Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun Park

Address: Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, Cheyenne Mountain / Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Website: https://www.cmzoo.org/ (Cheyenne Mountain Zoo)

Hours: Site access generally daylight hours; Cheyenne Mountain Zoo hours vary seasonally

Admission: Shrine admission typically modest (small donation suggested); Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and parking fees separate

The Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun is a stone memorial and small chapel built as a commemoration to American humorist Will Rogers and erected on the slopes of Cheyenne Mountain near Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was constructed in the 1930s with funding from philanthropist Spencer Penrose.

The structure comprises a compact shrine building with an observation area that provides wide views across Colorado Springs and the adjacent plains. The site serves as a local landmark and viewpoint rather than a large museum complex, and it is visited for both the memorial and the vistas it affords.

Built in the 1930s, the shrine was commissioned as a memorial and was sited on Cheyenne Mountain to take advantage of the elevated outlook. Over time it has remained a maintained historic monument and a destination for short drives and hikes.

Geographically the shrine sits on the eastern slopes of Cheyenne Mountain overlooking Colorado Springs, within the broader Pikes Peak region and reachable by local roads from Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs.

• Origins: Erected in the 1930s as a memorial to the American entertainer Will Rogers and funded by local philanthropist Spencer Penrose, it is located on the slopes of Cheyenne Mountain.
• Viewing: The site offers panoramic views over Colorado Springs and the surrounding plains and is accessible by road with short walking approaches to the shrine itself.

What to See#

• Shrine building: A small stone tower and memorial chamber that functions as the main commemorative structure and includes an observation area with views over the surrounding city and plains.
• Access and trails: Parking and short walking routes that link the shrine to nearby road access and to short hiking paths on Cheyenne Mountain.

The Will Rogers Shrine is accessed from Colorado Springs via a steep road that climbs Cheyenne Mountain; parking and trailheads are close to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. From downtown Colorado Springs the drive is roughly 15-25 minutes depending on traffic; check seasonal road conditions in winter.

• Pair the shrine visit with the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - park at the zoo and walk the short trail linking the two sites if open
• Go at late afternoon for the best light on the shrine's stonework and panoramic views of Colorado Springs and the plains
• The access road is steep and narrow; check seasonal closures in winter for snow and ice conditions