Where is Green Mountain Falls, Colorado??

Written By Erin Foudy

Where is Green Mountain Falls, Colorado??

Green Mountain Falls’ historic gazebo

The cozy town of Green Mountain Falls, Colorado is conveniently located just west of popular Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs in the front range of Colorado’s majestic Rocky Mountains. Green Mountain Falls, or GMF for short, currently has a population of just under 700 and was originally founded as a vacation destination along the Ute Pass Trail in the 1880s. Known for its picturesque and historic Gazebo situated in the middle of manmade Gazebo Lake, and more recently for the annual Green Box Arts Festival, the town’s motto is “A Very Special Place”, and we have to agree!

What’s nearby?

Location is one of the major draws to Green Mountain Falls - visitors love the feeling of being up in the mountains, away from the hubbub of the city, while also being just a short drive to all of the attractions the nearby city of Colorado Springs has to offer! Downtown Colorado Springs is only a 20 minute drive away…

 

What is there to do in Green Mountain Falls?

Enjoy hiking, shopping, live music, interactive art, fantastic restaurants and more!! Green Mountain Falls is emerging as not only a Pikes Peak Region outdoor recreation hub but also as a destination to experience world class art, workshops and performances.

 

  • Hiking - Green Mountain Falls is essentially surrounded on all sides by Pike National Forest and is located at the base of Pikes Peak. There are many popular trails you can walk to from the town center including the Catamount trail, a local favorite that takes hikers past beautiful waterfalls. Check out the Green Mountain Falls hiking guide for more information on area trails.

  • Fishing - Gazebo Lake is a great fishing pond in the heart of Green Mountain Falls and is always stocked with trout. It’s the perfect choice especially for little anglers as there is a playground, shops and restaurants nearby should they lose interest. 

  • Restaurants, shopping & more - Not many towns the size of Green Mountain Falls have so many quality options when it comes to eating and entertainment:

    • The Pantry - known to all in the area as one of the very best breakfast spots in the Pikes Peak Region, folks come from all over for the Pantry’s home cooked breakfast and lunch offerings.

    • The Mucky Duck - Offering brunch and dinner this upscale eatery has a fantastic rooftop dining option in the warmer months and a cozy lodge atmosphere inside with a beautiful stone fireplace. Serving steak, seafood & spirits, this is a must for any special occasion.

    • The Blue Moose Tavern - For tasty pub food, a relaxed atmosphere, live music, and watching your favorite sports - this is your place! Play pool, sing karaoke (Friday nights), enjoy live music on the patio, or just enjoy the local banter at the bar - there is a lot to love about this laidback mountain tavern!

    • Black Bear Distillery - The Official Distillery of the Ute Pass! Serving up craft small batch irish style bourbon, gold colorado rum and rye vodka this quaint distillery situated in a 70 year old cabin near Gazebo Lake has a lot to offer. The distillery often has popular local food trucks on the weekend for patrons to enjoy.

    • Stone, Bones & Wood - A gallery of gifts, this fantastic shop showcases the work of local artists. From high end items to Green Mountain Falls tourist souvenirs you will surely find plenty to love here.

    • The Painted Bear - A unique gift shop selling handmade goods by local artists, this locals favorite also often offers art classes and live music as well.

    • Tie Dye Java Coffee - Open mostly in the summer this spot is where you want to go for coffee and ice cream!

    • Mike’s Urban Electronics - A true electronic store specializing in fixing broken electronics such as clocks, amps, stereos and more. 

  • Lake Park - This sweet little park that surrounds Gazebo Lake is the perfect place for a picnic, or to let the kids play on the playground. Often visitors report seeing wildlife here such as bears, deer, and geese. 

  • Green Mountain Falls Community Pool - The Town's pool is normally open in the summer starting in early June. Swimming, hosting groups, and parties, are all possible with the purchase of the required passes. A great way to cool off in the summer!

  • Green Box Arts - With the motto, “Arts for Everyone” Green Box Arts strives to add visual and performing arts to the beautiful natural scenery of Green Mountain Falls. Their campus is located across from Lake Park and is the scene of fun workshops, performances, and more during their annual Green Box Arts Festival in the summer. Their programming focuses on four pillars: Art Installations, Art Education, Artists in Residency, and Arts Festival that provide year round opportunities for artists, visitors and locals.

  • Skyspace - A one of a kind kinetic light and color experience, the Green Mountain Falls Skyspace designed by James Turrell recently opened in June of 2022 and is open to the public Thursdays – Sundays through October 31.  To schedule a Wednesday private group showing, please email info@greenboxarts.org

Where to stay during a trip to Green Mountain Falls?


There are several options for accommodations when visiting historic Green Mountain Falls, CO. Since the town was founded as a tourist destination there are plenty of vacation rentals (Airbnbs and VRBOs), a couple of small boutique hotels, and a larger lodge-style establishment. Of course we think for groups of up to six or less we have one of the very best options in the area, and here is why:

  • Location location location!!! Our vacation rental in Green Mountain Falls, Moonrise Cottage, is situated just steps from the town center. You can literally walk across the street to all of the restaurants, shops, and the lake. If you have ever stayed in GMF before you will remember the steep dirt roads to get to many of the local rentals. Moonrise Cottage is on the paved, maintained, and flat main road through town. There is no need to worry about parking in the downtown area as you are already there, we provide two dedicated parking spaces in the driveway. This is just one of many reasons to choose Moonrise Cottage for your next Colorado vacation - our location is second to none.

  • Family & Dog Friendly - Moonrise Cottage was purposely designed with families in mind, we have a fun fort style bunk room with toys and tons of books that our younger guests rave about. There is also plenty of open space for the whole family to enjoy a board game, cards or a puzzle from our game bookshelf or simply to comfortably spend time together. Do you hate to leave Fido at home? So do we!! Dogs are always welcome at Moonrise Cottage, we provide a dog bed, toys, food & water dish, extra leashes, dog waste bags, and even dog blankets to cover the furniture should your furry friend like to cuddle up with their humans.

  • Fully Equipped Kitchen - The kitchen of Moonrise Cottage is literally the center of the house. All of the common spaces of the cottage wrap around the kitchen creating an inviting, social space to prepare meals for the entire group. With the cost of everything increasing these days, the ability to cook meals instead of always dining out is a great way to make a trip more affordable! We have done our best to make sure one will have everything they might need to prepare a meal (simple or complex) in our kitchen - it is truly one of our favorite aspects of the house.

  • Communication - Past guests often mention great communication when they leave a review of our property. Should you have any questions about your stay, need help in planning your vacation in the area, or should an issue arise, we are available quickly to assist you in any and all ways possible. It is our absolute goal and pleasure to provide our guests with a 5 star experience when they book a stay with us - we feel communication is paramount to achieving this goal. We pride ourselves on providing exceptional hospitality to our guests.

We hope that if you are ever in the Pikes Peak Region or looking at planning  a Colorado vacation that you will consider staying in the quaint town of Green Mountain Falls at our cozy mountain cottage. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the area, planning your next trip, or about Moonrise Cottage - erin@sleepyhollowrentals.com

Erin Foudy
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