If you’re heading to Manitou Springs, be sure to pack a cup. Made famous for its natural springs, this small, quirky town is located in the Pikes Peak Region, a little more than one hour south of Denver. After you’ve enjoyed the sites and a great meal at one of the many cafés and restaurants, take a Springabout walking tour along the town’s main streets to sip and sample the eight famous springs.

Each of the currently accessible springs (Shoshone, Navajo, Cheyenne, 7 Minute Spring, Iron Spring Geyser, Twin, Stratton and Wheeler) has a different mineral profile, with some that taste bubbly, as though they’re carbonated. And — thanks to the 1,000-plus years’ journey through rock — the waters are absolutely pure. The artesian aquifer underlines the springs and the surrounding rocky terrain and the karst landscape filters and stores rainwater, comprised of sections of sandstone, granite, Manitou Limestone and dolomite. The famous Cave of the Winds, located nearby, was once a part of the aquifer system, but now rests above the water table.

It was Indigenous peoples in Southern Colorado who bestowed the springs with the name Manitou to honor what they identified as the “breath of the Great Spirit Manitou.” Once a shared wintering ground for members of Plains tribes, including Cheyenne, Ute and Arapahoe peoples before they were forcefully removed, the waters and the access to them were shared peacefully, believed by all to be deeply spiritual and healing in nature.

© Debra Bokur

In 1820, explorer Stephen Harriman Long brought the natural springs to the attention of the world. Railroad expansion led people West, including developers who were quick to see the money-spinning potential of transforming the gorgeous area at the feet of the Rocky Mountains into a destination health resort.

Over the decades, many of the natural springs were covered or stoppered. Today, the Mineral Springs Foundation maintains them, and beautiful fonts created by working artists now surround the water spouts.

You can pick up a walking map at the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau (located at 354 Manitou Ave.) and set off at your own pace at any time of the year. If you stop in, be sure to ask for a reusable, collapsible souvenir cup and a chart explaining the contents of each spring. Printable and downloadable maps are available at the Manitou Springs website, and the Mineral Springs Foundation also maintains a website detailing each of the springs with an analysis of the mineral content.