Garden Of The Gods

Today, I took a drive south on I-25 to Colorado Springs (about an hour away) to visit a truly unique place.  Garden Of The Gods rises up out of the Front Range with color and character to spare.  The image above was taken from the Visitor's Center and clearly shows Pike's Peak framed by the entrance rocks to the park.

It was our first 70 degree day and I wanted to make the most of it.  I wasn't alone.  Bus after bus loaded with school kids, van tours for older folks and walkers, runners, and climbers filled the small valley.

There are over 15 miles of trails that wind through the 1385 acres of the park.  These include hiking trails, horse trails, and mountain biking trails.  You can even join a Segway tour.  After 8 hrs hiking and shooting in the park, that last mode of transport sounded great.

Pretty self-explanatory here.  Several people ate lunch under the rock.  I, however, was not one of them.  Like Balancing Rock, most of the park is visible from the roads that circle the park.  This guy was in a hurry.

This shot is of the Central Garden and is iconic for Garden Of The Gods.  I couldn't help myself.  Admit it, with a view like that, you'd shoot it too.

Rock climbing is a very popular sport in Colorado (what sports aren't) and the park has several areas dedicated to this crazy endeavor.  If you look closely, you can see two climbers on this, the tallest rock in the Garden.

One last stroll into the sunset and it's time to get my tired bones back in the truck for the drive home.  This will not be my last visit to Garden Of The Gods.  Fall should be lovely. 

That's it for this week.  Next week, I head down south to Alamosa, Co. for the migration of the Sanhill Cranes and a side visit to the Great Sand Dunes National Park, the largest sand dunes in North America.