Manitou Cliff Dwellings is a preserve in Manitou Springs, five miles west of Colorado Springs, with outdoor cliff dwellings and indoor museums. You can walk around or through the rooms, then make time for the gift shop and picnic patio.
- Location: 10 Cliff Dwellings Road, Manitou Springs, Colorado 80829, just off U.S. Highway 24.
- Admission: Pay when you arrive; tickets do not need to be purchased in advance.
- Opening pattern: Open daily
- Visit length: You can spend a few hours or the day.
What the Site Includes
Manitou Cliff Dwellings combines outdoor cliff dwellings with indoor museums, a gift shop and a picnic patio. The preserve first opened to the public in 1907.
You may walk around or through the rooms, but visitors cannot go down into the kiva. Self-guided tours are available; guided tours are suspended. The site also lists a seasonal snack bar, but its status can change.
Tickets and Opening Hours
You can pay for admission when you arrive, and you do not need to pre-purchase tickets. Admission covers the full day; a return on another day normally requires another admission unless you have a season pass or holiday shopping pass. Group rates are available for parties of 10 or more.
Opening hours
- Monday to Sunday: 9 AM–4 PM
Last checked November 2026. Hours can change on holidays and for special events.
The preserve is open year-round, weather permitting, and closes on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Hours vary by month: May through August and April, September and October, it is open 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; March, 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; November, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; and December through February, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
The park stays open for 30 minutes after last admission and gate closure. For current admission details and any weather-related changes, check the official site before you go.
Access and Visitor Facilities
The site is not wheelchair- or scooter-accessible because it has slopes, steps, narrow interior passages and gravel. A ramp from the parking lot provides an outer view of the dwellings, but the restrooms, museum and gift shop are not accessible from that route.
Visitors in wheelchairs are admitted free; let staff know if someone using a wheelchair is in your vehicle.
There is no parking fee, though bus and RV parking is limited. RVs, fifth wheels and vehicles towing an RV or trailer must use the lower turnaround, about 200 yards from the upper parking lot and park access; spaces may fill during peak periods.
Leashed pets can go where visitors can, including the ruins and museums. Owners are asked to clean up after them.
How Do You Get to Manitou Cliff Dwellings from Colorado Springs?
From Colorado Springs, take I-25 Exit 141 and turn west onto U.S. Highway 24 for five miles. The entrance is at 10 Cliff Dwellings Road, just off the highway.
If you are staying in Colorado Springs, WoodSpring Suites rooms in Colorado Springs are one accommodation option for the trip. The attraction is in nearby Manitou Springs, making it straightforward to combine the drive with a stop in town.
Adding It to a Manitou Springs Day
Manitou Cliff Dwellings sits in the foothills setting of Manitou Springs, so you can pair the preserve with time in town. For more ideas on planning the day, browse things to do in Manitou Springs on a day trip.
Allow for the preserve’s seasonal hours and weather-dependent opening when deciding how to sequence your stops.
FAQs
Do you need to buy Manitou Cliff Dwellings tickets in advance?
No. You can pay upon arrival, and advance ticket purchase is not required.
How long should you spend at Manitou Cliff Dwellings?
You can spend a few hours or the full day. Admission covers the full day.
Can you go inside the cliff dwellings?
Visitors may walk around or through the rooms, but cannot go down into the kiva.
Is Manitou Cliff Dwellings open year-round?
Open daily. It is open year-round, weather permitting, and closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Hours vary by month.