Ranch Property Brief

Every once in a while, one of those truly unique properties with a grand history and rarely seen on the market comes available. Cheyenne Canyon Retreat is one of those rare magical properties. If you have ever dreamed of owning an extraordinary mountain retreat that offers everything an owner can desire, this is your chance. Cheyenne Canyon Retreat’s 37 ± acres offers massive awe inspiring views that expand over Colorado Springs clear into Kansas in one direction and overlook two enchanting waterfalls in the other. It is very difficult to find property that is this close to Colorado Springs and offers tranquil relaxing privacy and views that cannot be described by words. Cheyenne Canyon Retreat is completely surrounded by City Parks and National Forest guaranteeing the views will never change and the tranquil beauty will always be preserved. Colorado Springs boutiques, art galleries, and theater are available only minutes away in the much sought after and significantly appreciating Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Ownership of Cheyenne Canyon Retreat can be traced back to the founder of Colorado Springs; General William Jackson Palmer. General Palmer began a long history of giving associated with this property that continues to this day. The entire mountainside where Cheyenne Canyon Retreat is located was originally owned by General Palmer. He donated a large portion to the City of Colorado Springs and gave other parcels to people he knew or who worked for him. One of those fortunate people was Dorothy Krause who was the daughter of one of his employees. She built a small cabin on the property in 1924 and the fireplace still remains on the property to this day. A short time before Dorothy’s death she passed on the property to a longtime employee of hers, Joseph Powell and his wife, Alma. The property was then passed on to the Powell’s two sons, William and Robert Powell. The Powell brothers sold the property for the first time in 2005 when the property was purchased by the current owners. The property’s history of giving continues today as a portion of the proceeds from the sale will go to Focus on the Family.

Cheyenne Canyon Retreat lies in North Cheyenne Canyon and overlooks Helen Hunt Falls, named for Helen Hunt Jackson. Helen Hunt Jackson is best known for her literary works about the ill treatment of Native American Indians and was a staunch advocate for Native American Indians. She first came to Colorado Springs in the winter of 1873-1874 looking for a cure for tuberculosis and while there met and married William Sharpless Jackson.She resided in Colorado until her death in 1885 and is buried in Cheyenne Canyon. Helen Hunt Jackson wrote of Cheyenne Cañon:

“As I looked up from the ford to the mouth of the canyon,I was reminded of some of the grand old altar-pieces of the early centuries, where, lest the pictures of saints and angels and divine beings should seem too remote, too solemn and overawing, the painters used to set at the base, rows of human children, gay and mirthful, leaping and laughing or playing viols. So lay this sunny belt of sparkling water, glistening sand, and joyous blue blossom, at the base of the picture made by the dark mouth of the canyon, where two great mountains had recoiled and fallen apart from each other, leaving a chasm, midway in which rose a smaller mountain of sharp rocks, like a giant sentry disputing the way.Forests of pines fill the rift on either side this rock, and their dark lines stretch high up, right and left, nearly to the top of each mountain. Higher and ruggeder peaks rise beyond, looking as if they must shut the canyon sharply, as a gate closes an alley; but they do not. Past them, among them, in spite of them, the creek took its right of way, the mountains and rocks yielded, and the canyon winds.”

– Bits of Travel at Home (1878) by Helen Hunt Jackson

The property is traversed by Gold Camp Road on its way from Cripple Creek to Colorado Springs. From 1901 to 1917 Gold Camp road was a standard gauge railroad bed known as the “Short Line” and was operated by the Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek District Railway Company (CS & CCD). In 1922 the railway was sold under foreclosure and converted into a vehicle road and then operated as a private toll road. In 1939 it became a free road and in the 1940’s full ownership of the 25 mile road was deeded to the Forest Service. The road was federally listed to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. To this day you can drive to and from Cheyenne Canyon Retreat on the Old Gold Camp Road passing through several tunnels on your way and enjoying a drive back in time. As you look across the canyon from the property, you can see the old railroad cut above Silver Cascade Falls and just almost see an old steam locomotive billowing smoke and hear its steam whistle as it makes its way around the bend headed to Colorado Springs to unload its load of ore.

Cheyenne Canyon Retreat also overlooks the site of the original Bruin Inn which was built in 1881 and at one time  was the President of Colorado College Tenney’s residence. The inn welcomed visitors to Helen Hunt Falls providing tables for picnic lunches for a fee of 10 cents and served meals and refreshments (see sample menu probably ca. 1920 Bruin Inn Menu). The current Helen Hunt Falls Visitor Center called the “Cub” served as the inn’s cold storage building. The “Cub” along with the name embedded in the stone wall are all that remain of the original Bruin Inn.

Location

Recreation

Attractions and Activities
1. The Broadmoor Resort and Hotel
2. Seven Falls
3. Cave of the Winds
4. North Cheyenne Canyon Park
5. Garden of the Gods
6. Pikes Peak
7. Pikes Peak Cog Railway
8. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
9. City of Cripple Creek
10. Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
11. Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum
12. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
13. Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tours
14. Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame
15. Western Museum of Mining History
16. Casinos
17. US Olympic Training Center
And Much More!

Water

There is a spring on the property and owners do not believe that it has been filed on. There is also an old abandoned water well (permit # 70398) that had a depth of 100 ft.