South Cheyenne Cañon

South Cheyenne Cañon, or South Cheyenne Canyon, is a canyon in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado. The South Cheyenne Cañon road to Seven Falls is called "The Grandest Mile of Scenery" in Colorado.Seven Falls has been a tourist attraction since it was opened in the early 1880s. Trails from the top of the falls lead to Midnight Falls, near the headwaters of South Cheyenne Creek, and Inspiration Point. The area has been a center for parks, such as the Stratton Park and Colorado College Park. Now, part of South Cheyenne Cañon, including the Starsmore Discovery Center, is in the North Cheyenne Cañon Park. The area sustained a significant flood in September 2013, which has closed Seven Falls until Spring 2015.

The entrance to South Cheyenne Cañon is about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) southwest of downtown Colorado Springs, where Cheyenne Cañon, along Cheyenne Boulevard, splits into the north and south cañons.Pierre Shale, the bedrock for Colorado Springs, and Sawatch Sandstone are found at the mouth of North and South Cheyenne Canons.

Neighboring landforms clockwise from the Broadmoor neighborhood include the northern spur of the Cheyenne Mountain, Twilight Canyon, Daniels Pass, Muscoco Mountain, and Mount Cutler.

Nathaniel Colby homesteaded 160 acres in South Cheyenne Cañon, including Seven Falls in December 1872. He sold the land rights within a year for $1,000 (equivalent to $19,992 in 2016) to the Colorado Springs Land Company. In 1874, the Cheyenne Trail Company was formed to build a trail was built up Cheyenne Cañon and North Cheyenne Cañon and a wagon road was built up South Cheyenne Cañons to Seven Falls.

In 1882, James Hull, a naturalist bought the 160 acres to preserve it from logging operations. By 1885 he had a total of 400 acres. Hull built stairs up to the top of the falls and a canyon road to the falls, which then became a tourist attraction, which has been owned by private individuals or companies since then.

E.P. Tenny, president of the Colorado College Land Company announced on April 14, 1884 that the land on the east side of South Cheyenne Cañon, in North Cheyenne Cañon and at the headwaters of Bear Creek had been purchased to create Colorado College Park. Improvements would be made to trails, such as a trail to Jones Park, and roads to make them more accessible to the public, and a toll would be charged to offset the costs of construction and maintenance. The South Cañon toll was $.25. The land would be offered for public use for camping, hiking, horseback riding, and lodging in cottages. Three months later, The Gazette published the article "Our Cañons" condemning charging tolls to enter the Cheyenne Cañons, because there would be some people who would be then unable to enjoy the scenery and the cooler temperatures during the summer. Having to pay tolls can also leave a bad impression on visitors to the area. The author ask for county and city officials to purchase the property.

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