Colorado Was Home to the First Scenic Motorway in the West

Colorado is known for a lot of things, most of which are positive. The state is home to world-class ski mountains, beautiful views of the rockies, and a ton of history.

Read More: Illegal Hiking + Amusement: Colorado’s Manitou Incline’s Past |

Just west of the second-largest town in Colorado, Colorado Springs, sits what many consider to be a hippie town high up in the mountains and despite being rather small, the town of Manitou Springs has a lot of history itself.

The biggest reason that out-of-towners visit Manitou Springs is the famous incline - a former railroad track that athletic types now travel from all across the globe for a chance to literally climb up a mountain using the stairs.

While the incline has been around for many years, another tourist attraction that lasted only three years drew tourists to the mountain town to experience Colorado's natural beauty in one of the best ways possible.

Colorado Was Home to the First Scenic Motorway in the West

After the mining boom of the mid-1800s, many communities in Colorado either tried to save their towns by attracting tourists or were swallowed up and became ghost towns.

Manitou Springs falls into the former category as between the years of 1910 and 1913, a company known as the Crystal Park Touring Company offered unmatched views of the beautiful scenery west of Colorado Springs with the Crystal Park Auto Tour.

At the time, tickets to experience what was coined "The Scenic Wondertrip of the World" were only $2.50. However, $2.50 in 1910 is the equivalent of the not-so-wallet-friendly price of about $50 today.

Despite proving to be a successful attraction for tourists, the scenic tour was halted in 1913 due to the company declaring bankruptcy.

However, it only took those three years for the scenic motorway to earn a page in Colorado's history books, and you can learn more by visiting the link here.