Garden Of The Gods...

[Canon Shooter]

Just booked a flight to Denver for late August so I can check off another bucket list item: Photographing Garden of the Gods.

Anyone here ever visited? Tips?

 

[EvilCat Breath]

I went to Garden of the Gods intending to photograph the formations for later painting. While I did take some photos, the professional pictures sold at the gift shop were much better. Take plenty of water because if can get hot.

 

[TNHarley]

I went to the one in IL. It was pretty cool but the one in Denver looks better.
Have a great time!

 

[Ringel05]

Just booked a flight to Denver for late August so I can check off another bucket list item: Photographing Garden of the Gods.

Anyone here ever visited? Tips?

Back in the 70s when you could climb the rocks without getting a permit from the park I scrambled up almost every one of them except the Kissing Camels and a couple of others, those were a serious technical climbs. Everything has changed from back then, there's a relatively new visitor center, the old gift shop that had been built into the base of the Kissing Camels is gone and only the Trading Post remains. BTW, the trading post is literally just of the park property though it doesn't look like it and it's an over priced tourist trap, the park doesn't run it. But it's still a cool stop to visit and the food's not bad.
In order to get those great pictures you're going to have to do some hiking so wear good boots, comfortable loose fitting clothes, a wide brim hat and at least two weeks to acclimate to the altitude before doing anything strenuous....... Or bring some oxygen with you........ And that is not a joke.
Since you'll be photographing you could easily spend a week there doing that, it's a pretty good sized park with lots of cool formations that are smaller but off the beaten path.
Also be constantly aware of any storms that move over the mountains towards you or up the front range, flash floods are a dangerous, deadly reality.

 

[Canon Shooter]

Back in the 70s when you could climb the rocks without getting a permit from the park I scrambled up almost every one of them except the Kissing Camels and a couple of others, those were a serious technical climbs. Everything has changed from back then, there's a relatively new visitor center, the old gift shop that had been built into the base of the Kissing Camels is gone and only the Trading Post remains. BTW, the trading post is literally just of the park property though it doesn't look like it and it's an over priced tourist trap, the park doesn't run it. But it's still a cool stop to visit and the food's not bad.

Pretty much the only thing I buy at visitor centers are pins...

In order to get those great pictures you're going to have to do some hiking so wear good boots, comfortable loose fitting clothes, a wide brim hat and at least two weeks to acclimate to the altitude before doing anything strenuous....... Or bring some oxygen with you........ And that is not a joke.

I've thought of that. Unfortunately, it's a long weekend trip, so acclimating to the altitude will be a thing. They do offer Jeep tours for $119 per person, and we're going to do that...

Since you'll be photographing you could easily spend a week there doing that, it's a pretty good sized park with lots of cool formations that are smaller but off the beaten path.

Also be constantly aware of any storms that move over the mountains towards you or up the front range, flash floods are a dangerous, deadly reality.

I'm only going to have three days to shoot the park, so I'll need to move as quickly as possible. There will be ample opportunity to shoot the park in the future (I'll be moving to Colorado Springs when I retire), but I've got the jones to go now, so, here we go.

Appreciate the input; thanks!

 

[The Irish Ram]

Just enjoy. Garden of Gods to the right, Manitoids to the left. Pikes Peak on the left, and up the mountain to my house in Cripple Creek.

 

[Ringel05]

Pretty much the only thing I buy at visitor centers are pins...



I've thought of that. Unfortunately, it's a long weekend trip, so acclimating to the altitude will be a thing. They do offer Jeep tours for $119 per person, and we're going to do that...



I'm only going to have three days to shoot the park, so I'll need to move as quickly as possible. There will be ample opportunity to shoot the park in the future (I'll be moving to Colorado Springs when I retire), but I've got the jones to go now, so, here we go.

Appreciate the input; thanks!

In reality it can take up to a month and a half to two months to fully acclimate then once you're acclimated drive to the top of Pikes Peak in the middle of summer with a coat and oxygen, that is after you retire there. The summer months are the monsoon season out here in the southwest including Colorado so be prepared for that also.
If you have an extending monopod it can double as a walking stick, the trails can get a little steep in areas.
When you decide to retire there northern and northeastern Colorado Springs is the (relatively) newest built up area and has the least crime but is typically more expensive. That said the crime rate is about average of the national statistics. Unless you have scads of money Black Forest (just north of the Springs) is really, really expensive but it's also a fire trap, the Black Forest fire of 2013 destroyed over 500 homes and other structures. We watched it burn for 9 days from Colorado Springs. Fire is a huge concern out here.

 

[Ringel05]

Just enjoy. Garden of Gods to the right, Manitoids to the left. Pikes Peak on the left, and up the mountain to my house in Cripple Creek.

You live in Cripple Creek? I didn't know that. My parents had a home in Widefield and my youngest brother still has a home in Widefield.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Just booked a flight to Denver for late August so I can check off another bucket list item: Photographing Garden of the Gods.

Anyone here ever visited? Tips?

Pretty much what everyone else has said. Watch out for storms, DEFINITELY bring water (if hiking, a Camelback is a nice thing to have, and they only cost around 30 bucks), pack some high energy food like granola bars or Fig Newtons (believe it or not, even though Newtons are cheap, they are GREAT for hikes and not as hard to eat as energy bars, even the bargain brand kind), and make sure you have sturdy comfortable boots as it is very easy to twist your ankle on the rocks.

As far as things to see there? All of the formations around there are pretty cool, but IMHO, a must see is Balancing Rock. It's a HUGE freaking boulder that sits on a very small pedestal, and walking around it will make a person nervous, wondering if and when it will fall. If you have the time, shoot over a few miles to Manitou Springs. Yeah, it's a tourist trap and filled with lots of yuppies and millenials, but it has EXCELLENT food in many of it's little coffee shops/restaurants. The canyon leading into the springs is worth a look if you have the time.

Whenever I went through CO, if I was within 75 miles of Manitou Springs, I would always make a detour over there to a coffee shop (can't remember the name of it), but they had probably some of the best Tiramisu I've ever had outside of Italy.

 

[odanny]

I went to the one in IL. It was pretty cool but the one in Denver looks better.
Have a great time!

It's in Colorado Springs.

 

[odanny]

You live in Cripple Creek? I didn't know that. My parents had a home in Widefield and my youngest brother still has a home in Widefield.

Are they retired military or stationed at Ft. Carson? I did three years at Ft. Carson, absolutely love Colorado, my favorite place in the U.S..

 

[TNHarley]

It's in Colorado Springs.

I hope to go Colorado one day!

 

[odanny]

I hope to go Colorado one day!

It's truly an amazing place. It's also such a desirable place to live that most people can't afford homes in medium sized cities, you have to find smaller towns to buy in. Forget Denver.

 

[TNHarley]

It's truly an amazing place. It's also such a desirable place to live that most people can't afford homes in medium sized cities, you have to find smaller towns to buy in. Forget Denver.

I go to the smokies a lot. Been to the "hills" in the ozarks lol. I enjoy both. I know i would really enjoy the rockies!

 

[Canon Shooter]

Just enjoy. Garden of Gods to the right, Manitoids to the left. Pikes Peak on the left, and up the mountain to my house in Cripple Creek.

So, drinks at your place when?

 

[Ringel05]

Are they retired military or stationed at Ft. Carson? I did three years at Ft. Carson, absolutely love Colorado, my favorite place in the U.S..

My dad was Army, CPO3, Fort Carson. When they bought the house in 1970 Widefield was a new development and we were right up against the further most expansion at the time. When they finally finished building Widefield the house was in the middle of the development. In 71 we moved to Taiwan where I graduated HS and joined the Navy. After his tour was up in Taiwan he was assigned to Germany where he reached retirement, and they moved back to the house in Widefield which they had been renting out via the Army's rental program. My mom passed in 2014, my dad in 2015 and we sold the house.

 

[Ringel05]

I go to the smokies a lot. Been to the "hills" in the ozarks lol. I enjoy both. I know i would really enjoy the rockies!

This is the view of Pikes Peak from the visitor center at Garden of the Gods.

Here's one view from downtown.

This is looking south at Cheyenne Mountain where NORAD is.

It's gorgeous country.

 

[TNHarley]

This is the view of Pikes Peak from the visitor center at Garden of the Gods.

Here's one view from downtown.

This is looking south at Cheyenne Mountain where NORAD is.

It's gorgeous country.

I was dating this chick once that did some sort of dental training all over the country. She went to Denver to do some training at one of the dentist offices, and sent me a picture from the waiting room. I fell in love!

 

[Ringel05]

I was dating this chick once that did some sort of dental training all over the country. She went to Denver to do some training at one of the dentist offices, and sent me a picture from the waiting room. I fell in love!

I would love to move back to the Springs but it's gotten a bit expensive at least compared to Albuquerque. Besides I have great heath care via the VA here, have had absolutely no problem with them though I do hear the almost brand new Co Springs VA medical center service is much improved. Used to have to go up to Denver for certain procedures including radiology but all that is now in the new Co Springs facility. All except surgical which is done at the Air Force Academy just northwest of town.

 

[Ringel05]

I was dating this chick once that did some sort of dental training all over the country. She went to Denver to do some training at one of the dentist offices, and sent me a picture from the waiting room. I fell in love!

Here's a picture I took of Co Springs a few years back from Lower Gold Camp road looking east over the high plains. That dark mass in the upper left is Black Forest.