Cave of the Winds, Cave system at Manitou Cliffs, Colorado, United States

Cave of the Winds is a limestone cave system in the Manitou Cliffs area of Colorado. The passages run through multiple levels and contain stalactites, stalagmites, and underground chambers formed by natural processes over long periods.

In 1880, John and George Pickett found the cave while hiking Williams Canyon with Rev. Roselle T. Cross; their candles flickered in a small shelter cave, and wind blew from a nearby crevice. Crawling through, they entered a large chamber. Cross published the account in his church newsletter, reprinted in the Colorado Springs Gazette on July 2, 1880. Stonecutter George Washington Snider excavated passages and opened guided tours in 1881.

The name comes from an Apache legend that the cave was the home of a Great Spirit of the Wind. Both Apache and Ute peoples are believed to have known the cave before 1880. Guides still point out the crevice where the Pickett brothers felt wind blowing during their hike in Williams Canyon.

The temperature stays around 54 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, so bringing a jacket is a good idea. Tours last between 45 and 90 minutes depending on the route, and booking ahead is recommended.

The Adventure Room was found on May 8, 1988, and keeps dirt floors and fewer lights than the rest of the cave. From it, lantern tours enter the Manitou Grand Caverns. Guides also tease visitors with a "bottomless pit" that is really a shallow drop.