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| Fountain Creek
Fountain Creek just does not get the respect it deserves, does it? There's not enough water for kayaking, most serious fishing enthusiasts overlook the creek and generally speaking, the town has not done much with it in terms of including Fountain Creek as an attraction that is an integral part of the downtown Manitou Springs experience. When I lived in Manitou, I occasionally enjoyed sitting along the creek for relaxation, reflection, photography or whatever. Sometimes the constant peaceful sound of the running water was what I needed to really get into a book I was reading! I snapped this photo at Memorial Park during the autumn, with the surrounding trees sporting bright yellow leaves and a pretty array of colorful fallen leaves already on the ground! :) Here were my favorite places to sit along the Fountain Creek: 1) The very stretch of the creek taken in the photo above. Fountain Creek runs adjacent to Memorial Park and Manitou Avenue for approximately 200 yards. 2) The old Mountain Miracle shop had a Winnie The Pooh themed room where customers could sit on a few pillows and gaze out the window that was perched practically above the creek. The last I heard, a new business called "Black Cat Books" is in that building. 3) At the junction of Lovers Lane and Canon Avenue, walk 30 yards down Lovers Lane and you'll get a really beautiful view of the creek. The back of the Canon Avenue buildings are right there, but I've found it to be sort of an intimate place to "take in" the creek. 4) The new outdoor store (a few stores to the east of the Ancient Mariner) that has a coffee and alcohol bar has an enclosed sitting area with windows that is perched above the creek. When the creek is running strongly, it is pretty loud from above! 5) Rainbow Falls, sometimes referred to as "Stoner Falls" because of all the kids who seem to get in trouble with drug use and graffiti out there. Rainbow Falls is located just west of the main switchback on Serpentine Road. There are a few parking spots there, a historic sign about the Ute Pass Trail and a short 0.3 mile social trail that leads to the large waterfall. -Steve (May 31, 2006)
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