Memorial Day weekend in Cripple Creek is the unofficial kickoff of mountain tourism season in Teller County, Colorado. The aspens are leafing in, the seasonal attractions are reopening for the summer, and the historic gold-rush district at 9,494 feet feels alive again after a quiet winter. If you are planning a long weekend in the Pikes Peak region, here is what to do, what to know, and how to make the most of it from Double Eagle Hotel and Casino on Bennett Avenue.
What this post covers:
- How to get to Cripple Creek from Colorado Springs and Denver
- What is open and what to do over Memorial Day weekend
- Where to play, stay, and eat at Double Eagle
- Practical visitor info: elevation, weather, parking, and 21+ rules
- FAQs travelers actually ask before the drive up
How Far Is Cripple Creek from Colorado Springs?
Cripple Creek is about 45 miles southwest of Colorado Springs, roughly an hour by car via Highway 24 and Highway 67. The drive climbs through Woodland Park, Divide, and the historic mining district, finishing with a winding descent into the town. It is one of the most scenic short drives in the Pikes Peak region, and Memorial Day weekend usually has the road in good summer condition, though afternoon thunderstorms can pop up by late May. From Denver, plan on two to two and a half hours.
What Is Open in Cripple Creek Over Memorial Day Weekend?
Memorial Day weekend is when most of Cripple Creek's seasonal attractions wake up for the summer. The Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad typically begins its full summer schedule around this time, and the Cripple Creek Heritage Center is open year-round, and Bennett Avenue's shops, restaurants, and historic district are ready for visitors. Limited gaming runs 24 hours a day inside the licensed casinos, including Double Eagle.
Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad
A two-foot-gauge steam train winds through the historic mining district and past the old gold camps. The ride is short, the history is real, and the views are exactly what people came to Colorado to see.
Cripple Creek Heritage Center
Free admission. A working orientation point for the whole district, with overlooks of the Cresson Mine and exhibits on the town's gold-rush past. Stop here first if you have never been.
Walking Bennett Avenue
Cripple Creek's main street is a registered National Historic District. The brick storefronts, the wood-frame buildings, and the casino marquees all sit on the same block. It is a real town that became a casino town, not a casino that built a town around it.
What Is There to Do at Double Eagle Hotel and Casino?
Double Eagle is a hotel, casino, and restaurant under one roof in the heart of historic Cripple Creek. The gaming floor offers Colorado limited gaming on slots and table games for guests 21 and over. Lombard's, our on-property restaurant, serves dinner in a setting that fits the gold-rush bones of the building. The hotel rooms are upstairs, which means after a full day of mine tours and mountain driving, your bed is a flight of stairs away from your last hand of the night.
Gaming on the Floor
The casino floor is 21 and over, every hour of every day, and runs under Colorado limited gaming rules. Bring your ID. You will need it at the door.
Dining at Lombard's
Lombard's is a sit-down restaurant on property serving dinner. A full meal here means you do not have to drive anywhere else for a real plate of food, which matters on a weekend when you have already done a winding mountain road once that day.
Sleeping on Property
Double Eagle's hotel rooms are in the same building as the casino and the restaurant. For a Memorial Day weekend trip, that means no second drive, no parking shuffle, and no waiting on a rideshare in a 9,494-foot mountain town that goes quiet after midnight.
What Should First-Time Visitors Know About the Elevation?
Cripple Creek sits at 9,494 feet above sea level, and the elevation is real. If you are coming from Denver (about 5,280 feet), Colorado Springs (about 6,000 feet), or anywhere closer to sea level, plan to drink more water than you think you need, take it easier on alcohol than you would at home, and give yourself a slower first afternoon. Sunscreen is not optional. The UV exposure at 9,494 feet is significantly stronger than what most visitors are used to.
Is Cripple Creek Family-Friendly?
The town of Cripple Creek is family-friendly, even though the casino floors themselves are 21 and over. Families come up for the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, the Narrow Gauge Railroad, the Heritage Center, the donkeys that roam the streets in summer, and the historic district. Lodging options in town include family-friendly stays, and the town's restaurants and shops are open to all ages. The casino floor at Double Eagle, like every licensed casino in Colorado, is restricted to guests 21 and over.
What Is the Weather Like in Cripple Creek in Late May?
Late May in Cripple Creek means daytime highs typically in the 60s and nighttime lows that can still drop into the 30s. Snow is possible into early June at 9,494 feet, though it usually melts off by midmorning. Pack layers. A T-shirt afternoon can turn into a fleece-and-jacket evening on the same day. Afternoon thunderstorms become more common as the month winds down.
How Do You Plan a Memorial Day Weekend in Cripple Creek?
Plan two full days minimum. Day one: drive up Highway 67 from Colorado Springs in the morning, stop at the Heritage Center for orientation, check in at Double Eagle, walk Bennett Avenue, and have dinner at Lombard's. Day two: Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in the morning, lunch in town, the Narrow Gauge Railroad in the afternoon, and the casino floor in the evening. Day three (if you have it): a slower morning, a drive through the District out to Victor, and the descent back down Highway 67 before afternoon storms roll in.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the drive from Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek? The drive from Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek is about an hour, give or take, depending on traffic and weather. The route runs west on Highway 24 through Woodland Park and Divide, then south on Highway 67 into the historic mining district. The road is paved the whole way, but the final descent into Cripple Creek is steep and winding, so plan accordingly if you are towing a trailer or driving in poor visibility.
Is Cripple Creek worth visiting? Cripple Creek is worth visiting if you want a real, walkable Colorado mountain town with a gold-rush history that is still visible on its main street. The combination of a National Historic District, working mine tours, a steam railroad, and licensed limited gaming inside historic buildings is not something you find anywhere else in Colorado. It is a weekend trip, not a one-stop quick tour.
Does Double Eagle Hotel and Casino have rooms available for Memorial Day weekend? Double Eagle Hotel and Casino offers rooms on property, and Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest weekends of the spring season. Reservations are strongly recommended. Call the property or visit decasino.com to check current availability for your dates.
Can families stay at Double Eagle? Double Eagle Hotel and Casino welcomes overnight guests, and our location on Bennett Avenue puts the family-friendly attractions of Cripple Creek- the Narrow Gauge Railroad, the Heritage Center, and the historic district, within easy walking distance. The casino gaming floor itself is restricted to guests 21 and over, in compliance with Colorado limited gaming rules.
What is there to do in Cripple Creek besides gambling? Beyond gaming, Cripple Creek offers the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour (you drop 1,000 feet underground in an original mine cage), the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad, the Cripple Creek Heritage Center, the walkable Bennett Avenue National Historic District, summer donkeys roaming the streets, and easy access to Pikes Peak region scenic drives.
Plan Your Memorial Day Weekend at Double Eagle
Memorial Day weekend books out fast in Cripple Creek. If a long weekend at 9,494 feet, a gold mine tour, a steam train ride, and a hotel that sits on top of a Lombard's dinner sounds like your kind of trip, we would love to host you.
Reservations: visit decasino.com or call the property directly. We are on Bennett Avenue in the heart of historic Cripple Creek. Come up the hill, take a deep breath of the thinner air, and let us show you why this town keeps people coming back.