This place is beautiful and the guide was very knowledgeable about the area, the building, and the artwork. Due to Covid-19, the building was closed and we could not go to the top of the tower. Even though you couldnt go to the top of the tower, the view of Colorado Springs and beyond is wonderful. The only reason that I dont give it 5 stars is because you have to purchase a ticket to the zoo to gain access to see this up close. I understand why, but it would be wonderful to buy a Shrine only ticket.

This place is very interesting. Amazing views of Colorado Springs and surrounding areas. You must drive through the zoo you get up to the top. Zoo admission is required but if you have a season pass to the zoo you are allowed to use that as youre admission. No food or drink allowed in shrine. Not exactly stroller or wheelchair accessible but can be done. Great place to visit.

Beautiful views. The building is pretty and has a couple of rooms that you can look in but the treat is at the top. Once you walk up all the flights you will see endless views. Worth the visit for sure

Really interesting architecture. A fun place to spend an afternoon. The kids thought it was a castle and loved climbing to the top. The views from up there were amazing. Im from out of state and Id definitely visit again when Im back in the area.Take some time to look at the plaques and pictures to learn about Will Rogers while youre there. His story is really interesting.

Absolute must-visit in the Colorado Springs area! We have seen this tower from a distance many times but never prioritized a visit. Simply drive to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and theres a gated entrance to the road that leads to the Shrine of the Sun (FREE!).I thought the name was odd, maybe even creepy, but the story is pretty great. The owner of the Broadmoor wanted a place to be buried. He built this tower and dedicated it to Will Rogers and everything he accomplished in his lifetime.So, the tower: the views are STUNNING! Photos dont do it justice. If youre afraid of heights this should be skipped but its worth it if you can handle the height. People are gasping at the beauty. Truly a memorable experience.Make sure you couple this with a trip to the zoo. Where else can you pet a giraffes head?!

Nice additional stop to make when visiting the Zoo. Offers amazing views of Colorado Springs!

The Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun is part of the Cheyenne mountain zoo. So you need to pay admission first then they will let you drive up through the zoo. Gorgeous view, great history and photos that will last a life time! Good adventure!

So beautiful! The history behind the shrine is very interesting. Really enjoyed learning about the family behind the zoo too. Walked all the way up to the top floor where they have a small patio to step out on despite my fear of heights - totally worth it. The place has a nice calming energy.

Amazing view and a lot of history about one of Americas famous sons. It is best to visit the education center before going up to the shrine. You should be prepared to do a lot of stairs to get the full effect.

Slightly scary drive up, but worth it! Great views from up here! Excellent docent on duty to answer any questions you may have. Included in your paid admission to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Very beautifull panoramic views of the Colorado Springs area. Interesting locale.

This is an incredible site, well preserved. Spectacular burial for a spectacular man.

GORGEOUS views at the top. We didnt know you have to pay the zoo entrance fee to get through so we had to drive back and drop our dog off at home and then drive back up. We decided to scope out the zoo and it was even more amazing! I got to feed a giraffe and pet them. Beautiful zoo and animals (I did a separate review on that). Go check it out, you wont be disappointed!

We had no idea this was included in the zoo until we read the map, we kept looking up thinking what in the world is that up there and then we decided to drive up to it. What a great idea! This was a hidden gem we had no idea we were going to get to experience, set a few minutes extra aside for the zoo and go up the mountain the views are incredible and 100% worth it!

A hidden gem with a great view right above the zoo, why wouldnt you go here!?

Beautiful views, very clean, well maintained. There was someone working there that talked to us and shared some history on the place. My kids liked going up to the top of the shrine, but there are a lot of stairs to climb inside.

It was pretty cool to be able to climb to the top and to look down on the surrounding area.

Wow what a place. Amazing view. You can go almost all the way up and the atmosphere of it is amazing. I had spent so much time looking at the Shrine while stationed on Fort Carson during formations. I didnt know that you could drive up to it through the zoo. I didnt know it was open to the public. An absolute must go location in the Springs. If you dont go here you are really missing out. Its got a lot of interesting history behind it and is beautiful.

Amazing!! Beautiful scenery!! Worth testing my fear of heights for. The caretaker was very knowledgeable and helpful.

Wonderful! Very beautiful. Not quite to the top of mountain, but get veiw of Colorado springs.

This is not for everybody. Any one truly acrophobia, not the place you want to visit. My wife at the top of the shrine said, WOW,,, this could give me vertigo. Personally loved the views. Awesome to be there when clock chimes sound off under your feet on the bottom of the shrine.

This Shrine of the Sun and Will Rogers named its attached to it although he had nothing to do with the building of it.Spencer Penrose was a very rich man and built the shrine. He owned the Bingham Canyon mine in Utah. Even after getting the background of this place I find its reason for existing odd.The drive up the mountain through the zoo is well worth as views are absolutely breath taking. The parking lot at the shrine entrance is small so plan accordingly.The bottom story of the shrine is a chapel. The gates its locked however it is pretty.The tower has multiple landings and little rooms with information.The top is a tiny viewing area.If there are many people here, its not worth the view.The patio and open area at the bottom of the Shrine has the best view and the most space.

Admission to the Shrine is included with the zoo admission. A short 10 min drive up to the Shrine from the zoo. It is definitely worth a visit. The shrine overlooks Colorado springs. We went to the zoo early and when we finished, we were the only ones headed up the narrow, not always 2 lane road. My family loved it. 92 steps to the top of the Shrine.

One of the most amazing places ever visited. We went early and it was just us....the peaceful feeling in me was priceless and so uplifting....I can still close my eyes and feel it.

Went to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo so we decided to take advantage of the free admission to the shrine. Driving through the zoo felt wrong and then driving all the way to the Shrine felt weird - some spots would have been difficult to maneuver if another car was on the road but luckily we had the road to ourselves. I say weird because it felt like were driving somewhere we werent supposed to but there is only one way up so we kept at it. The views from the Shrine was amazing. We stopped in the education center before walking to the Shrine. It helped us understand a bit more why its dedicated to Will Rogers but I still have no idea why its called the Shrine of the Sun.

It was an added bonus to the admission to the zoo. Definitely worth the short drive up the mountain to see. The view up there is beautiful.

I never knew about this shrine and couldnt believe that I had never taken advantage of it in past visits to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The grounds are beautiful and the views from the top were phenomenal. If you want to find a good spot for panos or distance shots then go to this shrine! I captured some really awesome shots. There is quite a few stairs to climb but if you cant do the stairs theres great views just from the base level.

Such a neat place to visit while youre visiting the zoo! The drive to the top was definitely a fun one!

Do yourself a favor and come here when you visit the zoo. This is a strikingly beautiful tower built by Spencer Penrose in the mid 1900s to be his final resting place. During construction Will Rogers—a famous actor—died in a plane crash. Penrose dedicated the tower to Rogers, and is now buried in the lower chapel with his wife just as he had wished. You can read about the influence Penrose had on Colorado Springs in the welcome center at the bottom of the tower. Totally worth it!

Amazing views! It was fun to go see this shrine and learn about will rogers!

Amazing shrine in memoriam of Will Rogers. The views are incredible from at the top, well worth the trip up there. Id pay entry to the zoo again just to go up to the shrine.

So beautiful and so picturesque. The history and architecture are one of a kind. The staff are extremely nice and full of knowledge. They make your visit feel warm and caring. It is a final resting place and deserves that respect when you visit. Ask questions, read all the things available and take in the view. It offers a wonderful look at the history of many places in the area and is only accessible with zoo admission.

Amazing view.you can see a ton of the city and the beautiful mountains. Was totally worth it. We loved the snow and the mountains and it really was a great end to going through the zoo.

The Shrine provides some outstanding views over looking the city.

I was definitely on the edge of my seat driving up to the shrine. The height is pretty scary! But wow when you get to the top the view is insane! The photographs youll get from the top will be phenomenal! It is so beautiful and truly breathtaking!

Oh my goodness! What a treat! Go, see & tell everyone you know about this wonderful, local treasure.

Such a cool place and love that its free once youve paid to get into the zoo!

Simply - georgeous. Enjoy deeping yourself into the great history of Colorado Springs in the educational center and experience being on the top of the world while taking a look around from the tower.

Honestly I have never seen such a beautiful and breathtaking view than when I was at the top of this mountain. It is beautiful and I hope everyone realizes that this little area is up here. It is very cool and I simply just was taken back by how beautiful that view was. It was freezing cold up there by how much the wind was blowing but I didnt care much. Was absolutely worth it. The shrine itself was so cool. The detail involved is beautiful. If you go all the way to the top it makes for a great photograph.

Be prepared to walk up flights of stairs......but well worth it!

Very pretty place. Wonderful view and art. Well built and lots of history on the founders/builders

I actually really enjoyed visiting the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. Its great that the entrance fee is included in the cost of entry into the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.The views from the tower are very nice. If you are afraid of heights, like my wife is, then the steep stairs up to the different levels of the tower might be a little nerve wracking. But really, its not bad at all, and the views are definitely worth every step you will take up the tower.Dont miss out on this attraction. It is definitely worth the visit.

So cool. I saw so far away. It was a hike but worth the trip. The zoo then the shrine is a long walk but you will get great views. The Broodmoor is visible from there very well.

This place is so beautiful and serene! It is a Shrine built to Will Rogers by his friend Spencer Penrose. It is 100 feet tall and features pictures documenting the life of Will Rogers. Spencer Penrose and his wife are buried here along with two of their friends. The Shrine sits on Cheyenne Mountain, above the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. A definite must see!!

Beautiful views of the area. Worth the drive up. Neat old photos in the tower. Nice museum too.

Great place to escape for the day. Interesting place for visitors as well.

This has the best view of all of Colorado Springs and is a wonderful tribute to Will Rogers!

Beautiful! We enjoyed this as a family after we went to the zoo. It was beautiful. So not forget to then go into the little building by the parking lot to sign saying you were there.

A pretty magical little place. All around its breathtaking, but wait until you climb the 5/6 flights up steps up! Totally worth it though, I could have stayed up there all day!

My great grandfather and great great grandfather helped build this place, so its always been a little extra special. Super neat to read all about Will Rogers and the view up top is pretty fantastic!

This is definitely worth a stop if you are already visiting the zoo. The admission fee is included in your zoo admission. Its strange to drive through the zoo to get there, but kind of neat as well. The views are amazing and the story behind the shrine is very interesting as well.

This is a remarkable place to visit! Thoroughly enjoyed climbing the stairs to the top, and looking down over the city with all of the beautiful scenery and colors of beautiful Colorado! Would like to say, the gentleman answering questions at the front of the shrine, had remarkable knowledge and was a very nice person! He adds considerably to a tourist visit of Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun!

A nice freebie add-on to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Fantastic views of Colorado Springs and the front range from the top.

Beautiful constructed, every level is awesomely decorated with lot of history... You need to get to the roof... The view is breathtaking!

Beautiful place to visit and relax for a bit. Admission to the shine is included when you pay for admission to the zoo.

This place was amazing. The views went on forever it seemed like. My family liked all the historical facts as well. The kids got a kick out of seeing all the old pictures. Definitely worth it.

Very Beautiful... take the short ride up from the zoo and you wont be disappointed with these amazing views

So cool, Drive is amazing. Went up their when an educator was there and learned so much! Awesome experience

This is a great place. A must see. If youre visiting the zoo just make the drive to the top and take a look. Loved it.

Reallllyyy tall and rigorous to climb in one go. There are historical sites all over. Right below it is the Cheyenne Mou tain Zoo!!

I love standing on the overlook/balcony here and basking in the wind. At higher elevation the temperature drops making it a nice cool down spot.

Cool little place for a quick visit. The view is amazing.

Not worth the price unless youre going to the zoo

The shrine was beautiful n peaceful n nicely clean the gentleman at the gate was very friendly n the place was nicely kept I loved it

Truly amazing site to visit.

Wonderful place to visit worth the drive up. Many stairs though lol but the art is so beautiful

Beautiful place with great history!

Nice place

Amazing views from the top of the tower and great history lesson on this landmark and the story behind it. The zoo admission gets you a free pass up, and is definitely worth the trip up.

Beautiful views of Colorado Springs, CO. You take a road up to shrine that is barely wide enough for 2 cars. People were driving down the middle of the road. There are several signs that say Stay to the right.

Its nice that a wealthy guy built something we can drive up to for a fantastic view of Colorado springs and beyond. Its a strange thing to be attached to a zoo and I think each helps the other. I absolutely recommend both

Fantastic views, and admission included with your zoo trip!

Great view of Colorado Springs from the top of the mountain, plus some great photos from the life of Will Rogers. A museum and memorial in one, and the ranger on duty was very knowledgeable, too.

Great view. The drive isn’t too windy either. Once parked it’s only a very short walk.

Breathtaking views! Beautiful architecture...was a bonus visit to our zoo day! Loved it!!

We went to the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun last summer. Excellents views of the area and nice drive from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. A nice respectful nod to past Americana which should always be preserved. I suggest walking to the top of the tower so you can step out on the patio and enjoy the view. You can drive up to the Shrine for free.

Beautiful views and some amazing architecture and interesting photos and facts. Great picture location overlooking Colorado Springs. Very beautiful and peaceful.

Beautiful place! I never knew it existed. So happy I got talked into going to the zoo. Wow! Wonderful place to visit! Your paid admission to the zoo includes a trip up the mountain to this shrine. The views are breathtaking, as is the shrine.

This place was so amazing and breathtaking! I recommend this place to anyone!

Beautiful views and very interesting history of the Colorado springs/Manitou springs area. I try to get up here once a year to enjoy this amazing architectural edifice. The church Bell toll is a nice little added bonus!

Cool place. Great overlook of Colorado Springs.

Spectacular views. We even spotted a rainbow! Stairs to the top with views all around. Also lots of photos and information.

Pretty neat place, great view! Free, except it seems like you have to pay for the zoo to get in, because the road goes right through the middle of the zoo.

Was really intresting.... road up was very different

Employees of the Park are very helpful. Area is clean. Trash is picked up and not left on the ground. Restrooms are clean. Very good place to visit.

Cool to see. Only need to go once though

The view is 5 star. Other than a view theres not much to it

Great view

Really neat place to see after enjoying the day at the zoo.

I have visited this attraction on numerous occasions. Always a breathtaking experiance. You will need to stop by the zoo admission for a pass to travel to the shrine. I highly recommend visiting this historic shrine. It is a very peaceful experience.

Free with zoo admission. Neat little shrine. Beautiful land around the tower. I didnt find why there is a shrine to Will Rogers in COS, but its there. I didnt go into the education center, maybe that is where itll tell you the why behind the shrine.

A must visit for anyone interested in some history and a great view.

Great view of The Springs, friendly grounds crew. Nice little place to visit after the zoo.

Very interesting construction. Terrific views. Very scenic drive through the zoo and up the mountain to get to the shrine. Worth the trip if you have never been. Bathrooms located behind the welcome center.

Pretty up there like the view

This place is GORGEOUS!!! Now you have to drive through the Zoo... But worth every second..

This is included in your zoo ticket- go check it out! Definitely worth seeing for free even if, like us, you had never heard of Will Rogers before

This place is well worth the short drive up. It makes a nice little addition to the great time you just had at that fantastic zoo! The views are fantastic.

Great views! Worth the drive.

Gorgeous views of the city in a picturesque setting. Definitely worth the short trip up the mountain.