Group Destinations and Activities in Colorado Springs

There is an undeniable power in the shared experience. Whether you are on a scout troop guided trip, corporate retreat, or large family reunion, there are few places better catered to team building and creating lifelong memories than Colorado.

From casual escapes into nature to adrenaline-pumping activities that will push you and your crew to the edges of their comfort zone, the group activities in Colorado Springs can’t be beaten. When planning your next corporate outdoor activity or group retreat, bump the Centennial State to the top of your list.

Not yet convinced? Check out these five most popular group activities offered right here at Broadmoor Outfitters. 

1. Zip Lining

Number of Participants: 8 per tour, multiple tours available 

Duration: Woods Course – 3 hours, Fins Course – up to 4 hours 

Ages: All ages for the Woods Course, 10 – 80 for the Fins Course

Level: Woods Course – Easy, Fins Course – Intermediate

In the past couple of decades, zip lining has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity across the globe. It is a fun thing to do when traveling and an excellent team-building activity for large corporate getaways and scout troop guided trips alike. Zip lining is incredibly fun, very exhilarating, offers sweeping views of the surrounding landscape, and is accessible for just about anyone.  

The Woods Course is our more beginner-friendly option and is accessible for thrill-seekers of all ages. Lasting about three hours, this group activity will have you traveling high above the forest and canyon floor on five individual lines reaching a maximum height of 150 feet. Those brave enough will enjoy unrivaled views of waterfalls, launch off of spectacular granite rock features, and travel smoothly through the trees. 

For even more airborne adventure, give the Fins Course a try. Similar to the Woods Course, this adventure puts participants on five separate zip lines. These lines, however, are much higher (maxing out at 500 feet above the ground!) and longer (the longest measuring in at 1,800 feet), and the course also includes two rope bridges and a rappel.

For a full day, combine the two courses!

Geocaching with Broadmoor Outfitters in Colorado Springs

2. The Broadmoor Hunt

Number of Participants: 5 – 100

Duration: 2 hours

Ages: All ages

Level: Easy

For the ultimate activity for groups of all sizes, ages, and abilities, schedule a day to complete the Broadmoor Hunt. This Amazing Race style scavenger hunt traverses all over the Broadmoor property and includes over 35 unique challenges. From riddles and clues to activities and photo captures, you can break your large group into smaller teams for some friendly competition and team building.

The hunt works off of your smartphone, and each group can strategize their path to victory. From corporate retreats to family reunions, The Broadmoor Hunt is a fun and interactive way to explore and learn all about the historic Broadmoor and the surrounding area. There’s nothing like a bit of competition to bring a large team together! 

Colorado Springs Falconry at The Broadmoor
The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs

3. Falconry

Number of Participants: 14 per group

Duration: 1.5 hours

Ages: 5 and older

Level: Easy

Falconry is undoubtedly one of the most unique group activities in Colorado Springs – allowing you and your group to learn about hunting with birds of prey. The lesson will start with a fair bit of education, where your group will learn all about this 4,000-year-old pastime, sport, and way of life, as the experts give a flying demonstration and you get to meet many of our captive-bred trained birds of prey. The day closes with a bang, as everyone in your group will have an opportunity to hold a trained hawk after learning proper technique.  

Those that have completed the beginner lesson can advance to an even more exhilarating experience: the opportunity to walk scenic trails with a guide as a trained Harris Hawk flies through the trees, returning to your glove on your command. Whether your group stops at the beginner lesson or takes your falconry education to the next level, it is sure to be an experience no one will soon forget. 

4. The Wild West Experience

Number of Participants: 12 per group

Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours

Ages: 5 and older

Level: Easy

If you have come to the mountains searching for group activities in Colorado Springs, perhaps none are more fitting than the Wild West Experience. Gain an appreciation for the skills that allowed people to survive and thrive in mountain landscapes for thousands of years. The three-part Wild West Experience is undeniably the best bang for your buck as you learn how to use a bow, air rifle, and throwing ax. 

Guides will walk your group through traditional archery skills and accompany you to a range where you will then put your skills to the test. From there, your guides will instruct your group on rifle shooting. Then, test your meddle with .22 caliber air rifles on a range with many different moving and stationary targets. Close your western skills experience with an ax-throwing session. Following more direction from an expert instructor, your group will have the opportunity to toss tomahawks into wooden targets. 

The Wild West Experience provides the perfect avenue for skills and team building, cooperation, coaching and support, and friendly competition – depending on the angle you would like to take. No matter how you slice it, though, this is one of the best group activities in Colorado Springs. 

5. Rock Climbing

Number of Participants: 12

Duration: Half day to full day 

Ages: 12 and up

Level: Easy to challenging

There is no better way to add some adventure to a large group getaway than with a day of guided rock climbing. No matter your group’s skill, fitness, or comfort level, the professional rock guides promise to deliver an unforgettable day. Push your physical and mental limits, and coach each other through enjoyable challenges in the mountains. You will learn climbing knots and belay techniques from expert guides and practice your skills on real outdoor cliff faces. 

With many picturesque climbing areas right out our front door, we have the opportunity to cater the entire day to your specific needs. Your group will coach each other up the wall and perfect your technical skills from one challenge to the next!


Group travel is an incredible way to create a shared experience and foster lasting memories with people you care about. Scheduling free time and exploring on your own is a necessity when planning these types of trips, but guided group activities and tours in Colorado Springs can add a meaningful exclamation point to an already unforgettable trip. Regardless of the group activities you choose, the Rocky Mountains will always find a way to bring people closer together.  

Colorado Springs Attractions You Don’t Want to Miss

When you’re going on vacation (or even a staycation), you want to make the most of your time. You didn’t take time off work, set up dog sitters, and play Tetris with your luggage in the back of the car to visit a bunch of attractions that you ended up not enjoying. You want to get what you came for and experience the most exciting things to do in Colorado Springs – the ones that you have to do in order to say you’ve truly been to Colorado Springs. 

But with the overwhelming number of brochures at rest stops and online advertisements begging for your attention, how do you decide which places to visit?

To explore Colorado Springs the way it deserves, you should focus on a few key elements: getting in nature, gaining knowledge about both ancient and recent history, and spending time relaxing to soak it all in. We’ve compiled a complete list of places you must visit in Colorado Springs with all of those points in mind. This guide will give you some direction in your travels as you’re looking for things to do in Colorado Springs. 

Cog Up/Bike Down Pikes Peak Adventure

If you’re looking for an exciting way to summit the second most-visited peak in the world – Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, CO – then this Broadmoor Outfitters adventure is for you. 

First, you’ll catch a ride up ‘America’s Mountain’ on the world’s highest cog railway – The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Then, you’ll ride a custom-built cruiser bicycle the whole 19.5 miles back down the mountain!

Image by VIT DUCKEN from Pixabay

This adventure is one of the most unique things to do in Colorado Springs. The Cog Up/Bike Down Adventure is suitable for anyone ten or older at any fitness level. Broadmoor Outfitters provides all the safety gear, including full-face helmets, high visibility vests, and gloves. The pace is set by a Broadmoor guide who will lead the way for the duration of the ride, and you’ll feel safe knowing a sweep van will follow the group to pick up anyone who ends their ride early. Remember, you’ll need to book this adventure at least two days in advance to secure your spot!

Woods Course Zipline

Ziplining is where exhilaration meets exploration! Hiking and biking are excellent ways to explore Colorado Springs, but ziplining is incredibly cool as you get a bird’s-eye view of the landscape! You’ll be 150 feet from the ground, sailing through ponderosa pine forests, gliding over the gorgeous Midnight Falls, and soaring through Colorado’s Rocky Mountains on this Broadmoor Outfitters adventure.

Image by Dragan Tomić from Pixabay

The Woods Course Zipline is suitable for beginners, but Broadmoor Outfitters also offers other, more advanced ziplining tours for people looking for a big thrill.

Explore Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods was named by Rufus Cable when he stood atop Pikes Peak, saw the glorious rock formation, and declared the area “…a fit place for the gods to assemble.” 


The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center is a paradise and one of the most popular Colorado Springs attractions. You’ve got plenty of options for how to explore these 300-foot tall sandstone rock formations; there truly is something for everyone! There are activities for explorers at all fitness levels, including but not limited to hiking, rock climbing, and Jeep and Segway tours.

Photo by Jude Infantini on Unsplash

Western Museum of Mining and Industry

To bring your adventurous Colorado Springs vacation full circle, we recommend getting some historical context of the area by visiting the Western Museum of Mining & Industry. This museum offers 27 acres of exhibits, each containing over 4,000 artifacts from the 19th and 20th centuries. 

As you wander the campus, you’ll also get to see the Reynolds Ranch House – an Edwardian Lake-style ranch home that is included on the State Register of Historic Properties. This isn’t an ordinary museum; exhibits are set up both indoors and outdoors and feature restored steam engines and mining equipment, as well as a fully operational Stamp Mill and Blacksmithing Demo Shop. You’ll learn about the environmental impact of mining on wildlife and local plants and see the Mine Reclamation exhibit, which shows visitors the process of turning abandoned mines into useful land.

Manitou Cliff Dwellings

From 1200 B.C. to 1300 A.D, Native Americans known as Anasazi lived within natural and, eventually, constructed settlements high in the cliffs of canyon walls. In the Colorado Springs area, the ancient Anasazi cliff dwellings are located at the foot of what we now call Pikes Peak. The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are open to the public for self-guided tours. 


As you wander among the rooms carved within the vertical canyon walls, it’s only natural to wonder, “How in the world did they (the Anasazi) get up here?” That mystery, along with the settlements’ astonishing beauty, makes the Manitou Cliff Dwellings a popular attraction in Colorado Springs. Check out the FAQ section of the Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum website to learn more about how to visit this architectural wonder.

Photo by Cupcake Media on Unsplash

Organic Spa at Broadmoor Resort

This luxurious partially organic Spa at Broadmoor Resort is featured in the Forbes Travel Guide. It’s certainly one of the best Colorado Springs attractions for those looking for a bit of pampering. 

This spa is the perfect way to relax after a full day of adventuring in Colorado Springs! Before your desired spa treatment, you’ll sit quietly in the Mountain View Room, overlooking the lush Broadmoor Golf Course greens. In the background, a stunning scene of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains invites you to pause, unwind, and relax. 

Overview

This breathtaking Rocky Mountains sanctuary is an inviting destination for both solo travelers and families. There are plenty of Colorado Springs tours and attractions that appeal to adventurers of all ages, history buffs, and people looking to unwind in the majesty of the Rocky Mountains. Remember to make reservations for all these things to do in Colorado Springs well in advance, and most importantly: have fun!

Beginners Guide to Archery

Have you ever dreamt of riding horseback, firing arrows off to pin apples to the trees behind your target? 

You’re not alone in the fantasy of becoming Legolas, Robin Hood, or the Green Arrow. We all watch these movies and shows and imagine what it would be like to have the skills that these legends have developed over time. 

One wildly misleading part of these archery depictions is the lack of intense training over years and years that one needs to become a professional. There was someone training baby Legolas and giving him archery tips as he missed his target repeatedly. We all have to start somewhere. 

Archery is a great sport to get into as a beginner. There isn’t a huge initial investment, it’s easily accessible, and you don’t need a ton of gear to try it out. There are shooting ranges all around that will gladly let you explore the bow and arrow, even as a beginning archer. While the internet and other resources around you are filled with a wealth of archery tips, we’re going to dive into the best way to get started on your new journey.

So, nock your arrow, take sight, and let’s see what targets we can hit.

Broadmoor Outfitter’s Beginners Guide to Archery

Photo by Sadie Esch-Laurent on Unsplash

Bows

It can’t be said enough that archery is a simple sport at its roots. There aren’t too many moving parts, and you don’t have complicated technology. It’s a tool that people have been using for thousands of years, way before we relied on smartphones to do everything for us.

Now, you can easily Google, “What is archery?” and have your answer in an instant. Still, the bow takes time to practice, learn, and truly master. Fortunately, archery for beginners is much more simple than mastering it. 

You can’t practice archery without is the bow. This may be common knowledge, and you may be sitting there saying, “Duh, of course, you need a bow,” but there’s a little more to it. There are several styles of bow, and each has pros and cons.

So, to get you started on the right foot, here are the two basic designs of bows.

1. Recurve

A recurve bow is the simpler of the two bow styles. In essence, this bow style utilizes the curve of fiberglass, or sometimes wood, limbs to provide power to your shot. These limbs are attached to a handle that houses the arrow rest, where you will be looking while aiming.

A single bowstring attaches these two arms and curves them against their natural direction, amping up the potential force. All of this power goes into the arrow as soon as you pull back the bowstring and take aim. 

A recurve bow looks more like a traditional Robin Hood style bow and is probably what you will want to try using on your first time shooting. They aren’t complicated, they give you a good idea of how to control a bow under pressure. Plus, they are much cheaper than their counterparts.

Recurve bows are typically a relatively low draw weight that won’t make your arms shake uncontrollably while pulling back the first time. If you’re looking to do some more complex or powerful shooting, you can look towards other bow styles. 

2. Compound

A compound bow is an ingenious invention that allows the shooter to hold aim without putting too much strain on their arms and shoulders. This was accomplished by engineers in the 1970s, using cams to relieve the pressure once the string is fully drawn. The bow itself is a bit more complicated, looks much more modern and high-tech, but is perfect for anyone who goes hunting and patiently waits at a full draw for the right moment to fire. 

There are more traditional bows, like the longbow that you may imagine an elf carrying into war. There are bows specially designed to be fired from horseback and bows with all the bells and whistles for Olympic archers, but we’re talking about archery for beginners here.

One of the best archery tips we can give you is to start easy, don’t grab a bow that will be too high of draw weight. You will most likely end up not enjoying the sport because it’s too difficult to come near a target while straining to draw the bow. 

Photo by Laura Crowe on Unsplash

Arrows

While there are many styles of arrows for hunting and target practice, the best idea for starting up is to buy a cheap archery target and some target arrows that are relatively affordable. A lot of these are going to be aluminum or carbon, which are great materials for beginners. 

Learning how to re-fletch your arrows is another invaluable tool. The little feathers, called fletchings, are going to pop off over time. It’s an easy fix with the right glue and tools, and it’s worth getting to know how to do your own maintenance. This will save you money in the long run and keep you shooting for longer. 

Shooting Sequence

As this is a beginner’s guide to archery, having the gear isn’t enough. Learning how to shoot is essential.

You’ve acquired the bow and the arrows, and hopefully, you’ve found some other safety equipment such as an armguard or finger guard. Now you’re ready to shoot! The entire shooting sequence gets down to fine, delicate details when working on becoming a master.

For now, though, we’ll glance over the basics of an archery shooting sequence:

  1. Find a safe area where everyone is clear of down range, mentally prepare, and it’s time to take your stance. 
  2. With your feet shoulder-width apart, extend your bow arm towards your target. 
  3. Nock your arrow on the bowstring and place it in the arrow rest with the index feather (normally the odd colored fletching) pointed away from you. 
  4. Placing one finger above the arrow and two below, draw the bow back and bring your hand to the corner of your smile, all while keeping your elbow high. 
  5. With both eyes open, take aim down the shaft of the arrow towards your target. 
  6. Take a deep breath in, and slowly exhale.
  7. On your exhale, release.
  8. Celebrate.

Okay, maybe you won’t be celebrating the first shot, but keep at it. Learning archery is a process, and it requires a lot of patience and practice. Keep working on your form and pay attention to the little details. 

Where to Practice

Since archery can be pretty dangerous, one of the safest ways to start is with a guided introduction to archery.

When beginner archery in Colorado is done right, it is a fun family activity that everyone can master. Set up a small target range at home if you have the outdoor space. If you don’t, find the closest archery range. The range is a great place to meet fellow archers who can share archery tips and are willing to build community through the sport. 

Soon, you won’t need the beginner’s guide. Nocking an arrow and pinning five into the bullseye in a row will feel natural. Keep on practicing, and remember, we were all beginners at some point.