"Garden of the gods, a city park, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Colorado Springs. Famous for its prehistoric rock formations, this city park boasts 15 miles of trails, most of which are short, 0.5-mile to 1.0-mile sections joined together for a navigable 4.0-mile route around the perimeter of the park. In addition to the perimeter route, numerous trails crisscross the interior of the park, and some also lead to the gravel Rampart Range Road, which heads some 60 miles north to end at CO 67 between Sedalia and Deckers."

--Adam W. Chase, Nancy Hobbs, Peter Jones , Best Trail Runs: Denver, Boulder, & Colorado Springs (Falcon Guides).

"Circumnavigate one of Colorado’s easily accessible scenic wonders—magical massive red rock sculpted by wind, water, and the sands of infinite geologic time. This short, easy route gives you a 360-degree view of this spectacular foothills rock garden. There are also wheelchair-accessible trails."

--Alan Apt and Kay Turnbaugh, Afoot & Afield: Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and Rocky Mountain National Park (Wilderness Press).

"Garden of the Gods is a must-see, ranking up there with Pikes Peak and the U.S. Air Force Academy, for any visitor to Colorado Springs. Garden of the Gods features 19 significant rock formations, and Perkins Central Garden Trail passes around more than half of them. This easy 0.9-mile round-trip trail is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers and is located in the heart of the park, at the base of the highest rock formations."

--Kim Lipker, 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Denver and Boulder (Menasha Ridge Press).

"Two surveyors exploring areas south of Denver in 1859 came upon a collection of dramatic sandstone formations. One of the gentlemen suggested it would be a “capital place for a beer garden.” Fortunately, his companion had clearer vision, thinking instead “it is a fit place for the gods to assemble.”

So they named it Garden of the Gods, a well-chosen moniker for such a magical place. We can enjoy the enchantment thanks in large part to General William Palmer and his friend Charles Perkins. Mr. Perkins bought property in the Garden of the Gods and chose to leave his 480 acres of land in its natural state."

--Steve Johnson & David Weinstein, Best Loop Hikes Colorado (The Mountaineers Books).