Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods, in Colorado Springs CO had not even been on our radar. That is until a friend told that it was not to be missed!

Welcome to Garden of the Gods

Steven and the Bison

Me in a red white and blue dress standing in front of a painting of dinosaurs at Garden of the Gods

Dinosaurs don’t scare me!

The rock formations at Garden of the Gods are spectacular. They have been created by nature, over time. This is definitely a place you should add to your list of must visits.

Starting with the Ice Age

Plants, parking lot and mountains at Garden of the Gods

Even the parking lot is beautiful at Garden of the Gods

Long before it was a park those geological features began to form. It started in the Pleistocene Ice Age, causing erosion and glaciation of the rock. In these rock formations can be found the ancient remains of mountain ranges, alluvial fans, sandy beaches and sand dune fields.

Sedimentary rock formations

Red rock formation standing upright at the Garden of the Gods

Now that’s what I call a rock wall!

Red rocks popping out of the ground that look like pairs of hands praying

Praying Hands

The incredible geological features of Garden of the Gods are the highly visible sedimentary rock formations. Created as ancient mountains eroded and were buried in their own sediments. Massive sand dunes were blown across the land and shallow seas and deeper oceans ebbed and flowed.

Changing environments

Huge rock formation with tiny hole at top that's open to the sky at Garden of the Gods

Eye to the Sky

As environments changed they left behind gravel, sand, and ocean deposits that formed horizontal layers over millions of years. Then the numerous formations were uplifted and slowly brought to the surface by a series of mountain-building events. This caused rocks that stood up, pushed around, and slanted.

Balanced Rock

Atlas aka Steve holding up Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock, which can be seen at the south end of the Park, was formed as erosive processes ate away at the softer layers near its base, eventually leaving the precarious looking outcrop seen today.

Park history

Rock formations that look like trees along side real trees at Garden of the Gods

Mountain Trees

Rock formations and mountains at Garden of the Gods

Leaving Garden of the Gods

It was 1859 when 2 surveyors started out from Denver City to begin a town site, soon to be called Colorado City. Exploring nearby locations, they came upon a gorgeous area of sandstone formations. One of the surveyors, M. S. Beach, suggested that it would be a “capital place for a Biergarten” in the future. His coworker , Rufus Cable, exclaimed, “Biergarten! Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods.” And it has been called that ever since!