One of the things we like to do is check out our country’s national parks. They are usually some of the best places around. As seniors we can enter most for free so it helps with the expenses of travel. It was with that in mind that we planned a trip to Colorado to check out three national parks along the southern corridor.
We left on a Saturday in late April. We checked Colorado’s weather the morning we left and were quite surprised to see that it was snowing. Snow in late April? Fortunately by the time our flight arrived in Denver, the snow had stopped. and there was only a little bit of rain. Rain we can handle although the temperature was still quite low when we arrived at our first destination, Manitou Springs.
Manitou Springs is a popular destination as it has a lot to offer. My daughter Andrea recommended we go there. She had gone there with a friend to do the Incline, a steep almost mile hike up a hill. We didn’t try it.
However, one of the popular activities is a visit to the Garden of the Gods, and that we did do. Sunday proved to be a beautiful day to visit with all signs of snow gone. It turned out that on that morning they were not allowing cars into the park until noon. One can visit the Garden of the Gods and just drive through in a car to see many of the sights. However, I wouldn’t recommend that.
We started in the Visitor’s Center to get our bearings. it’s a large building with some displays, a cafe and gift shop as well as the headquarters for some tours. The Garden of the Gods was given to the city of Colorado Springs with the stipulation that there would never be an entrance fee. One of the ways they generate income, then, is through the gift shop and other extras they can establish. With the morning sun shining on the rock formations, the view from the Visitor’s Center was amazing.
At the Visitor’s Center they provide QR codes to scan which will give you WiFi access throughout the park. They also provide you with online maps of the park. They have apparently decided to no longer print paper maps as a way to conserve resources.
With a map at our disposal, we left the Visitor’s Center and walked down to the main trail which is the Gateway Trail. This trail is a nice wide, paved trail so it is easily accessible. There are two large red rock structures that visitors see from a distance, but as one gets closer, they discover there are a number of other smaller rocks around that are just as interesting.
The gateway Trail will eventually connect to the paved Central Garden Trail. The Garden considers it the main trail to see the sites in the park. It goes around behind the large rock structures and gives various views of the rocks. I found I was taking a lot of photos because around each turn I would see another interesting vista. The rocks would change as you looked at them from different angles.
I found the rocks at the south end of these main rocks the more unique rocks. They were often quite thin looking, almost like slices of rock. They were quite interesting to see. At the south end off of the paved trail, we took a route called the Upper Loop Trail. We had to climb stairs going both up and down. At the top of the trail was an area where people could climb out on some of the rocks, and they definitely took advantage of that opportunity. We did not join them, but enjoyed watched those who did.
One can scale the rocks, but climbers need a special permit to do so. They also need to have the right kind of gear. We didn’t see anyone climbing while we were there.
We continued on the paved trail back to the Gateway Trail then walked another paved trail on the other side of the main rock. It offered some interesting views of the rocks which we had not seen from other directions. We then returned to the Visitor’s Center and our motel for lunch and a rest.
Later we returned to Garden of the Gods, but a different location. We came to see the Balanced Rock, a rock that seems to be balanced on a small corner. The road here is interesting as it is quite narrow as it goes between the rocks. This is a popular sight and kids seemed to love to climb around this rock as well.
From there we walked to the Trading Post which is another gift shop. It is huge with all manner of goods to sell from t-shirts to Native American art and jewelry to Colorado artists and tchotchkes of all kinds.
Near the Trading Post we began walking the Cabin Canyon Trail. It was a more challenging trail as it was not paved, in fact at times the terrain was rough. However, it offered some beautiful views and was definitely a good hike. One of the highlights is seeing the formation called the Siamese Twins which looks like two stacked rock piles side by side. There were a lot less people on this hike. There are a number of hikes throughout the garden so visitors who have time or the inclination can certainly find places to hike beyond the busy Garden Center Trail.
After our hike in Garden of the Gods, we were ready to explore a little bit of the town of Manitou Springs. The first challenge is finding parking. They have some parking lots as well as street parking, but it’s not free. Visitors can pay with their phone or at a machine. It can be a little confusing. We did learn that parking is free after 6:00 although they won’t charge visitors after 5:30. We learned this from a parking monitor.
The town is actually much larger than we had expected. It has some older, historic buildings but is not focused on history. It offers a wide variety of activities. There are parks as well as an area for arcade activities. Of course there are a lot of restaurants for visitors to choose from. We enjoyed a meal at a hamburger joint.
The owner of our motel told me that in the summer time the area is really busy. It is often difficult to get reservations for some of the local activities. Since we were visiting on a weekend, it seemed quite busy to me but not overwhelming.
It had been a near perfect day for our visit to the Garden of the Gods. Fluffy clouds in the sky add to the photos we took. A light jacket was all we needed to keep warm. The rest of our Colorado stay is supposed to be generally warm so we are looking forward to a great trip. I hope you follow along as we explore the southern region of Colorado.
What is your next travel destination? With summer approaching, I’m sure some of you have some trips planned. I’d love to know where you are going. Feel free to share your plans in the comment box below.