Garden of the Gods - a MUST SEE Colorado experience - Denver to Colorado Springs!

What if I told you that one of the most incredible geological formations in the world was almost…a beer garden.
Ok, so maybe there isn’t Red Rock Brewski flowing from glacial taps, but believe it or not, the name Garden of the Gods was the intellectual prowess of two surveyors who visited the spot in 1859, and thought it would make a “capital place for a beer garden”. M.S. Beach and his young pal, Rufus Cable, were so awestruck by the area, they thought it a place fit for the Gods to assemble. Hence the area once known by Europeans as “Red Rock Corral” was eventually titled the GARDEN OF THE GODS.
The park is located in Colorado Springs. It’s actually not far from Manitou Springs and the Manitou Incline. If you are subscribed to our page, and have been following along, you already know the story of how this visit to Garden of the Gods inspired that climb. If not, check it out here.
The area has been called home to natives for centuries. Many European explorers even journaled about its wonders. However, we can thank Charles Elliott Perkins and his family for the preserved historical site we visit today. In 1879, he purchased 480 acres of land that included a portion of today’s GOTG for a summer home. He decided to leave the land in its natural state, acquired additional land and left it informally open to the public until his death. At that point, his children conveyed his 480 acres to the City of Colorado Springs to be operated permanently as a park open to the public.
OUR TRIP:
Garden of the Gods is popular for hiking, technical rock climbing, biking and horseback riding. For our adventure, we chose a Jeep Tour! The Jeep tour, took us up the main road through the center of the formations and then off road around the mountain for some pretty incredible views of Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak.
Some of the more popular ways to navigate the park are Segway, Electric Bike, and hiking the main 1.5 mile Perkins Central Garden Trail right through the heart of the park’s largest and most scenic red rocks.
We chose the Jeep because…well, we have a 4 and 7 year old. Need I say more? Also, we wanted to see the sites from 8,000 feet. It cost $XYZ to ride in the jeep, and the tour took about ___ hours. Another option is to take your own vehicle up the drive, but we weren’t sure how our chariot Florida suburban would fair on those hairpin turns.
We went to the visitor center first to purchase a jeep ticket and then took the hour wait to explore the center and watch a video about how the formations came about. The video was great, and very kid friendly. I highly recommend doing that first.
Here are some of our favorite formations to check-out:
Balance Rock - this one is the most famous because of the way the erosion around the base made it look like it balances on a pin
Hogbacks which includes Kissing Camels
Three Graces - these are sedimentary layers that were pushed up vertically during the formation of the Rockies
Sentinel Spires
The Gateway Rocks
Whether you visit the park for a day and immerse yourself in the outstanding geologic formations or drive by on the highway, it’s impossible to ignore the evidence of past ages that can be seen in the rocks: ancient seas, eroded remains of ancestral mountain ranges, alluvial fans, sandy beaches and great sand dune fields. Once an ancient sedimentary bed, the mountain building forces caused by the uplift of the Rocky Mountains and the Pikes Peak massif resulted in some of the most fascinating features you will ever experience.

[@lissepascual8921]

Love those wonderful colors and beautiful light on the amazing rock structures.

[@normabeckett5205]

My favorite visitor center.THANK YOU.

[@judithdoisneaus4976]

Thanks for capturing all this natural beauty for us.

[@TheKoefra]

Great name for this park.Beautiful constructed footpath well captured in motion.

[@skylaraliyah4030]

Many thanks for taking us with you.Beautifully done.

[@cassondraschult9251]

Wonderful.Mountains that look so much like the remains of giant branches and trees

[@isabelkirwin4609]

Fantastic quality images and artistic vision and

[@stevenlenoble8258]

It's an amazing place, really a natural landmark.

[@cameboy1388]

Stunning!!! Thank you love the footage

[@yahairabutter5992]

Wow amazing natural beauty of Earth

[@nicholwyche3665]

Such great memories of first visiting the park

[@ivoryrheyr6277]

Mother Nature is always awesome and beautiful

[@marianahunter9277]

Many thanks for sharing your experiences, best regards

[@nathanieldickens5357]

Very glad you did this one

[@receperin6446]

Great memories for the lucky kids

[@moisesstribling5748]

One of my favorite places on this earth.

[@samiraforbus3738]

really enjoying this series - thanks for uploading.

[@juliedawbarn4566]

Very beautiful places

[@dariosrinndone7174]

THIS is where my true heart and love is

[@davidparent1197]

The Garden of the Gods is Supreme !!!!!

[@vieiraanjanarvaez2669]

did it justice, but must be seen in person to truly appreciate.

[@idoniafrawley6201]

It's a beautiful place.

[@ferhatishakalbayrak927]

What a beautiful park.I'd love to go bike riding there.

[@deborahantonio8539]

Oh my

[@myrtlebeachsara]

Nice to see people traveling with young kids, we have a 2 and 5 year old. Planning to do this next year 😊 never been in this area, from the east coast!

[@moseshankinson2354]

it was a day I will never