The
United States Air Force Academy, the Air Force's premier institution
for developing leaders of character, greatly influences the area with its
commerce, employment, and culture. The Barry Goldwater Air Force Academy
Visitor Center serves as the gateway to the Academy, providing information
on its history and cadet life to hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Nationally recognized for its architectural and natural beauty, the Academy
was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Visitors are
invited to enjoy a self-guided tour through Arnold Hall and Honor Court as
well as enjoy the one-third mile paved nature trail to the Cadet Chapel.
As the training ground for tomorrow's Air Force leaders, the scenic 18,500
acre campus doubles as a university and boot camp. Each year approximately
10,000 men and women vie for roughly 1,300 slots available for entering freshman.
There are more than 4,300 cadets attending the academy. Of the more than
40,000 cadets who have graduated in 50 classes, nearly half are still on
active duty. (Current as of April 2009)
Visitors to the Air Force Academy may enter through either the North Gate,
which can be accessed from Exit 156B on Interstate 25, 14 miles north of
downtown Colorado Springs, or from the South Gate, which can be accessed
from Exit 150 on Interstate 25. For more information, call the Visitor's
Center at 719-333-2025.
The Academy is open to visitors daily from 8 am
to 6 pm. The Visitor's Center is open from 9 am to 5 pm both the North and
South gates will be staffed and identification will be checked. Visitors
will enter the base using the far right visitor lane and must present a valid
state issued drivers license to the sentry at the gate, visitors will be
asked to open their trunk for a cursory visual search prior to entering USAFA.
(During some special events such as home football games and graduation, a
visitor cordon will be restored and access to parts of the United States
Air Force Academy will be temporarily restricted.)
