Garden of the Gods

Approx. Time: 4 hours
Activity Level: Moderate

Filled with the wonders of nature, the Garden of the Gods was dedicated in 1909 and is a free city park. An abundance of plant and animal life can be found though out its 1,340 acres, as well as the magnificent red sandstone rock formations, for which the Garden is best known. Many of these are over 300 million years old and were sculpted through time by erosion.

In 1879, Charles Perkins, president of the Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad, purchased much of the land now known as the Garden of the Gods. After his death, at his request, his family gave the land to the City of Colorado Springs to be used as a park. The stipulations included that it be known as Garden of the Gods and it would remain free forever to all visitors.