Our last day in Colorado Springs it was beautiful and sunny, well up into the seventies. We decided to go visit the Garden of the Gods Park and by the time we got back I wished I had been wearing shorts. It was hot and very dry and with the high elevation here it was a very hard hiking.
Garden of the Gods is a public park located in Colorado Springs and is also designated as a National Natural Landmark. It has towering sandstone rock formations with Pikes Peak in the background. We hiked up to the top of one of the formations where you can view Pikes Peak through what they call a window in the rocks.
The park is not that big, you can drive though it and see most of the formations and if you want you can use some of the hiking trails to get up closer. They even allow rock climbing in some areas if you have a permit and are a trained climber.
Formations
Formations
Formations
Formation as you enter the park
Formation
Rock Formation
View back to mountains
View of mountains
Formation
We only did one of the hiking trails and that was enough. We started off on the hike and it did not seem that bad as it was not as steep a climb as others we have done. However this is at a much higher elevation than we are used to hiking and with the heat and lack of humidity it was a tiring trip up. At the end of the hike we got to the formation that is called the Siamese Twins, it one of the few that you can’t see from the road. When you reach the sight there is a natural window at the base of the twins where you can view Pikes Peak. Of course if you walk around to the other side of the Siamese Twins you can also see all of Pikes Peak.
Siamese Twins
Window at bottom of Siamese Twins
View of Pikes Peak through window
Window at bottom of Pikes Peak
Siamese Twins
Siamese Twins
Closer view of Siamese Twins
Pikes Peak
Siamese Twins showing window with Pikes Peak
View through window
Top of my head through the window
The formation that attracts the most attention is Balanced Rock. It is one that you can climb on just off the road. Lots of people were posing to look like they were pushing up on the rock. Across from the Balance Rock is the Steamboat Rock. They have formations called The Three Graces, Tower of Babel, Cathedral Spires, Sleeping Giant, etc.
Balanced Rock
Balanced Rock
Balanced Rock
Skinny drive up to Balance Rock
Drive between Balance Rock and Steamboat Rock
Also saw an interesting bird in the parking lot. I think he was wanting to be fed as he came right up to me.
Bird
Bird
It was an interesting drive and something to visit if you are in the area but I would not make a special trip to just see this area.