Colorado Springs, CO: Garden of the Gods
Tour a rock garden of giant proportions on this 4.8-mile loop, passing towering redrock monoliths, golden hillsides, and views of Pikes Peak.
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-Mapped by Kim Phillips and Tim Shisler
Trail Facts
- Distance: 6.9
Waypoints
GAR001
Location: 38.878666, -104.870102
Follow paved trail across from visitor center through underpass. In .1 mi., straight @ 4-way on Gateway Trail
GAR002
Location: 38.877209, -104.873001
Cross bridge; wind through tunnel of twisted oaks. Look SW: Pikes Peak’s snow-capped crown provides dramatic backdrop to golden juniper-dotted hills and giant copper-hued rock faces
GAR003
Location: 38.877052, -104.877739
Turn hard R @ 5-way onto Bretag Trail. Four groups of red sandstone slabs jut 300 ft. into the sky from grassy plains
GAR004
Location: 38.880997, -104.877777
Stay L @ Y. Across expansive meadow on L, aptly-named White Rock starkly contrasts the ruddy tones of North Gateway Rock. In 550 ft., R @ Y, then climb stone steps
GAR005
Location: 38.881695, -104.880409
Bear R @ Y. Trail circles around the park’s N tip, offering intimate views of the Tower of Babel, a behemoth red rock pillar
GAR006
Location: 38.881157, -104.883728
Look down onto park-from this bird’s-eye vantage, rock formations resemble the plates on a stegosaurus’s back. Next, descend to dry stream bed
GAR007
Location: 38.87722, -104.884262
Bear R @ Y (stay on Palmer Trail). In 400 ft., R @ Y. Next 2 mi., views of rocks formations become scarce
GAR008
Location: 38.869877, -104.886581
Turn L @ Y; cross road. In 100 yds., stay L @ two Y-jcts.
GAR009
Location: 38.871624, -104.884537
Follow Scotsman Trail to the R. In 400 ft., climb stairs
GAR010
Location: 38.874252, -104.882957
Turn hard R (SE) @ 3-way
GAR011
Location: 38.872486, -104.882187
Bear L @ Y, then continue SE
GAR012
Location: 38.867851, -104.879471
Turn L @ 4-way. Next 350 ft.: Turn L onto road, then keep R @ fork
GAR013
Location: 38.870953, -104.878502
Bear R onto Ute Trail, paralleling road; squint to find climbers scaling vertical rock face on L. Follow grass-lined trail N to close loop @ WPT 3; retrace route
View from Visitor Center
Location: 38.879772, -104.871613
Road Sign
Location: 38.879211, -104.871613
Gateway Trail
Location: 38.877472, -104.872437
View of Pikes Peak
Location: 38.877029, -104.874802
Red rock slabs rise in front of Pikes Peak rocky crown.
White Rock and Gateway Rock
Location: 38.877708, -104.877426
White Rock and Kissing Camels
Location: 38.87933, -104.877106
Tower of Babel
Location: 38.881809, -104.88002
Red Rock View
Location: 38.882725, -104.881737
Garden of the Gods
Location: 38.881424, -104.883385
Overlook
Location: 38.880451, -104.884659
Bird’s Eye Views
Location: 38.879684, -104.884392
Trailside Rock Formations
Location: 38.878593, -104.884659
Road Walk
Location: 38.868294, -104.878281
