Garden of the Gods
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Garden of the Gods
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 View of the Garden of the Gods with its unusual rock formations |
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| location | El Paso County in Colorado (USA) | |
| surface | 5.2 km² | |
| Geographical location | 38 ° 53 ' N , 104 ° 53' W | |
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| Setup date | since 1971 National Natural Landmark | |
The Garden of the Gods ("Garden of the Gods") is an approximately 5.2 km² large public park on the outskirts of Colorado Springs at the foot of Pikes Peak , located in the US state of Colorado . Its red sandstone formations made from 65 million year old sediments resemble those of the Red Rocks west of Denver . The name Colorado (colorful) is said to go back to this colored sandstone .
tourism
The park, founded in 1909, is very popular as an excursion destination. Hiking, horse riding and mountain biking on specially created paths are possible here. The unusual and steep, sometimes bizarre rock formations with names like “Kissing Camels” or “Weeping Indian” also attract many climbers. The instability of the sandstone, especially after heavy rainfall, has already claimed some victims. Despite all of this, climbing is still allowed in the Garden of the Gods. However, prior registration on the official website is required. The horse rides offered through the nature park are also very popular with tourists. The provider is a riding stud in the south of the park and rides are offered for up to 2 hours. The guides of the riding group also explain exactly the rock formations, plants and wildlife.
The tourist infrastructure also includes a visitor center, which is open during the holiday season ( Memorial Day to Labor Day ), and a hotel, the "Hidden Inn". There are also various picnic areas .
The name
Although widely accepted, the name "Garden of the Gods" is not of Indian origin. It wasn't until August 1859 that two surveyors came to the area as part of the construction of the city of Colorado City . One of you, MS Beach , reportedly said when you saw the red rocks that this would be an ideal place for a beer garden. His companion Rufus Cable, who was also very impressed, replied “Beer garden? But one for the gods! Let's call it the Garden of the Gods ”. A beer garden was never opened here, but the name stuck.
