Monument: Trails, Lake and History

For a trip to Monument, you can plan your stay around three themes: trails, time at Monument Lake and local history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Monument, you can use these themes as a starting point for planning your trip.

Trails and routes in Monument

The 15-mile Santa Fe Regional Trail begins in Palmer Lake, passes through Monument and extends to the southern boundary of the Air Force Academy. The gravel route partly follows the former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad line and is one of the longest continuous trails in El Paso County. Cycling, hiking and horseback riding are among the activities listed. You can therefore include different ways of getting around in your plans without limiting the trail to a single use.

Trail access points are also important for finding your way around town. The Santa Fe Trailhead is on 3rd Street in downtown Monument; it has parking, picnic tables and pollinator gardens. The New Santa Fe Regional Trail is a separate trail; one access point in Monument is on 3rd Street. Another access point to this trail is on Highway 105.

Monument Lake and Limbach Park

Fishing is permitted at Monument Lake with a valid Colorado fishing license. Electric trolling motors are allowed; other types of motors are not. Check the current lake regulations before your visit. The fishing license and motor rule cover different aspects: one applies to fishing, while the other specifies which type of motor is allowed.

Limbach Park has a new playground with a resilient surface, a climbing structure, spinners, swings and a new, safer merry-go-round. The park is named after Henry Limbach, the founder of Monument and also the town’s first mayor. Here, a specific place for a play break sits alongside a name from the town’s history.

Local history, walking tour and art

You can explore Historic Downtown Monument on a self-guided walking tour. Guides are available from the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center at 166 Second Street and at many shops. If you’re planning the tour, you can use the guides to help you explore the historic town center.

Railroad history is also part of the town’s development: after the D&RG Railroad arrived in January 1872, Monument flourished as a commercial center for the surrounding area. This historical role provides a point of reference for a visit that includes the town’s history as well as trails and art.

The public art installation “Ice Harvest” is located at the water treatment building at the corner of Beacon Lite Road and Second Street. Tim Upham and Lisa Cameron designed it as a collection of reverse-painted acrylic blocks. The work depicts historical events related to ice harvesting on lakes in this region. Its materials, location and subject connect the installation to a specific story from the region’s history.

Through ArtSites, Monument manages a small collection of permanent sculptures located throughout town. Each year, the program assembles a new collection of sculptures through a jury selection process. This is a different connection to art from “Ice Harvest”: ArtSites represents a collection and its annual selection, while the installation on Second Street focuses on a specific historical theme.

Discover more destinations: Cimarron Hills, Cascade-Chipita Park, Colorado Springs, Calhan, Fountain, Manitou Springs, Peyton

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