Garden of the Gods a uniquely Colorado slice of heaven

Many thousands of years ago, a huge sea covered much of what is now Colorado. Sediment from the bottom of that ancient sea settled, hardened, and formed both red and white horizontal sandstone. The same uplifting event that pushed Pikes Peak skyward also tipped these rocks on their sides. During the Pleistocene Ice Age, glacial forces helped erode and carve the rocks into the stunning sandstone formations you see today.

Keep your eyes open for ripples on the rocks – evidence of water lapping at ancient shores. Fossils and seashells turn up regularly in the Garden. In 2016, park staff even discovered a shark tooth fossil!

Garden of the Gods has been sacred ground since the first people laid eyes on its awe-inspiring formations. Several tribes traveled through this area – Apache, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa, Lakota, Pawnee, Shoshone, and Ute. While conflicts among tribes were common elsewhere, when they entered the Garden, weapons were set aside and peace was honored on this holy ground.

The Ute people, most commonly in the area, tell of their creation in Garden of the Gods. Interestingly, they’re one of the only Native tribes in the Americas whose early stories don’t include traveling to their land — they believe they’ve been here since the beginning. Archaeological evidence shows prehistoric people visited Garden of the Gods as early as 1330 BC.

In August 1859, two surveyors helping establish Colorado City (now Old Colorado City) took a day to explore the park, then known to Europeans as Red Rock Corral. M.S. Beach, who had visited Germany’s beer gardens, exclaimed, “This would be a capital place for a beer garden!” His companion, fellow surveyor Rufus Cable, felt something deeper and responded, “Beer Garden! Why, it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods.”

Charles Perkins purchased 480 acres of Garden of the Gods land in 1879. His dear friend William Jackson Palmer had built Glen Eyrie nearby just a few years earlier, and Perkins planned to build close by. He decided to leave the land in its natural state and was always generous with the space, welcoming locals and visitors to enjoy this majestic place. When he passed in 1909, his family deeded the land to the City of Colorado Springs with one beautiful provision: it would be a free public park forever.

Garden of the Gods became a National Natural Landmark in 1971 and has continued to grow in popularity. Through other local donors and smart acquisitions by the Parks Department, Garden of the Gods has expanded to 1,367 acres. An estimated 6 million visitors enjoy this scenic wonderland each year, and through education and careful stewardship, the park is being protected better than ever.

Remember, we live in a high alpine desert here in Colorado Springs. The habitat is delicate and slow to recover when damaged. As you enjoy these wonders, help us preserve them for future generations. Stay on the trails! Leave no trace. Don’t litter or toss cigarettes. And if you’re feeling ambitious, check in with the folks at Friends of the Garden of the Gods to see how you can help!