The Walk



Sometimes the best way to get a feel for a city is simply to start walking with a camera and no particular destination in mind. That was Colorado Springs for me. Downtown has an interesting mix of old brick buildings, murals, storefronts, alleyways and little details that are easy to miss from a car—all set against the reminder that the mountains are never very far away. Founded in 1871, Colorado Springs has grown considerably beyond its early days as a planned resort town, but walking through its downtown streets you can still find pieces of that history mixed naturally into the city it has become today.


My starting point—and easily my favorite hotel I've stayed at in Colorado Springs so far—was the Mining Exchange Hotel. The building dates back to 1902, when it actually served as a stock exchange for the region's booming gold and silver mining industry. Today it has been transformed into a boutique hotel, but much of the character of the old building remains. There's something fitting about stepping out of a place with that much history, grabbing a camera, and wandering through the surrounding streets. These photographs are simply what caught my eye along the way: a few hours walking Colorado Springs and discovering the city one frame at a time.

Charming small-town main street at dusk with string lights, parked cars, and brick buildings surrounded by lush green trees.
Charming downtown street at dusk with brick buildings, string lights, a glowing lamp post, and a white car parked along the sidewalk.
Mackenzie's Chop House brick building exterior at dusk with dramatic blue sky and tree shadows.
Pikes Peak State College building with colorful graffiti mural beneath a dramatic blue sky and downtown Colorado Springs skyline.
Lush garden with blue flowers and greenery in front of a historic stone building entrance with wooden doors.
Black and white photo of a large street mural depicting a woman wearing a The Interrupters band t-shirt on a city building.
Kava Bar sign on a dimly lit urban street at dusk with storefronts and pedestrians in the background.
Ornate illuminated street clock with Latin inscription at sunset, mountains and dramatic clouds in background.
Downtown street with Chipotle and historic brick buildings, parked cars, and trees lining the sidewalk.
Colorful graffiti murals on a red brick building wall in an urban alley with a sidewalk.
Historic red brick building housing a Chipotle restaurant on a downtown street corner with ornate white architectural details.
Urban alleyway with colorful street art mural on building wall under dramatic cloudy sky in city setting.
Dark alley leading to a dramatic sunset sky with silhouetted figures on a sign above a city street.
Historic ornate stone hotel building with arched windows, glowing street lamps, and parked cars at dusk in downtown.
A white sports car mounted on the exterior wall of a modern brick and glass building at dusk.