Garden Of The Gods

Garden of the Gods is a city park located in Colorado Springs, CO.  It is also a National Natural Landmark and had a stamp for my National Parks Passport. The park attracts more than two million visitors a year.  There are more than 15 miles of trails.

The Visitor Center has 30 educational exhibits, a short movie about the formation of the area, gift shop, and cafe.  The park is staffed by Parks, Recreation and Culture employees of the City of Colorado Springs.  Proceeds from the privately owned store and cafe are donated to the non-profit Garden of the Gods Foundation for maintenance and improvements to the park.

View from the front of the Visitor Center of the entrance to the park.  Native people called it the place of the sleeping giants.  If you look at those two formations at just the right angle, they do look like two giant sleeping faces,

such as this guy with his big hooked nose and open mouth.

There are formations of gray rock

and white rock,

but mostly there are red rocks.

 Info boards explain the history of the park

and how it was named.

People come to the park to hike, ride bikes, horses, segways, 

and drive through the park viewing the iconic landmarks like balancing rock. (Those people were just standing there taking pix.)

The park is popular among technical climbers:

the climber below is in the shady spot 1/2 way up,

 

one at the top,

out on the ledge at left.

Most people come here to enjoy the wide, paved 1 1/2 mile walkway running through the heart of the park, and to clamber among the rocks taking pictures and enjoying the day.

 View of the Visitor Center from the park.

After our visit we rode the road to the other end of the park and picked up US 24 for the quick way home.

There are several parking lots around the park.  The Visitor Center has a large one that fills quickly.  At the entrance to the park there is another large lot which the park shares with the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site.  We were advised to park at the Visitor Center and either walk the 1/2 mile path to the park entrance or take the shuttle to the park entrance lot.  When we return to further explore the park we will drive in further and hope for a spot in the small lot at whatever trail we decide to explore.

Rain predicted for tomorrow, but we'll see.

Louise and Duane