How did those red rocks get there? Follow the Gateway to Geology trail into the park and backwards in time. Your 3/4-mile journey will end in the heart of the garden.

Six rock specimens labeled with names, displayed on a flat surface against a background.

The Gateway to Geology Trail

Aerial view of a park with numbered trails winding through grassy areas and rock formations.

Start: Use the tunnel on the west side of the Visitor and Nature Center’s parking lot to safely cross under 30th Street. The Gateway Trail begins on the west side of the tunnel.

From the unpaved lot, cross the street and turn left on the concrete trail. Begin at the Pierre Shale boulder. Follow the trail your left as you progress back in time.

1 Pierre Shale 4 Benton 7 Lykins
2 Mesa Gravels 5 Dakota 8 Lyons
3 Niobrara 6 Morrison 9 Fountain

You are at the yellow arrow

Geologic diagram of the Garden of the Gods region, detailing rock formations and faults.