Garden of the Gods—the name itself evokes an image of majesty and wonder. But does it live up to its name? And what is the best way to explore the Garden of the Gods trails? Here’s all the information you need to get up close and personal with these awe-inspiring and iconic rock formations!
Garden of the Gods History
Can you believe that Garden of the Gods was once private land? It seems like such a unique place, so it is hard to imagine that it was once owned by a single person.
Charles Elliott Perkins was this lucky owner and was the head of a railroad company called Burlington Railroad. He moved here with the intention of building his railroad from Colorado Springs to Chicago, which never happened…but with this goal in mind, he purchased 240 acres of land as a place to build a summer home in 1879.
He never did build on this property but instead left it in its natural and untouched state for the public to enjoy with him. His children knew how much he loved this property and loved sharing it with others, so when he died they donated the 480 acres he had acquired by that time to the City of Colorado Springs.
With this donation, they specified that it was “given by the children of Charles Elliott Perkins in fulfillment of his wish that it be kept forever free to the public” (as seen on a plaque when you enter the central garden). So thanks to Perkins and his children, the Garden of the Gods cost to enter is free forever!
Why is it called “Garden of the Gods”?
So you may be wondering: why is it called “Garden of the Gods”? Well, as the story goes, in 1859 there were two surveyors who came upon this location while exploring nearby.
M.S. Beach, one of the surveyors, mentioned he thought it would be a “capital place for a beer garden.” The other surveyor, Rufus Cable, responded “Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods.”
And there you have it. A conversation alters history forever!
What to do at Garden of the Gods
Visitor Center: Like the park, the visitor center is free to enter. Check it out if you are interested in knowing more about the Garden of the Gods!
Hiking trails: There is an extensive network of trails at Garden of the Gods, and you could probably wander on all the trails for days! If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the trails closest to the central garden.
Drive around the central garden: The roads and parking lots make it easy to explore at least part of this park by car. If you are unsure where to start, try driving around the central garden and stopping at different viewpoints or parking lots to see all the views before you get out of your car and walk!
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Garden of the Gods Trails
As mentioned earlier, by the time Perkins died he had acquired 480 acres in this area. Today, the Garden of the Gods park measures 1,367 acres!
So if you think you can see it all in a day, think again!
Garden of the Gods trails really do expand far beyond anything you can imagine. But if it is your first visit to this glorious place, you may want to start with the central garden as this holds many of the iconic views you have seen or heard about before.
This is also the best place to start as there are many Garden of the Gods rock formations all very close together, and wandering through these trails helps you to understand the massive scale of these giant red rocks!
You don’t really need to worry about following a specific trail when you are in the central garden, as it is simple to park your car in one of the lots that surrounds the area and then you can just walk and wander. This is what I recommend, as you are sure to find some really cool things just by walking and looking!
If you want to find specific rock formations, though, or are interested in venturing beyond the central garden, then a trail map can be very helpful for understanding the layout. (And be sure to look for the kissing camels rock formation—that’s my favorite!)
With so many trails to explore at Garden of the Gods, you could enjoy hiking all day and still have more to see! But regardless of which formations you end up finding or where you wander, you are sure to be impressed with the beauty and strange uniqueness of this park. It really does live up to its name—it is a garden fit for the gods!
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