Walk ‘n’ roll through the Garden of the Gods in Colorado
Strolling is a delightful outdoor activity, and Mother Nature gives us beautiful locales to do it. The Garden of the Gods in Colorado is one of these places, and it showcases my favorite natural color palette.
It’s hard to take my eyes off the rust-red rocks, surrounding greenery, azure sky and marshmallow clouds.
The park attracts 4 million visitors a year with its other-worldly formations.
And it doesn’t hurt that it’s free to get into Garden of the Gods, and that it’s located only an hour and a half from Denver.
Take it nice and easy
There are several hiking trails around the grounds, but not everyone with Parkinson’s disease is up for that.
An alternative might be to hang around the very accessible “central garden.”
This is where the park’s most stunning rocks jut upward, almost as if they grew straight from the ground among the walking paths. In a way, they did just that, as sediment layers eroded and were pushed upward by mountain-building events over millions of years.
(The paths, of course, are a more recent development.)
The garden’s 1-mile loop trail is level and smooth – suitable for wheelchairs, walkers, and canes. And uncomfortable shoes, if that’s all you’ve got.
Getting ready to go
Some family members and I took our chances on a rainy-day visit, thinking we’d have more elbow room as others stayed away. We found that, despite the raindrops, the overflow lots still were filling quickly.
Our group first stopped at the Garden of the Gods visitor center to get oriented. The two-story structure, with its rough, reddish exterior, complements the landscape. Inside are interactive exhibits, an information desk, a theater, and a cafe.
You can set up one of many tours of the area offered: self-guided, audio, ranger-led, e-bike, Segway, trolley (shown here), horseback, Jeep, or your own car.
Some require preregistration, so check the website before you go.
There are two wheelchairs available for use at no cost — first come, first served.
Luck smiled on our group, and the rain clouds broke as we set off for the central garden, printed guides in hand.
A bonus was that the reddish colors of the rocks seemed to be deepened by the wetness.
From the visitor center, a tunnel under the busy road led us to the walking paths.
Parkinson’s hiking tip
There are a few handicapped parking spaces right next to the trail. There’s also an ADA-equipped shuttle that travels from the Garden of the Gods visitor center to the parking lots to the central garden during the summer season.
You can see and touch most of the formations close up.
Climbing on them is allowed!
A few in our party couldn’t resist. But know the risks of falling, and your own capabilities.
We dilly-dallied our way through the mile-long loop, stopping for picture-taking and exploring off-path a bit. It was a pleasant stroll, but it would hardly qualify as a vigorous workout, if that’s what you’re going for.
Garden of the Gods has a range of hikes at many levels, including more challenging ones. Maps are available for free at the visitor center.
Still, if you want to breathe mountain air, view a stunning natural wonder, and get some mild exercise, Garden of the Gods is a worthwhile and very accessible destination.
Stroll info
PD difficulty level (see chart): Easiest
Distance: 1-mile loop
Elevation change: negligible if you stay on loop path
Location: 1805 N. 30th Street, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Bathrooms: in visitor center, but not in central garden
Emergency support: within 15 miles
Cost: free
Road access to trailhead: short walk from the visitor center and parking lots
Insider tip:
A stop at the visitor center is a good way to start when planning your Garden of the Gods itinerary. And there’s cool stuff there to see.
(Special thanks to Jesse and Jon for use of their photos.)
