Manitou Springs is a home rule municipality located at the foot of Pikes Peak in western El Paso County, Colorado, United States.

The downtown area continues to be of interest to travelers, particularly in the summer, with many shops and restaurants, as well as a creekside city park.

Bell's home, Briarhurst Manor, is open to the public as a fine dining restaurant, which is listed on the National Register of Historic places.

[9] "Manitou Springs has been the quintessential tourist town since the 1870s, when visitors discovered the healing waters the Ute Indians had been drinking for years.

Manitou Springs did not suffer any fire damage, and the city was under evacuation orders from only 1:30 a.m. Monday until 8 p.m. the same day.

Traffic was stopped in both directions as the highway barriers formed a river drifting several occupied cars down a runoff ditch.

The flood water threatened buildings and parking lots along Fountain Creek, and closed a portion of Manitou Avenue, which reopened later that evening.

[14] Situated directly along U.S. Route 24 just west of Old Colorado City and Cave of the Winds, the town is bordered by Mt.

[12] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.2 km2), all of it land.

[16] Manitou Springs has a humid continental climate (Koppen: Dfb), categorized by four distinct seasons.