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Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods, a public park situated in Colorado Springs, is well known for its conglomerate sandstone hogback formations. These structures geologically belong to the Fountain Formation. This sandstone ridge stretches along the Front Range of the eastern Colorado Rocky Mountains, from southern Wyoming to northern New Mexico. In fact, the city was named ‘Colorado’ after the color of these hogback formations. The sandstone ridge has tilted layers owing to which the structures resemble the backs and spines of a pig. This is the reason why these formations are popularly called the ‘hogback’ formations. The ‘Kissing Camels’, rising to a height of nearly 320 ft (97.5 m), is the tallest of all hogback formations. This structure has been named so as the 2 facing rocks resemble two giant camels sitting with their lips touching. Other famous rock in the Park is the Balanced Rock that stands elegantly near the famous Steamboat Rock Formation. Several plant fossils, marine forms, and dinosaur fossils have been found in the area.

The park was established in the year 1859 and was named by Rufus Cable who called it the “Beer Garden-a fit place for Gods to assemble”. The land occupied by the Park was donated to the city of Colorado Springs by the children of Charles Elliott Perkins in the year 1909. Garden of Gods has a number of scenic trails for walking, hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. The most popular and well frequented trail in the Park is the ‘Perkins’. This Park is a perfect destination for rock climbers. The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center issues annual permits for rock climbing and provides other useful information for hiking. The climbers are required to go through the rules, have proper equipment, and stay on the marked climbing routes.

The visitors are advised to beware of rattlesnakes in the park during the summer season. The park also attracts several bicyclists as it offers breathtaking views, clean air, and safe one-way paved roads. A major tourist attraction near the Park is the Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site. This site features a small recreation of a Native American Campsite as well as an impressive recreation of the rustic ranch of the late 1800s. The Ranch houses a restored ranch house and several exhibits that illustrate smithing and other interesting facts about Native American activity in the area. The walking tour through this Ranch charges a small fee. The Garden of Gods is the best place to relax and is a perfect holiday destination in Colorado.

• Address: 1805 N 30th Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
• Telephone: (719) 634-6666
• Website: www.gardenofgods.com
  

Top 5 National Parks

1. Great Smoky Mountains
2. Grand Canyon
3. Yosemite
4. Olympic
   
5. Yellowstone

All 58 national parks.