719-578-6777 | visit our website
Towering Pikes Peak and the red rock formations of the Garden of the Gods serve as the dramatic back drop for Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site in Colorado Springs. The ranch is owned by the City of Colorado Springs and operated as a living history museum, interpreting the history of the settlement of the Pikes Peak Region between 1775 and 1910.Visitors will learn about the rigors of homesteading, the perils of 19th century agriculture and the sophistication of an early 20th century estate built by the founder of Colorado Springs.
Visitors to the Rock Ledge Ranch begin their tours at a 1775 American Indian encampment, with authentic tipis and demonstrations by the Southern Ute people. The next stop is a 1860s homestead depicting pre-railroad settlement in the Pikes Peak region. Visitors are then introduced to the everyday life of a working ranch, circa 1880. A full compliment of farm animals, horse-drawn equipment, gardens, a working blacksmith shop and a restored ranch house draw visitors into the lives of the original inhabitants. Finally, adults and children alike have the opportunity to visit a 1907 Mission-style suburban estate. This original home was built for the sister-in-law of William Jackson Palmer, one of the founders of Colorado Springs. The architect was Thomas MacLaren, who also designed more than 200 structures in Colorado, including the Colorado Springs City Hall and the original Broadmoor Hotel.
In addition to the living history programs, historic house settings are presented in detail as a part of individually guided tours. Topical exhibits are presented in the Carriage House. The previous exhibit was the American Indian Cultural Crossroads depicting the vitality of American Indian heritage and culture in Colorado.
Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site is one of the premier attractions in the Pikes Peak Region, attracting over 65,000 people annually. Rock Ledge Ranch has an extensive package of special events conducted year round, culminating in a summer season when the Ranch is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10am to 5pm, from June through Labor Day. School programs are offered September through November for students interested in learning about the history of the region.
This summer's special events include:
•"Ho! For Pikes Peak": Julia Archibald Holmes Sesquicentennial -
Saturday, August 2
10:00 am to 5:00 p.m.
• Annual Holly Berry House Folk Art Festival
September 12, 13 & 14
• Blacksmith Demonstration by Mark Asper
Saturday, September 20
Fun Facts to Know and Tell:
Fruit and vegetables grown at the Rock Ledge Ranch supplied the kitchens at the Antlers Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs.
Two surveyors charged with laying out Colorado City wandered into an area of sandstone formations. One suggested that it would be a "capital place for a beer garden" but the other said "Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods."
Other Places to Visit:
Garden of the Gods
Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, downtown
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, near Colorado College
Miramont Castle (1895)
Western Museum of Mining and Industry, near Air Force Academy
Old Colorado City
Best Times to Visit:
Open year round
Toolbox: 
