The only regret I have about my visit to Garden of the Gods last year is that I don’t live close enough to visit more often. If I lived in Colorado Springs, I swear I would be there exploring every possible opportunity.

Let’s back up.

Garden of the Gods is not a state or national park. It is actually owned by Colorado Springs.

One advertising piece that I picked up describes it nicely. “The Park is a unique biological melting pot where the grasslands of the Great Plains meet the pinon-juniper woodlands characteristic of the American Southwest and merge with the mountain forest of the 14,115-foot Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain.”

In the late nineteenth century, a railroad Barron named Charles Eliot Perkins purchased much of this magnificent land with its colorful slabs of rock reaching Heavenward. Per his wishes, his children donated much of the land to the city in 1909 following his death.

The deal was that the city can have the land on the condition that it always remain free, undeveloped and available to the public. Today, the park features about 21 miles of trails through just under 1,400 acres of land.

It is magnificent with a nice visitors center and well maintained trails including a paved trail to allow accessibility for all. Rock climbing is permissible with a permit as well.

My adventure pal and I paid the $6 apiece to watch a film at the visitors center. It uses a time travel in an immersive experience to understand the park’s geological history. It’s interesting if not a little cheesy for adults. We enjoyed it all the same and also enjoyed exploring the free museum at the visitors center.

The highlight though are the soaring red rock formations that give the landscape an other worldly feel. I have heard others say they weren’t impressed with this place but I have to say, I found it comparable to Arches and Canyonlands national parks over in Utah.

There is a lot to see and do in this area. Colorado Springs is known for outdoor adventure but is also home to the National Museum of World War II aviation that I would love to visit someday. There’s a scenic railway, history museums, and a host of other landmarks to explore. In other words, you should have no trouble entertaining yourself!

Planning a visit? Get current park hours and information at their website.

We were there on a weekday in November so it wasn’t that busy. I have read that the crowds are thick on weekends and any day during the summer. You may want to plan accordingly.