Manitou Cave Dwellings: Cliff dwellings from Colorado’s history

Being from the East Coast, we’re lucky enough to share our home state with several Native American tribes. There are monthly powwows on the Eastern Shore that are absolutely transcendent to visit, and plenty of museums and reconstructions to give us a glimpse into the past of the tribes who once flourished here. But one of the many, many things that makes First Nations cultures so beautiful is their sheer diversity. So, when we heard about the Manitou Cliff Dwellings and museum in Colorado Springs, we immediately added it to our itinerary.

The Manitou Cliff Dwellings

Luke exploring

Cliff dwellings from the outside

Peeking out at the landscape

So, one thing to know before you go is that this is NOT an authentic Native American site. That is, these dwellings were not originally built here — they were moved here for preservation and education. Which, if I’m honest, was a tiny bit of a let-down, as we hadn’t realized this beforehand.

That said, even these heavily-sanitized dwellings are unlike anything on the East Coast. They’re beautiful, and look perfectly at home in the scrubby, red hills surrounding them. Once you pay your admission and get your map/guide at the gate, park and walk up to the dwellings. They’re attached to a cliffside here, and there are a few entrances where you can pop inside and start reading about the different types of structures (multi-floor family homes, official residences or buildings, etc.), who would have occupied them, and how they were built.

Interior of what is thought to be a domestic space

Poles intended for stabilization, but also used to hang things like drying plants and meats.

Many of the buildings are interconnected on the inside, so you can stay out of the sun (it’s surprisingly cool inside!) while you read the educational plaques and listen to drumming and chanting over the speakers installed very sneakily within the structures.

Once we had walked through all the buildings, we looked more closely at the exteriors. All along the outside of the dwellings are various small gardens planted with herbs and plants that would have been of significance to the people who might once have called this place home. Plants for weaving, or eating, or healing — all labeled and planted for you to see.

Pro tip: Fair warning, if you visit when things are in bloom — and most of these plants do bloom — get ready to share your space with a hefty number of buzzing friends. As someone who is irrationally terrified of wasps, I spent a fair amount of time being twitchy here.

Boyfriend Perspective: These dwellings would house multiple families and they are not much bigger than a studio apartment. It is quite amazing to see how other people used to live compared with a modern home.

The Cliff Dwelling Museum

Entrance to the museum

Inside the cliff dwelling museum

Ancient art exhibit in the museum

A reproduction tipi sits right near the main entrance

The museum is small, but holds a TON of relics and artifacts. One thing that struck both of us is how well-preserved many woven items from the 1700s and 1800s — and before — still are.

With examples of clothing, weapons, tools, shoes, jewelry, baby carriers, and pottery, among many other things, from various tribes that inhabited the region or the region the dwellings originally occupied, we enjoyed getting a full picture of the lives and cultures of these people — rather than just running around in the remains their houses.

Pro tip: Make sure to stop and read all the exhibits — they’re interesting enough to look at, but downright fascinating to actually learn about!

Who should visit?

Want to feel like a kid? You’re allowed to climb the ladder!

A clay structure from a different time period and people that you can explore

Full disclosure, Luke and I are in our late twenties and we had a fair bit of fun here as a couple. It’s not the most exciting thing you can do on a Friday afternoon, but it’s absolutely fascinating and well-worth the price of admission (even if history isn’t always Luke’s “thing” ;) ).

That said, this would also be an amazing family-friendly stop in Colorado Springs. Respectfully educational and very experiential, I can’t imagine young kiddos not having fun running around inside the dwellings, noticing how much cooler they are than outside, climbing the ladders, and ogling the gift shop.

Boyfriend Perspective: This is great stop for the historical experience. It shouldn’t take you more than an hour or two and it is packed with plenty of local heritage to absorb. Worth the stop!

Have you visited the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, or others like it? What did you think? Share your thoughts below! :)

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Originally published at Two Restless Homebodies.