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GARDEN OF THE GODS – #Colorado

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GARDEN OF THE GODS

The Garden of the Gods’ red rock formations were created during a geological upheaval along a natural fault line millions of years ago. Archaeological evidence shows that prehistoric people visited Garden of the Gods about 1330 BC. At about 250 BC, Native American people camped in the park.  They are believed to have been attracted to wildlife and plant life in the area and used overhangs created by the rocks for shelter. Many native peoples have reported a connection to Garden of the Gods, including Apache, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa, Lakota, Pawnee, Shoshone, and Ute people.
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In 1879 Charles Elliott Perkins purchased 480 acres of land that included a portion of the present Garden of the Gods. Upon Perkins’ death, his family gave the land to the City of Colorado Springs in 1909, with the provision that it would be a free public park. Palmer had owned the Rock Ledge Ranch and upon his death it was donated to the city.

In 1995 the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center was opened just outside the park. ~wikipedia

Our visit to Garden of the Gods in early September 2020 was a bit hazy.  The smoke from the all of the wild fires were blowing South in the general vicinity of the National Natural Landmark.  Even though the views were somewhat obscured, they were beautiful. CO Fire Map

The park features 21 miles of hiking trails to explore.  However; given the fires in the mountains, this recreation area  was jammed full of people.  We spent some time hiking around keeping our distance from other in the era of Covid.  It was nice to be outdoors in the early hours of a warm Fall day.   The view of the beautiful red rock formations, flora and fauna were a welcome change from being in our home office.

“You wind among rocks of every conceivable and inconceivable shape and size… all bright red, all motionless and silent, with a strange look of having been just stopped and held back in the very climax of some supernatural catastrophe.” ~Helen Hunt Jackson

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