanes, pavilions, tennis and pickleball courts, and athletic fields begins April

With its season opening mid-March, Seven Falls is ready to welcome another year of visitors, just as it's been doing since 1883, when a 10-cent toll opened the road into the canyon. A classic Pikes Peak-region outing, the experience is all about the approach.

A one-mile, steep-walled box canyon framed by Pikes Peak granite, narrowing dramatically near the Pillars of Hercules, then opening into a natural amphitheater where seven distinct cascades drop a combined 181 feet. Today, The Broadmoor's Seven Falls offers easy walking paths and 224 stair steps to viewpoints and trails with frequent wildlife sightings. The park's Restaurant 1858 is also worth a visit.

Spread across the city, Colorado Springs' 903 acres of neighborhood parks provide more intimate, close-to-home spaces with accessible recreation a short walk or drive from your home. The Broadmoor neighborhood is fortunate to have several of these spaces close by, including two standouts: Broadmoor Glen and Broadmoor Valley parks.

An open, 4-acre green, Broadmoor Glen is a great place to take kids who love to run and play. Adjacent to Pino Valley Elementary School, and featuring a playground and two tennis courts, available for play whenever the weather allows.

The nearly 12-acre Broadmoor Valley Park is a boon to residents of Broadmoor's southern neighborhoods. A huge casual space, the park includes a large playground and a lawn area that welcomes pickup soccer, baseball, or softball games, as well as wintertime adventures as seasonal snow collects. And all of it comes with a stunning view of Cheyenne Mountain. Like Broadmoor Glen, Broadmoor Valley Park is a favorite for wintertime adventures.

To the east of Broadmoor, Quail Lake Park is a scenic, convenient outdoor space centered on a 22-acre lake. From late March to early May, the park is a favorite for workouts, particularly brisk early-spring jogs around its mile-long fitness trail, or laid-back family gatherings as afternoon temps start to warm. It's also a prime recreational spot during summer, as the lake itself supports small, non-motorized watercraft and paddleboarding, and visitors can access its picnic areas, sand volleyball courts, fishing piers, and playground.

Adjacent to North Cheyenne Cañon Park, Stratton Open Space is an underrated gem of the Colorado Springs park system, and a genuine treasure for those in and around Broadmoor. A gorgeous expanse of 318 acres, the park's 15-mile trail system, which connects to the North Cheyenne Cañon Park system, is accessible from multiple points within the Broadmoor community, including Cresta Road next to Cheyenne Mountain High School, the Skyway Heights neighborhood,  Gold Camp Road, North Cheyanne Canyon Road, and Cheyanne Boulevard. Extended hours at the park start in April to take advantage of the extra hour of daylight.

True to its name, and regardless of the season, the Broadmoor neighborhood doesn't give you just one type of outdoor lifestyle. From neighborhood parks and hiking trails to open space and majestic canyons, you're never far from the full breadth and beauty of Colorado's magnificent front range.

If you're interested in learning more about Broadmoor homes, neighborhoods, and the full outdoor experience that comes with a Colorado Springs address, contact Trish Ingels today to start your Broadmoor real estate journey.