Garden of the Gods Park opens at 5:00 a.m. year-round with a closing time of 9:00 p.m. November - April and 10:00 p.m. May - October. Both the Park and Visitor & Nature Center are FREE and open to the public.
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Explore the park on FootTrails range from beginner to advanced in addition to being paved and dirt. If you have questions or need suggestions about available trails in the park, visit the information desk located on the 2nd level of the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center.
Bighorn sheep, deer, and mountain lions roam Garden of the Gods (spotting a lion is rare). The park's distinct sandstone fins frame stunning views of America's mountain: Pikes Peak. All of this is free to the public – forever.
Yes, you can drive through Garden of the Gods Park. There are several parking areas throughout the park. The northern parking area is an ideal location to park for those wishing to explore the Central Garden, conveniently accessed via a paved trail from the lot.
Yes! Garden of the Gods is the #1 US Park on Tripadvisor, making this FREE park available to anyone! If you only have a few hours to visit, these favorite Colorado Springs hikes will have you coming back for more. Better yet, plan on a full day to hike the entire Garden of the Gods Park on the Grand Tour loop trail.
A self-guided Garden of the Gods tour with all of the essentials. The entire tour can be completed in 4-6 hours and combines the perfect mix of driving, hiking, learning, shopping and eating!
To drive the road all the way to the summit of Pikes Peak during the busy summer season, you'll need to pay both a timed-entry reservation and a fee per vehicle. The timed-entry fee (as of September 2022) was only $2 per time slot, allowing you to book a few different time slots if you're worried about bad weather.
Garden of the Gods is one the most Instagram'ed areas of the Shawnee National Forest. Little do people know though, the wilderness section of the area on a really wet day hosts to multiple waterfalls that a person couldn't even count on using both hands and both feet.
3) Is the Path of the Gods worth it? The Path of the Gods is definitely worth it if you're visiting the Amalfi Coast. In fact, if you like hiking and active adventures it's recommended to put this at the very top of your itinerary.
Garden of the Gods was an area so beloved by Charles Elliott Perkins that his family gifted it to Colorado Springs under the conditions that it be free to all visitors forever after his death.
This walk takes approximately 2.5 to 4 hours to complete. While the Gods hike can be surprisingly challenging at times due to the steep climb and rough terrain, it is generally considered a manageable hike for most people with moderate fitness levels.
The northern parking area is an ideal location to park for those wishing to explore the Central Garden, conveniently accessed via a paved trail from the lot. This northern lot is also the starting point for most nature walks and is home to a restroom.
The Garden of the Gods is one of North America's most historic climbing venues, with climbing routes suitable for everyone! All you need is a desire to have an adventure. Whether you are taking your family on a first-time climb, or have years of climbing experience, the Garden of the Gods has something for you.
There are many camping areas nearby. Stop by the Visitor & Nature Center for a list of locations where camping is allowed. Please note the park closes each night and there are no overnight stays.