From the entrance of Ute Pass at Manitou Springs and for about 5 miles, the terrain is steep canyon land and the road has many curves.

"[5] Stephen Harriman Long wrote of his 1820s travel through the Pikes Peak region that Ute Trail was used by bison and Native Americans.

[5] The Ute's name for the pass was El Puerto del Sierra Almagre, which means "Doorway to the Red Earth Mountains".

[7] Tourism began to be a major economic force in the late 19th century and towns along Ute Pass built cabins and hotels as a result.

[citation needed] Wildlife in the Ute Pass area includes wild turkey, mule deer, mountain lion, bighorn sheep, and especially during the summer and fall, black bear.

The buildings include the museum center, four cabins and a jailhouse, with exhibits that convey the lifestyle, industries, transportation, and communities along Ute Pass.