08 Nov Perkins Central Garden Trail in Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods is a must-visit attraction in Colorado Springs, and the Perkins Central Garden Trail is arguably the best trail within the park to view the rock formations. Why is it the best? It is considered to be an easy route at only 1.1 (~1.8 kilometers) miles and is wheelchair accessible, thus meaning almost anyone can conquer the trail. Additionally, it passes by some of the largest rock formations in the park. I visited Garden of the Gods while on a road trip from Pennsylvania to California with friends. We had a limited amount of time to spend in the park, and thus the Perkins Trail was perfect for us. Additionally, we stopped at a few lookouts along the road. 

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Contents:

1) Location of Perkins Central Garden Trail

2) Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

3) The Best Time to Visit

4) Quick Facts

5) Background on the Park

6) Perkins Central Garden Trail Information

7) Recommended Items to Bring

1) Location of Perkins Central Garden Trail

Garden of the Gods is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Perkins Central Garden Trail is found in the northern section of the park as it loops around the Central Gardens. For reference, it is approximately one hour south of Denver, Colorado and five and a half hours north of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

If you are driving from Denver, you will need to hop on I-25 S. Then take exit 146 to Garden of the Gods Road and keep right at the fork. After a little over two miles (~3.6 kilometers), turn left onto N 30th Street. Then after another mile and a half (~2.4 kilometers), turn right onto Gateway Road. At this point, you will now be within the park borders. To reach the parking lot for the trail, turn right onto Juniper Way Loop then turn left into the lot.

Parking for the Perkins Central Garden Trail

There is a main parking lot for the Perkins Central Garden Trail. However, there are also a variety of other parking lots throughout the park. For example, you can always park at the next closest parking lot in case the parking lot by the trailhead fills up. If you want to visit other attractions within the park or head out on another trail, find other nearby parking lots.

Sun peaking through the clouds on Perkins Central Garden Trail

Nearby Lodging

There are a lot of lodging options available in the city of Colorado Springs. Like hundreds of options. Otherwise, you can plan to stay in Denver and make a day trip to the park.

Nearby Airports

The closest airport to Garden of the Gods is the Colorado Springs Airport. It is only a 25 minute drive southeast. However, it does not offer non-stop international flights. That being said, you will need a layover, such as in Dallas, if you want to fly internationally. The closest international airport to the park is Denver International Airport at one hour and 20 minutes north.

Driving through Garden of the Gods in Colorado

2) Opening Hours and Entrance Fee

The opening hours for Garden of the Gods depend on the season. In the winter months from the beginning of November to the end of April, it is open from 5:00am to 9:00pm daily. On the other hand, it is open from 5:00am to 10:00pm in the summer months from the beginning of May to the end of October.

You can check their site for the most current information. Their site also lists the hours for the visitor and nature center, which differ from the general park hours.

Entrance Fee 

Do you want some good news? Well, then listen up. The Garden of the Gods park as well as the visitor and nature center are completely free. There is no entrance fee per person or per vehicle. We love a free park.

One of the intricately-balanced rocks at Garden of the Gods

3) The Best Time to Visit

I visited while on a cross-country road trip with friends before my final fall semester of undergrad, and thus we could not control the time of our visit as much. We visited in about mid-August while crowds were pretty heavy. Nevertheless, we still greatly enjoyed our time here. Do not let the large crowds deter you if that is the only time you are able to visit.

The Best Season to Visit

The best season to visit Garden of the Gods is in spring or autumn while the best time of day to visit is in the morning or evening. Most people want to avoid visiting the park in extreme temperatures. Spring and autumn as well as the morning and evening bring milder temperatures, so take advantage of that while you can. Additionally, the park will be the most crowded in the summer as well as in the middle of the day on weekends, so avoid the busy season if at all possible.

One of the many magnificent rock features at Garden of the Gods

Estimated Hiking Time for the Perkins Central Garden Trail

If you only plan to walk along the Perkins Central Garden Trail during your visit, then plan for about an hour inside the park. The trail itself takes around 25 minutes to complete, but you of course need to add in some buffer time for pictures and exploring.

However, you can easily make a whole day out of visiting the park. Then you would have plenty of time to check out a few other walking / hiking trails and scenic lookouts.

Sun shining above the rocks at Garden of the Gods

4) Quick Facts 

1. The tallest rock formation in the park stands at over 300 feet (~91 meters) tall. 

2. Tectonic plates collided approximately 65 million years ago, resulting in the rock formations throughout the park being lifted above ground.

3. Perkins Central Garden Trail is only a 1.1 mile (~1.8 kilometer) loop trail with less than 100 feet (~30 meters) in elevation gain.

4. Perkins Central Garden Trail is wheelchair accessible, for it is a concrete path with minimal elevation gain. 

Panoramic view of Garden of the Gods

5) Background on the Park

While visiting Garden of the Gods and looking around at the rock formations, you might wonder how they came to exist. Some of the formations look so beautiful and intricate that you might think someone sculpted them. However, I can assure you they are all natural. 

Another must-visit attraction in the area is Great Sand Dunes National Park. Here you can create unforgettable memories by sandboarding or sledding down the sand dunes. 

Naming of Garden of the Gods 

Garden of the Gods is a pretty spectacular name. But to whom can we give credit for the park’s name? Well, that credit would belong to Rufus Cable, a surveyor. Over one hundred years ago in the late 1850s, Rufus was examining the area around Colorado Springs. He saw the rocks peaking into the sky, and he exclaimed that it was “a fit place for the gods to assemble”. The name of the area then became known as Garden of the Gods.

Walking along the Perkins Central Garden Trail

Size of the Park

Garden of the Gods is approximately 1,320 acres large. The tallest rock formations in the area stand at over 300 feet (~91 meters) tall. 

On average, the park sits at about 6,400 feet (~1,950 meters) above sea level. However, the elevation does range anywhere from around 6,150 feet (~1,875 meters) to 7,250 feet (~2,210 meters) throughout the park. 

Creation of the Rock Formations

I bet you would never guess that the land on which Garden of the Gods now stands once used to be an inland sea as well as sand dunes. That is right, this area has quite an interesting history behind it. 

The story starts around one billion years ago when the Ancestral Rockies existed in the area. They existed without dramatic change for a while, but they began to slowly wear down approximately 250 to 300 million years ago. Then the landscape of the area shifted to an inland sea around 250 million years ago. As the sea began to dry up, sand dunes became prevalent in the area. 

The combination of the mountains, inland sea, and sand dunes all existing in the area over time resulted in a bunch of built up sediment. The sediment then formed into rock formations over millions of years. Mountain building activities (aka tectonic plates colliding with one another) resulted in the sedimentary rocks being forced upward. The final result is Garden of the Gods as you now see it today. 

One of the most famous viewpoints in Garden of the Gods

6) Perkins Central Garden Trail Information

This is one of the best trails within the park for a few reasons. First, it is accessible to almost everyone due to the fact it is both easy and short. Bonus – it is wheelchair accessible. Second, it passes by some of the largest rock formations in the entire park. 

If you are looking for more of a challenge, then head to Zion National Park and complete one of their three most difficult hiking trails.

Arriving at the Trailhead

The trailhead is located in the northern section of the park. If you are coming from the Nature and Visitor Center, drive along Gateway Road and then turn right onto Juniper Way Loop. From there, turn left into the first designated parking lot you come across. 

The trail begins at the parking lot and then loops around the Central Gardens before returning to the parking lot where you began. 

General Perkins Central Garden Trail Information

The Perkins Central Garden Trail is a 1.1 mile (~1.8 kilometer) loop in the northern section of the park. It is considered to be an easy trail due to the fact it only takes approximately 25 minutes to complete and has less than 100 feet (~30 meters) in elevation gain. Additionally, the trail is a paved, concrete path. 

Walking along Perkins Central Garden Trail in Garden of the Gods in Colorado

Sites to See Along the Trail

While walking along the trail, you will see a variety of the park’s most popular rock formations. This includes Kissing Camels, White Rocks, Sentinel Rock, Three Graces, and Cathedral Spires. Since the trail has minimal elevation gain, you will mainly be viewing the formations from their bases. 

Adding on to the Perkins Central Garden Trail

There are various other trails located within the park, and you can easily add one of them onto your itinerary. For example, you can continue on to the Outer Loop Trail from the Perkins Central Garden Trail. 

Otherwise, you can plan to stop at lookout points along the road. These offer great opportunities to capture a magnificent view without the time commitment of a hiking trail. 

Unique rock formations in Garden of the Gods

7) Recommended Items to Bring

I know, I know. It can be annoying to carry around a backpack when you visit an attraction such as Garden of the Gods and walk along the Perkins Central Garden Trail. However, it is important you bring along a few essential items in order to remain safe, which allows you to have the best time possible. For example, you will not enjoy the rock formations as much if all you are thinking about is the water bottle you left in the car because you are starting to feel dehydrated. 

Hygiene

1. Water bottle: Please please please be sure to bring water with you while hiking along the trail and visiting the park. I do not mean bring water and leave it in your car. Nope. Carry your water around with you as you hike along the trail and explore the rock formations. Water is even more important if you are visiting in the summer, for the heat can make you become dehydrated real quick. I always carry around my Yeti water bottle.

2. Sunscreen: While this might not be as important on a cloudy day, it will be on a day full of beautiful clear skies. Walking around even for just 30 minutes can lead to sunburn if you have fair skin.

3. Bug spray: Let’s be honest – mosquitos, gnats, and any other little type of fly can ruin an experience. You cannot truly enjoy an attraction if you are swatting away bugs from your face the whole time. Therefore, be prepared with bug spray or a mosquito repellent bracelet. 

Rocks, rocks, and more rocks!

Hiking Apparel for the Perkins Central Garden Trail

4. Hiking shoes: A pair of hiking shoes will be incredibly helpful if you plan to hike any of the trails within the park, including the Perkins Central Garden Trail. Even though the trail is fairly flat, I am a big proponent of hiking shoes for all trails due to their traction and comfortability. Moreover, you can use hiking shoes on all kinds of other trails, for example Angel’s Landing in Zion or one of the many trails available at Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

5. Hiking poles: While hiking poles might not be a necessity for one of the shorter trails, they will definitely come in handy on one of the longer trails with greater elevation gain. A little extra support can go a long way.

6. Optional – crampons: These are only necessary in the winter months if there is snow or ice along the hiking trails. Crampons are spikes that attach to the bottom of shoes.

Sun shining through the clouds and onto the rock formations

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Check out some of the national monuments in New Mexico, including: Bandelier National Monument.

Another New Mexico national monument is: Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument.