{"id":48614,"date":"2020-04-16T14:01:53","date_gmt":"2020-04-16T20:01:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/isobaresoffit.com\/?p=48614"},"modified":"2020-04-16T14:01:53","modified_gmt":"2020-04-16T20:01:53","slug":"garden-of-the-gods-in-colorado-springs-colorado","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/isobaresoffit.com\/2020\/04\/16\/garden-of-the-gods-in-colorado-springs-colorado\/","title":{"rendered":"Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anyone visiting Colorado should definitely make their way to Colorado Springs to visit the Garden of the Gods.\u00a0 The\u00a0rock formations, with their vibrant reddish-orange color, are visually stunning against the back drop of Pikes Peak and the surrounding foothills.\u00a0 It is hard to imagine that the majestic orange sandstone rocks that are so beautiful today were once sand dunes millions of years ago when an inland sea covered the area.\u00a0 It is this vast geological history with all of the forces that produced the Rocky Mountains that gave birth to the rock formations that make up the Garden of the Gods.<\/p>\n

\"Garden<\/a>
Garden of the Gods<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Pikes<\/a>
Pikes Peak<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Many people\u00a0are aware\u00a0that Colorado is an active area for discovering dinosaur fossils, but most people don’t associate that with the Garden of the Gods.\u00a0 The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center opened an exhibit in 2008 to celebrate the discovery of a new species of dinosaur based on fossils that were found in the park.\u00a0 The discovery actually occurred in 1878, but the fossil was misidentified as a Camptosaurus and it wasn’t until 2006 that it was reexamined and determined to be a new genus and species.<\/p>\n

\"Dinosaur<\/a>
Dinosaur Exhibit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Fossil<\/a>
Fossil Skull<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The park offers great activities for people of all ages.\u00a0 There are hiking trails, nature walks, Jeep and Segway tours, rock climbing, or even bird watching as there are many species of birds that make the rocks their home.\u00a0 Rock Ledge Ranch,\u00a0located within the park, is also worth a visit as it provides a glimpse into the early settlers and\u00a0native inhabitants of the Pikes Peak region.\u00a0 Whether capturing images with a camera or a canvas, Mother Nature has made sure that there is plenty of picture perfect opportunities.<\/p>\n

\"Rock<\/a>
Rock Climber<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Steamboat<\/a>
Steamboat Rock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not surprisingly, over time people have given names to many of the formations within the park.\u00a0 Some are obvious such as Balanced Rock<\/em>.\u00a0 Others are more imaginative, such as Three Graces<\/em>, The Cathedral Spires<\/em>, Getaway Rock<\/em>, or Steamboat Rock<\/em>.\u00a0 None is probably as famous as the Kissing Camels<\/em>, which is an often debated conversation amongst the visiting tourists as to whether they really look like camels.\u00a0 With or without names, each of the different rock formations is inspiring to realize that time, weather, and geological upheaval could reveal something so amazing and beautiful.<\/p>\n

\"Balanced<\/a>
Balanced Rock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Kissing<\/a>
Kissing Camels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fittingly enough, the park got its name from a couple of surveyors who were exploring the local area.\u00a0 When they came across the park and its natural beauty, M. S. Beach, for whom the story is attributed, stated that it would “be a capital place for a beer garden”.\u00a0 The other surveyor, named Rufus Cable, replied “Beer Garden!\u00a0 Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble.\u00a0 We will call it the Garden of the Gods”.\u00a0 The name stuck and after a long day hiking and climbing in the park, a beer is the perfect complement to a day outdoors.<\/p>\n

\"Rock<\/a>
Rock Formations<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Garden<\/a>
Garden of the Gods<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Obviously there are other attractions in the\u00a0Colorado Springs area that are all worth a visit as well.\u00a0 Places like the Cave of the Winds, Pikes Peak Scenic Highway, the Cog Railway to the summit of Pikes Peak, Seven Falls, or the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, just to name a few.\u00a0 But a visit to Garden of the Gods is on the top of our list of sites that need to be seen, not just in Colorado Springs, but in the whole state.<\/p>\n

\"Behind<\/a>
Behind Kissing Camels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Chimney<\/a>
Chimney Rock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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