What Green Mountain Falls is known for

The Green Mountain Falls Region encompasses three significant summits, three cities, and multiple reservoirs and rivers. Green Mountain Falls, Colorado, is a scenic town just beyond the Ute Pass. The town is riddled with shops and locally-owned restaurants. The town's main attraction is Gazebo Lake. Settlers made the lake after the town was established in the 1800s.[1] A large gazebo is located near the lake's center, and here weddings and parties are often held. The town still sports many original buildings, including Victorian-style homes, log cabins, town buildings, and a preserved seventy room hotel.[2] 

Pikes Peak is the largest and most popular attraction within the destination. As the highest summit in the southern half of the Rocky Mountains, many visitors with high to the summit's point or explore its mountainside. The peak was named after Zebulon Pike, an American explorer, and is the country's most visited mountain.[8] Meuller State Park is located in the west most area of the boundaries. The park has over fifty-five hiking trails, hunting areas, horseback riding trails, and mountain biking paths. Winter sports are also an everyday activity when visiting Meuller State Park.[9] 

North Catamount Reservoir is at the start of the Catamount Trailhead; the reservoir is common for fishing, and the scenic views of the lake and surrounding mountain ranges. Ormes Peak is to the north of Green Mountain Falls. The mountain leading to the peak is famous for having many rock climbing and rappelling areas. The Ute Pass is a significant draw to the destination as it connects the city of Cascade and Green Mountain Falls.[7] The pass is written about in many western books and featured in many western movies. The Airforce Academy is located in the northmost corner of the Green Mountain Falls Region. Here visitors can take tours of the academy and converse with academy attendees.[2] The average amount of visitors in the Green Mountain Falls Region falls around twenty million people.[7] 

The summer months are most famous for the warm weather and flourishing plants and wildlife. During these months, everyday activities including, camping, hunting, hiking, horseback riding, and visiting the mountain peaks across the region. The winter months receive less tourism but still host a notable amount of visitors. From December to March, the destination holds many inches of snow on which visitors can enjoy snow sports such as; snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, and snowboarding.[6] Visitors spend an average of two to three nights in the area. Most tourists come from neighboring states such as; Wyoming, Nebraska, Utah, Kansas, New Mexico, and Arizona.[7] The state of Colorado is known for its agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and tourism industries. Within the Green Mountain Falls Region, tourism is the most significant source of income. Visitors spending time in the area keep rental shops, hotels, and local restaurants in business. There are lots of cattle farms and ranches throughout the destination and into the mountains as well.[10]

Geography

The Green Mountain Falls Region spreads across a dense mountainous area of central Colorado. The town of Green Mountain Falls is both the namesake and the center point of the destination. The Woodland Park is at the northern border of the area, Muller State Park to the west, Pikes Peak to the south, and Manitou Springs to the east. There are but three cities within the destination boundaries. These cities all fall along the Catamount Trailhead. Cascade on the opposite side of the Ute Pass, then Green Mountain Falls, and Manitou Springs borders the large city of Colorado Springs. Dense forest, wetland, and rolling fields of prairie grasses make up the land throughout the area. The blue spruce is the state tree and a commonly found tree throughout the Green Mountain Falls Region. Beyond the blue spruce, there are many bearberry, blue columbine, and goldenrod riddled throughout the prairie. Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, and juniper fill the forested areas, and the wetlands are home to a variety of shrubs, giant sponges, and thickets. Cottonwood trees can be found in any of these three landscapes.[3] 

The wildlife in the area varies, with elk being the most common animal. Moose, mule deer, pronghorn, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, black bear, grizzly, grey wolf, coyote, cougar, lynx, and bobcats live on the wooded mountainsides. Many birds and small rodents live in the wetlands and open prairie fields.[4] 

The warm months of summer range from June to August. The average temperature during these months is seventy-six degrees. During the winter months, from December to March, the average temperature is around forty degrees. Summers are warm and mostly sunny, making this time of year peak travel season. The winters are cold with regular snowfall. The region receives around fifty-seven inches of snow per year and over eighteen inches of rain per year. There are, on average, 243 sunny days throughout the year. Ideal weather starts in the late morning till the evening. Wind and storms happen most often during the early mornings and late nights.[6]

History

The town of Green Mountain Falls was settled as a tourist town in the 1880s. A human-made lake was built shortly after the first settlers came to the town, and the gazebo was added not long after. The seventy room Green Mountain Falls Hotel was constructed slowly moving into the 1890s along with over one hundred tent cabins on the town's hillside. Actual homes and cabins were gradually built over the following years. The lake was constructed to offer recreation to visitors and locals because of the town's rural location.[1] 

In 1900 a train depot was built, which brought many more visitors and residents to the area. Many original buildings still reside in the town, including the church and gazebo on the lake.[2] The city of Cascade is just off the southern end of the Ute Pass. The Colorado Midland Railway ran through the town, which brought work and easy transport to the area. Many ranchers and single women came to the area for its beauty and ample land. The ute tribe was the first and original residence in the Green Mountain Falls Region. Ranchers came from neighboring cities and states to establish the land.[5] In 1890 officials found that the town hall, magistrate's office, community center, and civic swimming pool were all outside of the city limits, so in turn, the city boundaries were redrawn.[1] Green Mountain Falls has a population of around 640 citizens, while Cascade is home to about 1260 people.[5]