On our last day in Denver we attempted to head to Vail. I have always had grand visions of Vail being the Cannes or the Paris of Colorado. Since it hadn’t rained in recent memory here in California we thought it would be fun to visit the snow. We managed to get about fifteen minutes outside of Denver before it started to snow pretty hard. We knew we would never make it to Vail and back, in the snow, by the time we needed to catch our flight. Alas, Vail will remain a mystery to me still. We re-routed our drive south to the Garden of the Gods National Park near Colorado Springs.
The park was lovely. It is reasonably small and reasonably free. 😉 One can start their visit at a wonderful little visitor’s center with a lovely gift shop and café. The rain was coming down in buckets which made photography difficult. But, my brothers were good sports stopping the car at every pullout and helping me keep my camera dry. My socks were wet but my excitement was high.
Since it is still the off season there were very few tourists in the park which made it even better. Better to take photos and view the sites. better to make erratic movements to pull the vehicle over because your sister is pointing and yelling “Stop!”
Have you been to any great National Parks in Colorado? What about Utah? (I see a lot of resemblances here between the rock/geology in Utah and Colorado…)
For more about Garden of the Gods
One of the first views when entering the park on Juniper loop from the visitor’s center.
After a soggy walk I viewed some beautiful “fins”.
Balanced rock. Interesting how our country allows for a road right through the middle of a natural wonder.
I wasn’t kidding about the rain.
To read about my other Rocky Mountain Adventures click here…
Bulldog Travels / Photos By Jenny 
Looks like you had a lovely visit to my home state. Vail is worth seeing once but it’s not one of my fav’s. Crested Butte and Telluride are both definitely worth a trip but harder to get to. The ‘four corner’ states (CO, NM, UT, AZ) are full of hidden gems all worth exploring leisurely 🙂
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Thanks for the info! You have a beautiful state. We enjoyed what time we did have there. Has spring sprung for you guys yet? It was still pretty cold when we were there. 🙂
Thanks for the follow. I hope you enjoy my blog.
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Colorado is on my list of places to visit this summer! I’m excited! thank you for posting this, now I can add this national park to our itinerary. 😀 It looks like fun exploring through here. I’m glad I found your blog through the community pool. I’m following you now. Feel free to comment on my blog as well! Thank you!
– Romina @ http://www.dietyogaenergy.com
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Awesome! Welcome to my blog. I am so happy to have you. Don’t you just love the community pool!? If you didn’t see my other Colorado posts check this out… https://bulldogtravels.wordpress.com/category/colorado/
I have one more coming in a few days on Pikes Peak. Come back and see me.
Enjoy your trip there.
I wish we had time to go to Telluride and to check out some of the dinosaur bone parks.
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This is really beautiful Jenny. There are some geological resemblances to the Canyonlands in Utah, the one part I spent a significant amount of time going back 30 years ago. Amazing rock formations, and it was a rock climbers mecca. 🙂
Thank you for sharing!
~Carl~
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Thanks! I am glad you like it. I do love my red rock. Arches is my other favorite for sure.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting as always. 🙂
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Oh God, Colorado! Incredibly I’ve never been there yet! So many stunning places and States you guys have in the US! I’ve been to many and I have all planned to get to some others this August… How come I didn’t add Colorado?!? Next time for sure!!
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It will give you a good reason to come back. Don’t forget Wyoming and Montana! Where will you be visiting?
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I’m going to Chicago, then fly to Dallas to start a road trip all along Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi Tennessee and Georgia 🙂
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Wow. That sounds fun. Normally folks come to California. Kudos for picking a different route!
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Thank you 😉 I’ve already done that! A road trip all along California and Arizona… Simply fantastic!!!
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Amazing rock formation! This is something we don’t see in the Netherlands. Thanks for the tour Jenny! Oh I hope someday I will be able to see it myself!
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I hope so too!
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Your photos are beautiful, even on such a wet day. Sort of makes the trip special in its own way, ha ha. I have been to that park many times because in the 1990s I lived right across the Interstate, on Bijou Street in Colorado Springs. I loved that Garden of the Gods was free to enter. Is it still free?
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It is still free which I wasn’t expecting! It was great and I even enjoyed it in the rain. Has spring sprung yet over there?
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yes, Portland has the mildest weather. We started spring very early this year: bulbs were coming up in February. We are well into a typical rainy but warm early summer. The rain usually ends the 5th of July, then we’ll be dry through October.
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Pikes peak post pending…lol. That will be the last Colorado post.
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This is sick, bro. Beautiful formations and landscapes. Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, this whole area is on my extensive list!
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I hope so! It is beautiful and unusual and layed back! Enjoy!
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The weather didn’t look that amazing, but the views are still awesome 🙂
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