Description: The Garden of the Gods is a free public park in Colorado Springs, well-known for its innumerable and amazing rock formations. The park is popular among tourists and locals alike, who hike, walk, mountain bike and horseback ride along its many trails, while its unusual and steep rock formations make the park a magnet for rock climbers from around the country. The rock formations in the park are composed of ancient sedimentary beds of red, blue, purple and white sandstones, conglomerates and limestone, many of which tilted vertically by tectonic action. Among the many rock formations are the Hogbacks - named for their resemblance to pig’s backs - ridges of sandstone several hundred feet long, rising to heights up to 320 feet tall. Many of the hobacks are named, with the Kissing Camels - which resembles, of course, kissing camels - one of the most popular. One of the park’s most stunning features is the massive balancing rock, known appropriately as Balanced Rock. The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center is situated near the entrance and offers free presentations, nature hikes, Junior Ranger programs, narrated bus tours, movies and special programs for visitors, introducing them to park highlights like Cathedral Spires, Cathedral Valley, Steamboat Rock, near Balanced Rock, and the Three Graces.
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