Manitou Cliff Dwellings

Archaeological site Manitou Springs, Colorado, United States

What to expect

The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are a privately owned tourist attraction consisting of replica Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings and interpretive exhibits. Visitors can walk through the replica dwellings and explore the associated private museum, which features commercially developed displays about Ancestral Puebloan peoples, including exhibits of archaeological artifacts, tools, pottery, and weapons. The attraction also has a gift shop with handmade jewelry, Native American art, pottery, and crafts. The cliff dwellings are not authentic, but rather a reconstruction of Pueblo-style buildings, and were built in the early 1900s as a museum and tourist attraction. The site is dog-friendly, and visitors can take a scenic nature walk with labeled native flowers, herbs, trees, and other plants. The attraction is suitable for families and offers a unique opportunity to learn about the history and culture of the Ancestral Puebloan people

Plan your family visit to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings with these blog insights 👇

21+ Activities in Colorado Springs in Winter

This family's experience:

Activities: We walked around and through the ancient cliff dwellings of the Puebloan people, learning about their history and culture

Highlights: The kids loved exploring the cliff dwellings and learning about the history of the Puebloan people. We enjoyed the easy access and the informative museum ✨

Top 10 Activities for Spring Break in Colorado Springs

This family's experience:

Activities: We visited Manitou Cliff Dwellings, a great way to get outside during Spring Break in Colorado Springs without having to face the elements too much

Highlights: Kids will love the ability to actually get inside the rooms and move around ✨

13 Things We Love to Do with Visitors in Colorado Springs

This family's experience:

Activities: We climbed and walked through these relocated ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings

Highlights: Our kids had fun with school-aged children ✨

Exploring the Manitou Cliff Dwellings

This family's experience:

Activities: We walked through the structures and explored the nooks and crannies of the dwellings and climbed its ladders inside. We explored the 13 informational signs revealing what we were looking at and how they were used over 700 years ago

Highlights: The kids took every opportunity to explore the nooks and crannies of the dwellings and climb its ladders inside. We loved that they encouraged visitors to touch everything for real hands-on learning especially for the kids ✨