Are you looking for breathtaking landscapes, scenic routes that entice the soul? Garden of the Gods is precisely that, with its wide-open landscapes, wildlife, beautiful natural rock attractions, and scenic hiking routes. There’s never been a better time to visit, especially if you’re looking for the perfect escape, that peace and quiet you deserve, then you found it.
The Garden of the Gods: the origin of its name
In August 1859, two surveyors traveled from Denver City to start a townsite, which will be current Colorado City. They were exploring locations when they discovered an area of tall sandstone formations. One suggested that it was a good place for a beer garden when the town would develop. His young friend, Rufus Cable, was a poetic man and said, “Beer Garden! Why it is a suitable place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods.”
The Garden of the Gods spans across over 1,300 acres of sandstone formations, offering dramatic rock mountain views, 300 sky-high formations of sandstone set against Pikes Peak with its snow caps. The Garden of the Gods came to be a National Natural Landmark in 1971.
The Garden of the Gods Camping trail takes you through its main roads and 21 miles of trails and selected picnic areas; hiking, mountain and road biking, and horseback riding are among the outdoor adventures of its more than two million visitors. It is in Colorado Springs, the state’s most visited park.
Charles Perkins, president of the Chicago, Burlington, and Railroad, bought 240 acres in the Garden of the Gods in 1879 to be his summer place. He preserved the natural terrain and allowed the people to enjoy the site. While he was unable to convert it to a public park, upon his death, his children donated his 480 acres to Colorado Springs city to be a public park, according to their father’s wishes.
- There’s a Plaque commemorating Charles Elliott Perkins, who donated the land to Colorado Springs on a sandstone formation.
- The Garden is well known for the Gateway trail, Central garden area, Garden of the Gods Park trails; the Chuckwagon Pavilion; Rock Ledge Ranch historic site, Spring Canyon.
There are yearly events, such as summer running races, bike rides, and a Pro Cycling challenge event, held in this park. In the early 1900s, Charles E. Strausenback, an Indian trader, built a trading post similar to the homes of Pueblo Indians. Here, native Indian silversmiths and artisans crafted jewelry, wove blankets, fashioned pottery and baskets during the 1950s. It has today expanded into an Art Gallery Gift Shop with a Cafe:
- The Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center and Museum has modern and interactive exhibits (30). It has displays that show Colorado’s geology, its minerals, its flora, and local wildlife.
Garden of the Gods and camping:
While traditional camping is not allowed in the Garden of the Gods, RV camping is done by many families as families travel and camp while bringing along the comforts of their home. And RV Parks, RV Resorts have mushroomed within the vicinity of natural outdoor sites, such as for the outdoor delights of the Garden of the Gods camping.
RV Parks for Garden of the Gods Camping
Colorado caters to camping enthusiasts with its many famous national parks with the increasing availability of campgrounds and RV camping opportunities for camping families, groups, and individuals.
Overnight campsite and RV park fees with hookups generally range from $30 to $50 per night or more. Here are RV Park sites within easy access to the Garden of the Gods.
Fountain Creek RV Park
A specialty lodging along Colorado Avenue, in Colorado Springs: open to overnight RV campers; folding tent campers are allowed.
- Overnight rate: $50 per night
- There are full hookups. i.e., water hookup, a sewer hook, and electric hookups.
- Nearby attractions include Michael Garman Museum & Gallery at 0.6 miles, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at 0.6 miles, Simpich Showcase at 0.6 miles.
- Historical sites near Rock Ledge Ranch, a historic site at 1.5 miles distance, and McAllister House at 2.7 miles distance
- Accessible to the bike trail
- Cable tv, wifi at overnight sites; there are 86 sites with wifi.
- Services include a restroom, laundry, RV supplies,
- Recreation: there is a nearby Fountain Creek; nature trails, a recreational hall
Holiday Village RV Camp
- This RV camp is at a distance of 5 miles to the Garden of the Gods, a few minutes walk to Pikes Peak.
- Nearby attractions include the Rock Ledge Ranch, a historic site, 2.1 miles away, and McAllister House, 2.8 miles distance.
- Facilities include a bathhouse, restrooms, hot showers.
- Recreation includes a spa, a recreation hall.
- There are restrictions on pets.
Garden of the Gods RV Park
At the Garden of the Gods RV Park, you can enjoy your Garden of the Gods Camping as it lies right at the foot of America’s Mountain. This RV Resort is near the city center and easy easily accessible by car.
You can leisurely walk to the Garden of the Gods from the RV Park. The camp is near Old Colorado City, as well as Pikes Peak. There are local shops for supplies you need and restaurants, within 5 minutes distance.
The Garden of the Gods RV Park has multiple natural attractions, perfect for hiking. Wilderness spots within a 10-mile distance offer you scenic sites for ATV (All-Terrain-Vehicle) riding, mountain biking, rock/mountain climbing, snow sports. If hunting is your favorite pastime, you can hunt within a 20-mile distance.
Services offered:
- Community style Fire Pit: The camping experience is enhanced as campers can group in outdoor dining-around-fire pits.
- Recreational Facilities: include a heated pool, swimming pool, recreational hall, picnic tables, an arcade where kids can play games, a playground, a Bee Center where they grow honey; Tent camping is allowed.
- Internet – Wifi is available at overnight parks. There are 14 Sites with wifi.
- Amenities: bathrooms, showers; restroom, laundry, guest services, RV Wash by staff, an Enclosed Dog Run, Pet supplies and a Dog Park
- Amp Service: 30/50: depending on the site: Sites: 148 All-Weather Sites – 30 Amp, 50 Amp, Big Rig Sites
Monthly RV Camp Site rate:
Dimensions:
- Back Ins (24 x 45)- Site Length (60)
- Pull thru size (24×60)
Rates:
- Standard Back-In: $700 monthly rate, plus electrical charges
- Deluxe Back-In: $77 monthly rate, with electrical charges
- Deluxe Pull-thru: $800 monthly rate, with electrical charges
- Executive RV site: $900 monthly rate, plus electrical charges
Back-In site:
Pros: cheaper
Cons:
- Size: smaller than the pull-through sites, but this is not the general rule. Always compare the back-in site’s dimensions to your RV dimensions, so the vehicle’s front does not stick out along a path. Some back-in sites can accommodate larger models, as diesel pushers or 5th wheelers.
Pull-Through Site
Pros
- Easier: Pull-thru sites are more accessible on the driver who can drive forward through the side entrance and continue pulling forward and out to leave the site.
- Convenience: It’s easy to drive, hook up your utilities and drive out when you’re done. It can even handle large RVs.
- Size: Pull-through sites offer more space than back-ins, designed for larger RV models. More room for your patio and amenities
Cons: More expensive than back-ins because of larger space.
Pikes Peak RV Park
Pikes Peak RV rate: $80 per night
Pikes Peak RV Parking:
- 30 amp electrical system sites at $60/night
- 50 amp electrical system sites at $60/night; trail 30 feet
- located in Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs, Colorado
- only 10 minutes away from the Garden of the Gods
- 15 minutes walk to Manitou Springs: offers Free shuttle rides to downtown Manitou Springs and the Cog railway
- Provides entertainment for the family; shops, eateries; the park is close to town
There are multiple outdoor attractions and picturesque scenic views on-site such as a creek that runs through the park; and a walking trail at the opposite end of the park. as well as:
- The Seven Falls
- Manitou Incline
- Pikes Peak which is the highest summit in the southern Rocky Mountains located in Colorado;
- wildlife such as deer, ducks, beavers, and more
Amenities offered: wifi, full hookups, and back-ins for RVs, laundry.
Nearby Nature Sites to enjoy:
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: over 700 animals
- Cave of the Winds Mountain Park: spelunking or exploring caves, zipline adventures, ropes courses
Goldfield RV Park:
- A family-owned business for 50 years, the GoldField RV Park is very near Garden of the Gods and Colorado Springs city.
- It is located near the highway.
- Accommodates many full-time campers: Folding Tent campers are allowed.
- Wifi and limited cable tv
- Amenities and services: include a restroom, showers, laundry, onsite RV Service, Onsite rentals, RV supplies, and an enclosed Dog Run.
- Nature recreation within a 10-mile distance: includes ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) riding, fishing, kayaking and canoeing, boating, mountain biking, mountain and rock climbing, hiking, whitewater rafting.
Free Camping Near the Garden of the Gods Colorado
For RV campers who are enthusiasts in the Garden of the Gods Camping, it is good to know that they can freely camp on the public land administered by the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Most of the sites for free Colorado RV camping are in national forests. State parks, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies also offer free RV camping.
Where do you find the free RV campsites?
Camping for free is known as dispersed camping, i.e., you can camp in approved areas besides the commercial campgrounds. Look for signs that you are entering a national forest. There are different regulations on this and are at times specified in markers. Any forest service road can offer dispersed camping.
Pros:
- Cost-free
- You enjoy privacy.
- Dispersed camping often offers wider ground, often beside the road. Suitable for car camping also.
Cons:
Lack of amenities: the problem of availability of water, restrooms
How do you find Free Campsites?
Campsites are usually marked by a fire ring, i.e., a stone, metal, or concrete construction built around campfires to subdue and prevent fires from spreading and becoming wildfires. These fire rings are put on forest access roads.
Boondocking
Boondocking is a term that refers to “off-the-grid camping”. The campers, including RV campers, do not avail of the services and amenities one finds in developed campgrounds and RV parks. Advocates of boondocking often enjoy a quieter way of camping. Usually, this unbeaten trail path leads the RV campers to genuinely beautiful sites.
Conclusion
There’s one word to describe the Garden of Gods, “magical” with its breathtaking formations to thrilling adventures or simply, the peace, the quiet, that you experience here is like no other. It’s a feeling that will stay with you even after leaving, enticing you to come back.