Preserving our natural beauty & resources
Manitou Cares
Manitou Cares about the environment in which we live, work, and play. We invite our residents and visitors to commit to caring about sustainability in our community by choosing to opt out of single use plastics, to support our local business community, to keep our waterways clean and safe as a habitat for wildlife and responsible recreation.
Keep America Beautiful - Fountain Creek Watershed Cleanup 2023
Did you know that the Fountain Creek Watershed runs all the way to the Gulf of Mexico? This means it is very important to keep our creeks cleaned! In 2023, Keep America Beautiful had 20 different groups with 192 volunteers throughout 3 communities clean up 600 bags of trash in just 66 hours! That’s a total of 15,000 POUNDS of trash – including 4 shopping carts, 2 mattresses, 2 couches, 2 recliners, 3 bikes, 3 coolers, 2 tires, and 1 Tonka truck.
Join us October 7th in Manitou Springs for our next cleanup event as part of Creek Week!
Creating the ideal place to live, work, and play
Health and wellness have been bringing people to Manitou Springs for hundreds of years. The mountain air, our natural spring water, miles of hiking trails, and 300 days of sunshine per year are enjoyed by all.
That’s why we believe locals and visitors alike share the responsibility to protect our natural beauty and resources. We’re working on more ways to keep our town vibrant, sustainable, and just weird enough for current and future generations.
Just a few of our on-going sustainability efforts:
- Free local shuttle and alternative transportation options
- Sidewalks, paths, and a walkable downtown
- Refillable dish, dishwasher, and laundry soap for residents
Let's clear the air
No one wants to sit in traffic or return to the their car between every stop. Luckily, Manitou is a walkable town with a free shuttle and plenty of alternate transportation options.
Take a stroll
Where to park
Manitou Springs has paid street parking and lots throughout town. Residential parking is for the people lucky enough to live here. Please don’t park in residential areas to avoid a hefty fine. And don’t forget about the free 30 minutes of parking! You can utilize that perk up to twice a day.
Message in a bottle
Water has always been at the heart of our town. So we recommend that you bring or purchase a reusable water bottle and fill up with our amazing tap water. Feel free to sample natural mineral springs throughout town where you can experience the healing waters.
BYOB (bring your own bag)
No need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders
Colorado uses an estimated 4.6 million single use plastic bags a day (yikes)!
A new state-wide law requires a 10 cents per bag fee for any single-use plastic carryout bags. That’s why we ask that you bring your own bag or purchase one of the many awesome reusable bags available at all of our unique shops.
Manitou Springs embraces and lives by the 7 Care for Colorado Leave No Trace Principles, and we ask our guests to do the same:
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Others
