There is so much to see and do in Colorado Springs! Nestled at the foot of Pikes Peak in the southern Rockies, Colorado Springs is surrounded by beauty. Hiking trails abound this area. Adventurous hikers can summit the 14,000+ feet Pikes Peak. Others can drive, bike or take the tram to the top. The dog-friendly Gardens of the Gods is a scenic day hike. Colorado Springs is definitely for the outdoor enthusiasts and so many activities are dog friendly – woof!
Key Takeaways:
- The snow-capped Pikes Peak provides a stunning backdrop for the Colorado Springs Area
- Garden of the Gods offers paved, dog-friendly pathways through a garden of dramatic red rock formations
- The U.S. Air Force Academy is open to public, self-guided tours
- There are numerous, scenic hiking trails throughout the area
- Manitou Springs is a fun, historic city between Pikes Peak and Gardens of the Gods
- Garden of the Gods RV Resort is centrally located to major attractions
Campground Review:
Garden of the Gods RV Resort features some premium, pull-through transient sites with full hookups. The resort is close to Manitou Springs and offers views of Pikes Peak. There was a fair amount of maintenance during our stay, which was early in the season. The pools are open seasonally. The dog park was large enough, but mostly dirt. The location was great and we found the park fine for a short stay.
What to do:
- Visit Pikes Peak; take Pikes Peak Highway through 19 miles of breathtaking scenery to the summit or take Pikes Peak Cog Railway
- Take the dogs hiking in Garden of the Gods; start at the Visitor’s Center for information and maps
- Visit the U.S. Air Force Academy; start at the Visitor’s Center for information on a self-guided tour
- Explore the charming, historic town of Manitou Springs; enjoy excellent dinner at the Cliff House or fondue at the Mona Lisa Fondue Restaurant
- Check out the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, a preserve of ancient Puebloan ruins; the gift shop is excellent
- Take the dogs to Pub Dog, a dog park, restaurant & bar; let the dogs play while enjoying beers and good food – woof!
- Hike the Manitou Incline – 2,768 steps, a challenging hike with over 2,000 elevation gain in less than a mile – yikes!; reservations required
- Visit the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Florissant, Colorado, 35 miles west of Colorado Springs; dogs are not allowed on trails
- Take the dogs to one of the 8 off-leash dog parks in Colorado Springs; we ran out of time and descent weather but heard Colorado Springs has some awesome dog parks
Balanced Rock – Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Pub Dog
Pub Dog Fun
Hiking Colorado Springs
Florissant Fossil National Monument
Chili & Cedar’s Review:
So the Garden of the Gods RV Park was just okay. The dog park was mostly dirt and we only went there once. We enjoyed our walks around the park but we could have used some trails accessible from the RV Park.
Campground Rating: 4.2 PAWS out of 5 PAWS
We love Colorado Springs! We hiked the Garden of the Gods Gateway and Central Gardens Trails. We also visited the Pub Dog Bar and Dog Park – nice artificial turf with plenty of room to chase balls and other dogs – woof!