If it’s gardens you’re looking for, and spring just isn’t ready to bloom yet, we suggest visiting one of the most popular gardens, well, anywhere. It’s the number one US park on TripAdvisor, but it’s not the type of garden you may be thinking. Garden of the Gods, while perhaps as colorful as a flower garden, isn’t one. It does happen to be one of the most incredible geological wonders of the world. And it’s right in Cheyenne Mountain Resort’s backyard.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, no visit to Colorado Springs is complete without a visit to the Garden of the Gods. Even for returning visitors, this geological wonder’s giant red rock formations boggle the mind and dazzle the senses. The park and visitor’s center are open daily and free to the public. Take a self-guided tour around the park and simply stare in awe at nature’s glorious creations. The northern parking lot is the starting point for most nature walks and you can find a restroom there, too. Additional parking areas can be found at the Spring Canyon Trailhead, South Garden Parking Lot, Balanced Rock Area, High Point Overlook, Spring Canyon South Picnic Area and Scotsman Picnic Area. Smaller vehicle pull-offs are also available throughout the park. If you’re in the mood for a fitness challenge, consider climbing to the top of one of the giant red crags. You wouldn’t be alone; adrenaline junkies and athletes do it all the time by enlisting the expert guidance from Front Range Climbing. You can sign up for a climbing tour at the Garden of the Gods visitor’s center.
Or, if you’re feeling your oats, as they say, grab a friend and go for a breathtaking, wrangler-led horseback ride. Academy Riding Stables is just minutes from Manitou and Colorado Springs and offers a couple of terrific packages for riders eight and older with any range of abilities and experience. Choose from a one or two-hour tour through nature’s incredible rock garden led by a skilled guide who will share his or her knowledge about the local sights, history, plants, and animals along the way. To get started, an experienced staff member will choose a horse for you based on size, age and experience, and then run through a safety briefing before fitting you with a helmet. Check the website for tour times and dates. The two-hour tour is designed for intermediate to advanced riders and allows them to experience a greater breadth of the enchanting beauty that the Garden of the Gods offers. These guests must have 10 hours riding experience before getting in the saddle. Academy Riding has a reputation for clean and humane stables and animal care, with rider reviews boasting five-stars and return visits. So go ahead and reserve your first, but don’t make it your last. and make it a date to remember.
Of course, we won’t blame you if you want to keep your feet on the ground; pack a lunch to eat at one of the park’s picnic areas instead, or visit the park’s daytime café.
But that’s what there is to do at the park; what is there to know? Part of the joy of visiting the Garden of the Gods is knowing what you’re looking at, to marvel at just how stunning nature’s natural forces are. Here’s a list of commonly asked questions and answers about this incredible 1,367 acre National Natural Landmark.
HOW DID GARDEN OF THE GODS FORM?
The park’s famous red rocks formed millions of years ago as a result of natural erosion and swells and rifts in the earth’s surface. The rocks are conglomerates of red, pink, and white sandstones and limestone. You can travel back in time to learn more about the history of these rock formations by watching a 15-minute film during your visit to the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center. There is a small fee for the film.
WHY IS IT CALLED "GARDEN OF THE GODS"?
Local lore has it that early European explorers referred to this site as Red Rock Corral. Then, in the mid 1800s, a group of surveyors explored the site and one gentleman remarked that the area would be a great location for a beer garden. His companion retorted that this place of incredible beauty was suited for more than just a beer garden and that it was a place fit for gods to assemble. And that’s how “Garden of the Gods” got its name!
WHO DONATED GARDEN OF THE GODS PARK AND WHEN WAS IT FOUNDED?
The story begins in 1879 when General William Jackson Palmer, founder of the city of Colorado Springs, convinced his friend, Charles Elliott Perkins to buy 240 acres of land known by then as the Garden of the Gods. In 1899, Perkins purchased another 240 acres and in his letters to General Palmer, expressed his desire to donate his 480 acres to the City of Colorado Springs. Perkins was undoubtedly influenced by General Palmer, who had already donated more than 1,000 acres of his own land to become public city park lands.
Charles Perkins died in 1907 before he had officially arranged for the Garden of the Gods in Colorado to become a public park. However, knowing their father’s wish for the Garden, Perkins’ children deeded the 480-acre Garden of the Gods to the City of Colorado Springs on December 22, 1909, with the stipulation that it remain “free to the entire world.” Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado is currently owned by the City of Colorado Springs.
Today the original 480-acre Perkins land donation, “a gift of inestimable value”, forms the center of Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, which now totals 1,367 acres.
WHAT IS THE ELEVATION AT GARDEN OF THE GODS?
Garden of the Gods rises to about 6,400 feet (1,951 meters) above sea level.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GO THROUGH GARDEN OF THE GODS PARK?
The average visitor spends at least 90 minutes to two hours exploring the park, especially if driving from location to location. However, depending on which activities you'd like to participate in— such as rock climbing, long hikes, or nature walks— visitors can expect to spend anywhere from three to six hours in the park. Visits can also be much shorter— as quick as 20 or 30 minutes— if just driving through, depending on how quickly traffic moves.
CAN YOU DO PIKES PEAK AND GARDEN OF THE GODS IN ONE DAY?
Yes, absolutely! There are several ways to reach the summit of Pikes Peak in a timely manner, such as the Broadmoor Manitou Pikes Peak Cog Railway, as well as van, bus or jeep tours that travel Pikes Peak Highway. These leave plenty of time to explore Garden of the Gods Park as well, either by car or by foot.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME OF DAY TO VISIT GARDEN OF THE GODS PARK?
Visiting early or late in the day is recommended for visitors looking to avoid crowds.
Ready to visit? We’d love to host you when you plan your trip. Make Cheyenn Mountain Resort your home away from home whenever you decide to drop in on the Garden of the Gods.
