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Information about Garden Of The Gods

For the Garden of the Gods in Southern Illinois, see Shawnee National Forest. For Hawaii, see Lanai.


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The entrance to Garden of the Gods with Pikes Peak in the background
Garden of the Gods is a public park located in Colorado Springs. It contains conglomerate sandstone hogback formations belonging geologically to the Fountain Formation, similar to the Red Rocks west of Denver. This hogback ridge begins in southern Wyoming and continues south along the "Front Range" of the eastern most part of the Colorado Rocky chain of mountains, concluding in southern Colorado/northern New Mexico. The name Colorado is said to come from the color of this sandstone. There are many fossils to be seen: marine forms, plant fossils, and some dinosaur fossils.

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A row of hogbacks. The Kissing Camels formation is the nearest hogback on the right. The "camels' heads" are above the hole in the rock through which sky can be seen.
The hogbacks, so named because they resemble the backs and spines of a pig, are ridges of sandstone whose layers are tilted. Instead of lying horizontally, some layers are even vertically oriented. Each hogback can range up to several hundred feet long, and the tallest (called The Kissing Camels) rises to a height of 320 feet tall. The hump on the northern-most camel broke off from erosion and heavy climbing but the two facing rocks appear to be two very large camels sitting with their lips touching.[1]

Entrance to the park is free according to the wish of Charles Elliott Perkins, whose children donated the land to the city of Colorado Springs in 1909. It contains numerous trails for hiking, walking, mountain biking and horseback riding. One of the most popular trails, Perkins has been paved, in an effort to combat the erosion of the park's central garden caused by its numerous visitors. Visitors receive frequent reminders to watch out for rattlesnakes in the hot days of summer.

Because of the unusual and steep rock formations in the park, it is an attractive goal for rock climbers. Rock climbing is permitted, with annual permit obtained at the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. The only requirements are reading the rules, having proper equipment, climbing with a "buddy", and staying on established climbing routes. Due to the sometimes unstable condition of the sandstone—particularly after a great deal of precipitation—several fatalities have occurred over the years. This is a very popular bicycle-riding area because of the scenic views, safe one-way recently-paved roads, and healthy clean air.

Near the entrance to the park is Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, a recreation of rustic ranch of the late 1800s. The walking tour features a restored ranch house, demonstrations of smithing and facts about Native American activity in the area, including a small recreation of a Native American campsite. Unlike Garden of the Gods, Rock Ledge Ranch charges a small entrance fee.

Also nearby is the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center, proceeds from which support the Garden of the Gods Park. The center provides useful information for the experienced hiker as well as the armchair tourist.

The name

Many people assume the name comes from a native American name for the area. In fact, the name of the park only dates back to August 1859 when two surveyors helping to set up nearby Colorado City were exploring the nearby areas. Upon discovering the site, one of the surveyors, M. S. Beach, suggested that it would be a "capital place for a beer garden." His companion, the young Rufus Cable, awestruck by the impressive rock formations, exclaimed, "Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods." The beer garden never materialized, but the name stuck.[2]

Gallery


Picture of Balanced Rock.

Rock peak in the Garden of the Gods (October 2006).

Another view of rock formations (October 2006).

A view of Cathedral Valley showing some of its unusual hogback formations

Sandstone formation

Scene from the 1950s. Steamboat Rock, with Balanced Rock to the right.


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Little Egypt is the southern area of the state of Illinois in the United States of America. The region is sometimes called simply "Egypt," although the shortened form is not used as much as it once was.
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State of Hawaii
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park is a bounded area of land, usually in its natural or semi-natural (landscaped) state and set aside for some purpose, usually to do with recreation.

History

The first parks were land set aside for hunting by the aristocracy in medieval times.
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City of Colorado Springs
Nickname: The Springs
Location in El Paso County and the state of Colorado
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conglomerate (IPA: /kɒnˈglɒmərət/) is a rock consisting of individual stones that have become cemented together.
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Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust.
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A hogback is a linear ridge composed of steeply tilted hard and soft strata of rock that protrude out of the surrounding strata. The softer rock erodes quicker than the capping harder rock above.
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Fountain Formation is a conglomerate sandstone or arkose, red or reddish-gray in color, that is found in various locations in the state of Colorado in the USA. Especially notable examples of this formation are the Flatirons, the Garden of the Gods, and Red Rocks.
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Location: Morrison, Colorado

Built/Founded: 1928
Architect: Hoyt,Burnham; Rosche,W. R.
Architectural style(s): Pueblo
Added to NRHP: May 18, 1990

NRHP Reference#: 90000725 [1]
MPS:
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City and County of Denver

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State of Colorado

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Nickname(s): The Centennial State
Motto(s): Nil sine numine

Official language(s) English

Capital Denver
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Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains. Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust.
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City of Colorado Springs
Nickname: The Springs
Location in El Paso County and the state of Colorado
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19th century - 20th century - 21st century
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Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. It usually takes place on trails in rural or wilderness areas.

The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries, but there are differences in usage.
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Walking is the main form of animal locomotion on land, distinguished from running and crawling. When carried out in shallow waters, it is usually described as wading and when performed over a steeply rising object or an obstacle it becomes scrambling
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Mountain biking usually refers to the sport of riding bicycles possessing particular design characteristics, mountain bikes, off-road, although sometimes the term simply refers to riding a mountain bike. The sport requires endurance, bike handling skills and self-reliance.
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Equestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving horses. This broad description includes both use of horses for practical, working purposes as well as recreational activities and competitive sports.
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Erosion is displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock and other particles) usually by the agents of currents such as, wind, water, or ice by downward or down-slope movement in response to gravity or by living organisms (in the case of bioerosion).
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For processes by which rocks are formed, see .


Rock formations as used in this article refers to isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrops. These are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock.
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Rock climbing, broadly speaking, is the act of ascending steep rock formations. Normally, climbers use gear and safety equipment specifically designed for the purpose. Strength, endurance, and mental control, as well as agility and balance, are required to cope with tough,
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precipitation (also known as hydrometeor) is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that is deposited on the earth's surface. It occurs when the atmosphere (being a large gaseous solution) becomes saturated with water vapour and the water condenses and
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ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool.
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blacksmith is a person who creates objects from iron or steel by "forging" the metal; i.e., by using hand tools to hammer, bend, cut, and otherwise shape it in its non-liquid form. Usually the metal is heated until it glows red or orange as part of the forging process.
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campsite (or campground) is a place used for overnight stay in the out of doors. The term 'campsite' usually means an area where an individual, family, group or military unit might camp.
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Surveying is the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional space position of points and the distances and angles between them. These points are usually, but not exclusively, associated with positions on the surface of the Earth, and are
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