garden of the gods

No one else holds or has held the place in the heart of the world which Jesus holds. Other gods have been as devoutly worshiped; no other man has been so devoutly loved.
--John Knox (1514?–1572) Scottish clergyman 

I'm taking a break from posting scenes from Appalachia to share some photos from my vacation to Colorado Springs. I liked Garden of the Gods so much, I went there twice. Located in the shadow of Pikes Peak, just west of the city, the 'Garden' was donated by the children of a railroad executive on the condition that admission to the park be always free. It's a unique landscape of spires and strange rock formations. A favorite of rock climbers, bird watchers, mountain bikers, hikers and, of course, photographers -- the Garden of the Gods is an outdoor lovers paradise. Click photos to enlarge.

All told, there are 15 miles of trails throughout the park's 480 acres. But it's the paved 1.5 miles through the center of the rock formations that get all of the attention. It's best to come to the park early before the afternoon clouds and the throngs of visitors roll in. All of the formations have descriptive names: Sleeping Giant, Kissing Camels, Three Graces, Steamboat Rock, Balanced Rock and Cathedral Spires (to name a few). Below is a panoramic overview of the area, followed by the view that welcomes visitors to the park.