Garden of the Gods

Forever Free to the Public

What can you say about a place too beautiful to:
A. Capture with photographs?
B. Exist within a city?
C. Actually be a city park?
Well, the answer is "never enough".

Lots of places for climbers to enjoy and birds to live

From near the original park visitor center, looking north

That's the Kissing Camels rock formation above

Garden of the Gods was one of the first places we visited as a couple touring Colorado the first time in 1989.  There have been many changes since then, mostly with improvements in the arrangement of traffic flow through the park.  The city park is a National Natural Landmark and you will see why the first time you visit.  The Visitor and Nature Center is a museum of geology with an HD film about "How Did Those Red Rocks Get There".  You can eat with a view of geologic time and explore the shop, all without braving the weather outside.

View from near the Visitor Center (From Garden of the Gods website)

The gap near the Forever Free sign above

The nice paved trails offer outstanding views

Juniper berries feed the plethora of birds here

Many different kinds of rocks are on display

By the way, this is all free of charge.  You have to pay for your food and gifts, but you can walk, bike, picnic and take all the pictures you want, even visit the Nature Center for free.  The park is only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years days.

The Three Graces

Just past the Kissing Camels formation

The Trading Post

Once you have your bearings you can drive through the park, or mountain bike or hike the available trails.  There are classes in rock climbing, geology and park history.  A paved trail leads you to many of the rock formations like the Three Graces.  There are picnic areas to spend time with family and friends, many with tables and views.  Visit Rock Ledge Ranch.  Pikes Peak rises above it all.  There is even a very rare dinosaur skull that was found here.  Do check out the balancing rock and visit the Trading Post.
Most of all, relax.  The views here are outstanding, the breezes are cool, birds circle above you in the rocks.  Your camera can never convey the spiritual feeling here, much less show the scale or detail of the rock.  This is a place to be peaceful.  Enjoy it.
Directions are easy.  The route is well marked.  From I-25 in Colorado Springs, Exit onto Garden of the Gods road.  Drive west until the road ends, turning left onto 30th street at the sign.  Follow about a half mile and turn left into the visitor center to enjoy your day.

(Map courtesy Garden of the Gods website)

Plum Creek Trail Continues

The always present Castle Rock

We hiked south along the Plum Creek Trail in Castle Rock, south from Meadows Parkway to Wolfensburg road, the next overhead bridge crossing.  This 2.5 mile section of trail meanders alongside Plum Creek and is far enough away from traffic to be peaceful.  I tend to walk slowly and stop and look at the trees, the plants and everything.  My hiking partner is in it for the exercise, so our talks get somewhat humorous at times.

Plum Creek 

Nicely paved trail

Some rock placed to keep the creek in the right channel

View from the hiking bridge over the creek

There are several spots to relax and watch the creek flow north to Chatfield Lake and the Platte River Trail.  We met some horses grazing along the trail where we cross private property.  A big thanks to the folks who allow this trail to pass through their property.

Horses grazing

Hole above

At one point along the trail I noticed a "hole" in the sky above us.  Cloud formations are always interesting in Colorado.  The weather would worsen the next few days keeping us inside to stay dry and warm.

The Beatles : )

There were many birds here along the creek, even "the Beatles" welcoming us to the trail.
There is also a cross trail that connects up to the Castle Rock itself called Hangman's Gulch Trail.  It too is paved.  Signage is very good.

Excellent signage

And good directions

Trail adopters

We have now covered about half of the Plum Creek Trail system in town.  The trail continues south to a point past Plum Creek Parkway, another 2 or so miles to go.  It also connects with the paved Sellars Creek Trail to go through town, and then ends just south of the Parkway.  This trail is part of the future Colorado Front Range Trail, ultimately connecting front range communities from Wyoming to New Mexico.  That would be an awesome hike or bike ride!

Castle Rock...

...closer...

...and closer...

Eventually we will finish the south portion of this trail and will write about that.  To begin where we started, exit I-25 at #184, Founders Parkway in Castle Rock.  Turn west toward the Meadows, crossing Highway 85 (Santa Fe Trail).  Cross the bridge over Plum Creek and the railroad tracks. Turn left just past the bridge into the trail head parking area.  There is a trail head map on the Plum Creek Trail website above.  Bring water, wear a hat and enjoy your quiet walk!

Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space

Dawson Butte overlooking the 5 mile loop trail

Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space is a 25 square mile plot of Douglas County open space land, just 7 miles south of Castle Rock.  The mostly forest-covered land was purchased to preserve the open space feel and provide recreation.  The loop trail runs 5 miles and is a favorite with area runners and bicyclists.  Horseback riders also enjoy the area and the 60 horse jumps placed along bridal paths.
The day we went was cold and we only saw a few other people on this usually popular trail.

Well marked, easy to follow trail

Bench by the trail

Open Space began in 1994, when it was voted in by the Douglas County residents as a way to preserve some of the quickly disappearing lands in the county.  As a past and present resident, I have enjoyed many of the county's open space lands.
The Dawson Butte Open Space Trail travels from trees to meadow and back to heavy tree cover, providing shade and peace.  A few benches are placed along the trail, with picnic tables at the start and at the halfway point.  The hike starts at the high elevation of around 6800 feet, drops over 2.5 miles to the lower elevation of just over 6500 feet, and climbs back almost 300 feet of elevation near Tomah Road to the trail head.  Front range views are nice, and the ever-present Dawson Butte looks over all here.  There are no trails (or access) to the top.  We all liked the hike, enjoying the sound of the wind in the trees, while listening to birds and watching the views.  At times you could smell the pines all around you.  It is a very different experience from the areas around Castle Rock, with so much timber.  I highly recommend this hike for all.  I would like to come back and snowshoe here this winter.

Meadow walk

Benches are available

The Stairway to Heaven, Manger Meadow, Tomah Meadow and Fenceline trails are bridal paths and include those 60 horse jumps.  A dirt road provides emergency access through the park.  There is no water, so bring your own.  A Port-a-let is available at the trail head.  Trail maps are available HERE.

Peaceful hiking trail

Indian Head view

To get to Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space, take I-25 south of Denver to Castle Rock.  Exit at mile 181, Plum Creek Parkway, turn right under the railroad overpass, then turn left to go south on the frontage road (on the west side of the Interstate).  Follow south to the right turn on Tomah Road.  Watch for trains at the railroad crossing!  Follow Tomah Road up the hill, turning right into the trail head.  Park here and hike.  

Daniels Park

My favorite stone picnic shelter, designed by J. Benedict in 1922

Some of the Denver areas best mountain views are found in the older Denver Mountain Parks.  Daniels Park, south of Denver keeps this promise, providing an unlimited view of the entire front range, from north of Longs Peak to the south at Pikes Peak.
Denver Mountain Parks began as an idea in 1909-1910 by John Brisben Walker and Robert W. Speer, Denver's mayor.  The idea not only included parks, but roads to connect them, so everyone could travel to the parks easily.  Over many years it grew into the huge park system we now know, including Winter Park and O'Fallon Park.  The famous landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, was hired in 1912 and he planned the system of mountain roads and parkland of 41,310 acres. Genesee Park was the first to be developed, Red Rocks Park among the last in 1927-1928.  There is much history here, and a few of the great, local auto-tours to enjoy also.

The best picnic is from the picnic table on the edge of the bluff

One of my favorite stone picnic shelters is here, designed by J.J.B. Benedict in 1922.  It's use of native stone and timbers is wonderful.  While they have sealed up the fireplace, it is still nice to sit on the old stones and ponder the view.
The bison (native buffalo) herd here is also pretty neat to watch.  It was transplanted here from the herd in Genesee Park in 1939.  You can see how huge these animals are.

Looking north along the front range to Wyoming.  Bring your telephoto lens for mountain close-ups.

The view goes on forever.  The day we were here there was no wind at all, not even a breeze.  That is unusual, as it is almost always very windy here.
Hiking in the park is available as trails along the bison fence and the views above the bluffs.  It is still very pleasant here, a nice diversion from the fast pace slam of the Interstate.  It is a good place to rest and look out at the geologic wonder of the front range of Colorado.
To get to Daniels Park, go south on I-25 from Denver, exit at #188, Castle Pines.  Travel west on Castle Pines Parkway, turning right onto North Daniels Park Road.  The picnic shelter is on your left at Wildcat Point, bison are in  the fields to your right.

Gateway Mesa Trail Open Space

The Trail Head with my shadow 

Sometimes you find a trail that is just right.  For a nice, mostly flat 2 mile hike along a mesa top in Castle Rock, I found the Gateway Mesa Trail.  We hiked Chucks Loop, a 1.8 mile trail which crosses the mesa to the bluffs overlooking Franktown and Cherry Creek.  This is that same Cherry Creek that flows north, where the town of Denver began at Cherry Creek's confluence with the Platte River.
The trail follows along a horse farm fence for half a mile before coming to the cap rock area near the bluffs.  Here the Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail intersects Chuck's Loop.  We hiked south along this trail another half mile and stopped to enjoy the view at an overlook.

The overlook, Franktown below

More overlook.  It all drops away from the cap rock

Cap Rock.  This looks just like you are on top of Castle Rock, except for the trees

Pikes Peak

We walked back north to rejoin Chuck's Loop Trail.  The plan is to tackle Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail on another day.  Back on the main loop, we followed the trail along the cap rock via cairns.
With more trees in this area, bird life was everywhere.  From smaller than a couple fingers to full size hunting hawks, there were so many different types of birds I needed an identification book to name them.

Cairns

Hoodoos

An old gnarly cedar

Hoodoos, old and gnarly cedar trees, and a few well-placed wooden benches, this trail was interesting.  Once we got as far back as the bluff area, all sounds of traffic had disappeared and with only the sound of the wind in the trees, it was very peaceful.

Trees, Clear Sky and the Colorado Sunshine

Benches provided by an Eagle Scout Project

A cute door knocker added to a tree

Juniper berries, more than I have ever seen.  That's why there are so many birds here

We sat on a bench and enjoyed the solitude as the trail rose out of the trees and into a meadow.  There were remains of a barb wire fence to the right, lots of different grasses and the distant mountains to ponder.  I really like this trail!

A long view of Longs Peak and the front range.

And Mount Evans

A close-up of the grass

And more back-lit scrub and grasses

The trail follows along, well-marked and easy.  When wet there could be some mud, but it is mostly natural surface and rock.  We encountered some traffic noise as we rounded the north side of the trail from highway 86 and headed back to the Trail Head.  

A bluebird house.  Many were built along the trail

That small dot in the sky is the rising moon

Parting shot at the end of a fine hike

The Trail Head is located on highway 86, as you travel east from Castle Rock to Franktown, and is the last turn off to the right before dropping down to Cherry Creek.  Since the trail is short, you can hike it in less than 2 hours and still take your time.

Hiking at the MAC

The MAC from the Purple Trail.  The Challenge Trail climbs to the top of the ridge

Today's hike was along the Purple Loop Trail at the MAC in Castle Rock.
This natural surface trail climbs quickly and provides views of Castle Rock and the new MAC site. This is the shortest of the 5 hiking/bicycling trails and it is interconnected to the Gold Loop Trail, the Red Loop Trail and the Green Loop Trail, all of which add up to over 8 miles of hilly hiking or bicycling.  This trail starts to the north of the site and is across the street from the Challenge Hill, a 200-step staircase similar in design to the Manitou Springs Incline. Challenge Hill also has the Blue Loop Trail which climbs to the top, in case you need a break from the steps.
The community park site includes a zip-line course and an adventure playground area.  The MAC is a world-class fitness facility with indoor and outdoor lighted synthetic surface fields, activity classes, a pool, classes of workout routines, a golf simulator and a trampoline.

Awesome new trail construction

Trail construction is recent and is done well with water bars and a downhill slanted trail bed for drainage.  Some sections are steep, so you need to watch your step and not slip-slide away.  A couple in front of us slipped into a trail side cactus on the loose gravel, so do be careful.

Mostly scrub cover, there is a little shade along the north side near the top of the ridge

The weather "is what it is" this week with the temperatures in the lower 60's for our hike.  The sky is perfectly clear and from one vantage point, we could clearly see a sliver of mountains over 70 miles away.  Usually December is colder here, but we will take the clear, warm weather.  Our sea-level lungs are still adapting to the altitude, and we stopped to catch our breath a couple times.

The trail markers are colored per trail, this one showing the Purple Trail loop junction

The trail is shared with mountain bikers, and it has that straight-up/straight-down feeling of most off-road bicycle trails in Colorado.  Other than seeing that other couple, we had the trail and the views to ourselves for our peaceful walk.
Future plans call for connecting these trails to the Ridgeline Open Space and the Stuart Trail network to the west.

View of the ball fields (to the right of the first photo) and the towers for the upcoming zip lines

These trails are located at the new Phillip Miller Recreation center (or MAC for Miller Activity Complex) at 1375 West Plum Creek Parkway.  Parking and hiking are free.  You can access the center off Interstate 25 at Plum Creek Parkway.  Go uphill (west) and the MAC is that massive field house on the left.

Trail Head shows you the way back to the MAC.  I love these signs!