Pt. 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8
Our last stop along my move from Maryland to Utah was in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I had been dying to go for years and this was the perfect opportunity. It was only a small detour off the traditional route but offered more spectacular views and some adventures that had been on my list for a long time.
The first thing on our list was Garden of the Gods. This beautiful park is privately owned and free, for all. It's views offer a spectacular contrast of red rock agains the green mountains and blue sky. There's plenty of hiking to do and rock climbing galore. We explored the balancing rock then hiked down into one of the more popular areas for rock climbers.
By this point in the trip I was feeling pretty exhausted and ended up cutting our time at Garden of the Gods short. So we went back to the hotel to rest before we drove over to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. This was one of my dad's favorite parts of the trip and the only thing that he had requested to see. It is pricey but a fun place to explore and step back into history. Plus, they have a great gift shop (where you can spend more money) filled with authentic and touristy trinkets.
The only times that being short is beneficial are times like this...
One other bonus to stopping in Colorado Springs was that I was able to meet up with my good friend, Beth from Oak and Oats. We had breakfast together and it was so fun to meet her in real life. Plus, she gave us some great tips on what to do and see.
If you're ever passing through Colorado, definitely take the detour to visit Colorado Springs. I'm so glad we did!
Have you ever been to Garden of the Gods?
