The town of Cascade was established in 1886. The town was named for the many waterfalls in the area. The Cascade Post Office opened on August 16, 1887. In 1889, the Pikes Peak carriage road was constructed from Cascade to the top of Pikes Peak.

Fountain Creek flows off the slopes of Pikes Peak into the town, and turns southeast into a canyon. US 24 also runs through the town, paralleling Fountain Creek through the canyon until the exit for Manitou Springs.

With an estimated population of 380,307 in 2008, it is the second most populous city in the state of Colorado, following behind Denver, and the 48th most populous city in the United States, while the Colorado Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated population of 617,714. The city covers 186.1 square miles, making it Colorado's largest city in area. Colorado Springs was selected as the No. 1 Best Big City in "Best Places to Live" by Money magazine in 2006, and placed number one in Outside Magazine's 2009 list of America's Best Cities. However, by 2010, the city was in such dire economic straits that its city government made deep cuts to many services, including public safety (fire and police) and parks and recreation.

It is a popular stop for tourists, who don't necessarily tour the city, but stay there because of its central location of surrounding attractions such as Mesa Verde National Park, Monument Valley, and the Four Corners.

Denver is the largest city in the Front Range Urban Corridor, an urban region stretching across eighteen counties in two states. The population of the Front Range Urban Corridor is estimated at 4,251,663. The city has the tenth-largest central business district in the United States by population.

The town's outskirts include The Stanley Hotel. Once a fine example of Edwardian opulence, the 1909 building had Stephen King as a guest, inspiring him to change the locale for his novel The Shining from an amusement park to the Stanley's fictional stand-in, the Overlook Hotel. Estes Park was also the site of the organization of the Credit Union National Association, an important milestone in the history of American credit unions. Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous highway in the United States, runs from Estes Park westward through Rocky Mountain National Park, reaching Grand Lake over the continental divide. The town suffered severe damage in July 1982 from flooding caused by the failure of Lawn Lake Dam.

Pagosa Springs and the surrounding county are both experiencing a substantial influx of second home owners; a 2006 property assessment indicates that 60% of area private properties are owned by non-residents.

Pagosa Springs is located approximately 35 miles (56 km) north of the New Mexico border, nestled at 7,000 feet (2,100 m) on the Western Slope of the Continental Divide. This combination of high desert plateau and dramatic Rocky Mountains to the north and east creates an unusually mild climate, especially in the summer months, when compared with much of the surrounding Southwest. Pagosa is favored with around 300 days of sun each year, as well as four distinct seasons.

The town is located in the upper San Juan Basin, surrounded by the 3 million acre (12,000 km²) San Juan National Forest, and adjacent to the largest wilderness area in the state of Colorado, the Weminuche Wilderness.
The springs for which the town was named, photographed in 1874.

People gather at the Hot Springs, one of the largest and hottest natural springs in the world, and one which continues to be celebrated for its therapeutic powers.