Seven Lakes, Colorado facts for kids
Seven Lakes is a historic area on Pikes Peak mountain in Teller County, Colorado. It's no longer a busy place, but it was once home to the Seven Lakes Hotel. This hotel was located along a special road that led up to the top of Pikes Peak. The water from Seven Lakes flows into Beaver Creek and then to Lake Moraine. This lake helps supply water to the city of Colorado Springs.
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History of Seven Lakes
Seven Lakes Park is shaped like a horseshoe. It is almost completely surrounded by the tall walls of Bald Mountain, which is now often called Almagre Mountain. In the late 1870s, a wagon road was built from Colorado City (now Old Colorado City) to Jones Park. This road was later extended to reach Seven Lakes.
From Seven Lakes, it was about an 8-kilometer (5-mile) hike to the very top of Pikes Peak. By 1889, the road for carriages was finished. It went all the way from Seven Lakes to the Pikes Peak summit. Later, in 1904, people could also take a train called the Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek District Railway (Short Line). They would get off at the Clyde station. From there, it was about 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) on trails and the carriage road to reach Seven Lakes.
The Seven Lakes Hotel
Around 1877, a one-story log cabin was built. It was located in a valley about 3,350 meters (11,000 feet) high. This cabin served as a hotel. In 1880, Mayo G. Smith bought the Seven Lakes Park property. He managed the hotel from 1882 to 1883.
In 1887, a group from Harvard College visited the hotel. They were called the Boyden Expedition. They took measurements of the air at Seven Lakes and Pikes Peak. The hotel grew bigger over time. It was expanded to several stories. It even had a billiard room and a bowling alley for guests. Sadly, the hotel burned down in the 1880s. Many visitors came to the area to camp and enjoy fishing. By 1890, a company called the Pike's Peak and Seven Lakes Toll Road Company was formed.
Railway Plans for Seven Lakes
In 1896, the Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek Short Line Company had a plan. They wanted to build a train track through Seven Lakes to Pikes Peak. By 1909, the main way to travel into Seven Lakes was still by using horses.
A new company was created in 1901. It was called the Seven Lakes-Pike's Peak Railway Company. Their goal was to build an 18-kilometer (11-mile) electric trolley line. This line would run from Clyde to Pikes Peak and pass through Seven Lakes. The company hoped to finish the line within one year. Henry C. Hall was one of the directors for this new railway company.
Seven Lakes Water Supply
Water for Colorado Springs
The Seven Lakes area has many small bodies of water. They are located about 3,200 meters (10,500 feet) high. These waters flow south into Beaver Creek. From there, they go into Lake Moraine. By 1899, Lake Moraine was an important source of water for the city of Colorado Springs.
There were seven natural lakes formed by glaciers in this area. These were Isoetes Lake, Lake of the Rocks, Marsh Lake, Michigan Lake, Mirror Lake, Ramona Lake, and Ribbon Lake. In 1891, the city of Colorado Springs bought the land around Seven Lakes. That same year, they built the Lake Moraine Dam.
Building Reservoirs
In 1905, two new reservoirs were built in the Seven Lakes area. They were named Mason and McReynolds reservoirs. Some of the natural lakes, like Marsh, Ribbon, and Mirror Lakes, were used to create one of these larger reservoirs. Water from these two reservoirs flows through a tunnel called the St. John tunnel. This tunnel carries the water to Lake Moraine.
By 1909, the City of Colorado Springs limited access to the McReynolds and Mason Reservoirs. These reservoirs were a main source of drinking water for the city. This restriction meant that people could no longer travel through that area.
The two reservoirs in the South Slope Recreation Area were closed for many years. However, they were opened for fishing in 2014. If you want to fish there, you need to make a reservation with the City of Colorado Springs. You also need a Colorado fishing license.
