Colorado Springs: Nature and Art/Broadmoor Combo Segway Tour

Colorado Springs looks especially good from a Segway, where you can move from South Cheyenne Cañon Creek to Broadmoor mansions in one 150-minute outing. The unusual mix is the point: part nature ride, part public-art stop, part neighborhood tour, with local stories tying it together.

I like the small groups, limited to six, and the use of an off-road-capable Segway X2 on the creek trails. I also like the human touch from guides such as Steve and Happy, who have earned strong praise for making beginners feel at ease and adding plenty of local color. The main drawback is that this is not a passive sightseeing trip: you need closed-toe shoes, steady balance, and enough physical comfort for a ride that includes off-road paths.

Key details that make this Segway tour different

• Starr Kempf’s giant kinetic sculptures: Stop for a look at large wind-powered metal works and hear about the controversy surrounding them.
• Two very different sides of Colorado Springs: Ride from creekside nature trails to the grand homes and clubs of Broadmoor.
• Small groups of up to six: A compact group gives you more room to ask questions and receive riding help.
• Guides with local personality: Steve and Happy are singled out for their teaching, stories, and warm approach.
• An off-road Segway X2: The vehicle is intended for nature trails, not just smooth city pavement.
• $129 for 150 minutes: The price makes the most sense if you want transport, instruction, local context, and several sights in one outing.

Starting beside South Cheyenne Cañon Creek

Your tour begins at the South Cheyenne Cañon Picnic Grounds, near the corner of Cheyenne Boulevard and Evans Avenue. Turn left at that corner and look for the Cheyenne Cañon Segways signs and the parking lot on the right.

There is no hotel pickup, so you need to make your own way to the meeting point. That is a minor hassle, but the location works well for the route. You start close to North Cheyenne Cañon Park instead of spending the first part of the tour in a van or on city streets.

The guide provides your Segway, helmet, bottled water, radio receiver, and earbud. The radio matters because it lets you hear the guide while riding, rather than stopping every few minutes to gather around. With only six people in a group, the guide can also keep a close eye on your comfort and riding skills.

Expect an introduction to the Segway before the tour gets moving. The exact training time is not specified, but the strong feedback about guides helping people feel comfortable is useful here. If you are new to Segways, arrive ready to listen carefully and take the practice seriously. A machine that feels strange for the first few minutes becomes much easier once you understand how it responds to your weight.

Wear closed-toe shoes. Open-toed shoes are not allowed, and sandals are a poor match for a ride that leaves paved areas. The tour is also not suitable for pregnant women or people with back or heart problems.

Rolling through the park toward Starsmore

The first part follows South Cheyenne Creek and heads toward the Starsmore Discovery Center. This gives you a gentle introduction to the area before the more unusual art stop and off-road riding.

Starsmore is more than a standard visitor center. It occupies a former private residence that became part of the park experience. Your guide explains how the property fits into the story of the area, giving the ride a sense of place before you move farther along the route.

This is where a local guide adds real value. The route itself is pleasant, but a creek, a building, and a wooded trail can blur together if nobody explains why they matter. Guides Steve and Happy have been praised for adding information in an entertaining way rather than simply reciting dates.

The tour then moves toward the Cheyenne Cañon Inn. The supplied details do not promise an interior visit, so think of this as a pass-by and a point of reference rather than a full historic-house tour. You get to see more of the area while staying on the Segway, which keeps the outing moving.

You should not expect a slow, formal walking tour. The appeal is the combination of motion and short stops. You cover more ground than you would on foot, yet you still receive context about the places along the way.

Starr Kempf’s wind-powered metal works

The most distinctive stop is the outdoor kinetic art created by Starr Kempf. These large metal structures are built to move with the wind, giving the stop an industrial, almost otherworldly quality.

The sculptures are not just a quick photo opportunity. Your guide explains the controversy they caused, which adds a useful human edge to the art. Public art can look simple when you pass it on your own. A story about why people objected, debated, or paid attention helps you see the work as part of the community rather than as decoration.

I like this stop because it breaks the usual nature-tour pattern. You are not moving from one scenic viewpoint to another. Instead, the ride joins park history, local politics, and large-scale sculpture in one short visit.

The available details do not say how long you remain at the sculptures, and the experience is not advertised as an art lecture. Keep your expectations focused on an engaging introduction and a chance to see the works up close from the route. If kinetic art is a special interest, this may be the most memorable part of the tour. If you prefer only natural scenery, it is still a brief and unusual change of pace.

Taking the Segway X2 onto the creek trails

After the art stop, you head off-road on nature trails beside South Cheyenne Creek. This is where the tour becomes more than a standard city Segway circuit.

The Segway X2 is designed for off-road use, so the route can include natural trail surfaces rather than only clean pavement. The supplied information does not describe the trail grade, distance, or surface in detail, so you should not assume a completely smooth ride. The guide controls the pace, but you still need to manage the machine and remain comfortable on uneven ground.

For me, this portion is the strongest reason to choose this particular outing instead of a basic downtown ride. You get the quiet and texture of a park trail while still moving efficiently. You also avoid committing an entire day to a hike.

The ride beside the creek gives the tour a natural center. You are not simply looking at scenery from a road. You are moving through the park, listening through the radio, and stopping when the guide has something useful to explain.

That said, a Segway does not remove all physical demands. You stand for much of the ride, shift your weight to steer, and respond to the trail beneath you. People with back or heart problems should choose another activity. Pregnant women are also advised not to take this tour.

Broadmoor, where the pace turns stately

The second half takes you into The Broadmoor neighborhood. The change is striking. After creek trails and kinetic metal, you move among historic homes, schools, clubs, and the grand setting associated with the Broadmoor Resort.

You pass Penrose House, then cruise around the neighborhood’s older mansions. The tour does not promise entry into private residences, and that is important to understand. This is an exterior architecture ride, not a house tour.

I like this part because it gives you a look at Colorado Springs beyond its parks and mountain views. Broadmoor’s appeal comes from its buildings, wide streets, private clubs, and long connection to the city’s wealth and civic life. A guide can point out details you would likely miss while driving through on your own.

The route passes the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, described as the second-oldest country club in the United States. You see it from the public route, so do not expect access to the club grounds. Still, the stop gives useful context about the neighborhood’s social history and its place in Colorado Springs.

Your guide’s local connections can make this section more personal. Steve was praised for knowing the area well, with people along the route recognizing him and greeting him. That detail suggests a guide who is part of the local community rather than someone simply following a script.

Pine Grove’s mix of house styles

The final section glides down Pine Grove, an area noted for its varied house designs. This is a fitting ending because it brings you back to everyday residential Colorado Springs after the grand scale of Broadmoor.

The appeal is variety. Instead of seeing one repeated architectural style, you pass homes with different designs and personalities. The tour information does not identify each style or provide a house-by-house breakdown, so you should treat this as a broad neighborhood overview rather than a specialist architecture course.

Still, the ride works well as a contrast. You begin with creekside parkland, see giant wind-powered sculpture, pass prominent Broadmoor properties, and finish with a more eclectic residential view. The route keeps changing without requiring several separate tours.

The 150-minute duration is long enough to make those changes feel worthwhile. A shorter ride might show you one section well, but this outing links several parts of the city. The tradeoff is that you spend more time standing and riding than you would on a brief introductory Segway session.

What $129 buys you

At $129 per person, this is not a bargain activity in the narrow sense. You are paying more than you would for a simple self-guided walk or a basic park visit.

The value improves when you consider what is bundled into the price: a 150-minute guided route, Segway use, safety gear, water, radio equipment, a small group, and instruction. You also visit places that are spread across different parts of Colorado Springs. Doing the same route independently would require your own vehicle, navigation, and background research, and you would not have the same access to a guide’s local stories.

A group of six also matters. Large Segway groups can feel like a line of machines, with little chance to ask questions. This setup should feel more personal, especially if you need extra help during the first part of the ride.

I would consider the price fair for someone who wants to cover nature, public art, and architecture in one outing. It is less attractive if you mainly want a quick introduction to Segway controls or a long, quiet ride in the park. In that case, much of the Broadmoor portion may not match your priorities.

The reservation terms add flexibility. You can reserve now and pay later, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Starting times vary, so check availability before planning the rest of your day.

The guides are a major part of the experience

The strongest praise centers on the guides, and that is important with a tour like this. A Segway outing depends on two skills: teaching the equipment clearly and making the route interesting.

Steve received especially warm praise for making people feel comfortable, explaining Colorado Springs well, and having friendly connections with people along the route. Happy was also praised as a great teacher and guide, with strong information about the area. Another ride led by Happy was described as fun, well paced, and worth recommending.

Those details tell you what to look for. You are not booking only a machine and a path. You are booking a person who has to help you feel steady, keep the group together, manage an off-road route, and make the stops worth your time.

The rating is 4.9 from nine reviews, which is a very strong result but still a small sample. I would give the guide praise serious weight, while keeping reasonable expectations about weather, trail conditions, and your own comfort on the Segway.

Who should book this ride

This tour suits you best if you want an active way to see several sides of Colorado Springs without spending a full day on foot. It is especially good for:

• First-time visitors who want local background along with sightseeing
• Small groups who prefer personal instruction and room for questions
• People interested in public art as well as parks
• Visitors who want to see Broadmoor homes and clubs from outside
• Riders comfortable standing and steering for 150 minutes
• Anyone who likes a tour with changing scenery rather than one fixed attraction

It may not suit you if you have back or heart problems, are pregnant, dislike standing activities, or want a fully paved route. It also is not the right pick if you expect to enter the mansions, Penrose House, the country club, or the Cheyenne Cañon Inn.

Bring practical clothing for an outdoor ride and closed-toe shoes. The tour provides water, but you should still arrive ready for a two-and-a-half-hour activity. Since hotel transportation is not included, build in time to reach the South Cheyenne Cañon Picnic Grounds.

Should you book the Colorado Springs Nature and Art Combo?

I would book this tour if you want a well-rounded introduction to Colorado Springs and like the idea of combining riding with local stories. The kinetic sculptures give it a feature most city tours lack, while the off-road creek section adds real variety. Broadmoor then supplies a polished architectural contrast.

The best reason to choose it is the route itself. You are not repeating one type of scenery for two and a half hours. You move from park trails to public art to old homes, clubs, and neighborhood streets, with a small group and guides such as Steve or Happy helping the places make sense.

Skip it if you need an easy, seated activity or if uneven trails concern you. For everyone else, $129 is a reasonable price for a small-group tour that covers a lot of ground and offers more local character than a simple Segway spin.

FAQ

How long is the Colorado Springs Nature and Art/Broadmoor Combo Segway Tour?

The tour lasts 150 minutes, or two and a half hours.

Where does the tour begin?

Tours begin at the South Cheyenne Cañon Picnic Grounds. Turn left at Cheyenne Boulevard and Evans Avenue, then follow the signs for Cheyenne Cañon Segways and the parking lot on the right.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, so you need to reach the meeting point independently.

What does the price include?

The $129 price includes the Segway, guided tour, bottled water, helmet, radio receiver, and earbud.

What will I see on the route?

You will ride through North Cheyenne Cañon Park, pass the Starsmore Discovery Center and Cheyenne Cañon Inn, see Starr Kempf’s kinetic sculptures, follow trails beside South Cheyenne Creek, and visit the Broadmoor area. The route also includes Penrose House, Broadmoor mansions, Cheyenne Mountain Country Club, and Pine Grove.

Is the tour suitable for beginners?

The tour includes instruction, and guides such as Steve and Happy are praised for helping people learn and feel comfortable. You still need to be able to stand, steer, and ride a Segway on nature trails.

What should I wear?

Closed-toe shoes are required. Open-toed shoes are not allowed.

Can pregnant women or people with health conditions take the tour?

The tour is not suitable for pregnant women or people with back or heart problems.

How large is the group?

The tour is limited to six participants.

Is the tour offered in English?

Yes. It has a live English-speaking guide and an English audio guide through the radio receiver and earbud.