• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Uncover Colorado Logo

  • Blog
  • Activities
    • Year-round
      • Brewery Tours
      • Casinos & Gaming
      • Caves
      • Colorado Brands
      • Escape Rooms
      • Federal Lands
      • Food & Dining
      • Ghost Towns
      • Gondola & Chairlifts
      • Hot Springs
      • Lakes
      • Landmarks
      • Mine Tours
      • Mountains
      • Museums
      • Paintball
      • Performing Arts
      • Public Parks
      • Rivers
      • Scenic Drives
      • Sightseeing Tours
      • Shopping
      • Sports Teams
      • State Parks
      • Train Rides
      • Transportation
      • Winery Tours
      • Wildlife
      • Zip Lines & Aerial Parks
    • Spring, Summer & Fall
      • Amusement Parks
      • ATV Rentals
      • Biking
      • Boating
      • Camping
      • Drive-In Theaters
      • Fishing
      • Golf Courses
      • Hiking
      • Horseback Riding
      • Jeep Rentals
      • Rock Climbing
      • Tubing & Paddling
      • Waterfalls
      • Whitewater Rafting
    • Winter
      • Cross Country Skiing
      • Dog Sledding
      • Ice Climbing
      • Ice Fishing
      • Ice Skating
      • Skiing & Snowboarding
      • Sleigh Rides
      • Snow Tubing
      • Snowbiking
      • Snowmobiling
      • Snowshoeing
  • Events
    • January
    • February
    • March
    • April
    • May
    • June
    • July
    • August
    • September
    • October
    • November
    • December
  • Lodging
    • Budget Hotels
    • Historic Hotels
    • Luxury Hotels
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Boutique Hotels
    • Cabins & Glamping
    • Casinos w/ Lodging
    • Hot Spring w/ Lodging
    • Wineries w/ Lodging
    • Best Hotels
    • Dude Ranches
    • Campgrounds
  • Towns
  • Trip Planner
  • Search
  • Blog
  • Activities
  • Events
  • Lodging
  • Towns
  • Trip Planner
Red Rock Canyon Aerial View Colorado Springs
Aerial of Red Rock Canyon. Photo: Sam Ripley

Relish these 7 Public Parks of Colorado Springs

March 19, 2022 By //  by Samantha Ripley

FacebookTwitter

Experience the wide open spaces and amazing views of Pikes Peak as you explore the impressive parks system of Colorado Springs. With everything from state to city to community parks, everyone will find a place to explore and enjoy in this expansive, sprawling city.

Weโ€™ve selected our top seven favorites, some larger with amenities like camping and horseback riding, while others are more suited to a day trip down the hiking trails. Whether youโ€™re in Colorado Springs for work or play, you wonโ€™t regret stopping by one of these incredible parks for a once-in-a-lifetime visit.

Here are some of the best public parks in Colorado Springs, in no particular order:

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods Pikes Peak Snow Covered Colorado Springs
Snowcapped Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak. Photo: Joel Tonyan

One of the most scenic and well-known parks of Colorado Springs is also one of the state’s largest tourist attractions. This stunning park was donated to the city by the family of railroad magnate Charles Eliot Perkins in 1909. He wanted to keep the park free and open to the public forever. Garden of the Gods has remained one of the top free attractions in the area since it opened to the public over 100 years ago.

If you like to hike, youโ€™ll fall in love with the five miles of trails that wind through the park. They provide visitors incredible sights of the iconic giant rocks of varying hues, which dot the park, as well as stunning vistas of the 14,115′ Pikes Peak.

Be sure to stop by the nature center on your way in for in-depth geological and ecological information on this region, as well as nature presentations and activities for the little ones. Even if youโ€™re just enjoying the scenic auto drive through, Garden of the Gods will be a park you remember visiting for the rest of your life.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park

Cheyenne Mountain State Park Snowy Hillside Clouds Colorado Springs
Reach up and touch the sky at Cheyenne Mountain State Park. Photo: Cathy McCray

This is a relatively new park in the Pikes Peak Region. In fact, Cheyenne Mountain became the very first state park in El Paso County in 2006. It’s truly a special destination to explore the natural beauty of the Front Range.

Located in the southwest part of the city, this park has 20 miles of hiking and biking trails for visitors to traverse. Not only will you find amazing views and great trails here, but Cheyenne Mountain State Park also has a state-of-the-art archery range for visitors to enjoy. Tired after a long day of exploring? Stay overnight in one of the 61 campsites that the park offers during warmer months, with RV hookups available for certain sites.

Red Rock Canyon Open Space

Red Rock Canyon Frozen Lake Colorado Springs
Frozen lake in Red Rock Canyon. Photo: Sam Ripley

Opened to the public in 2003, Red Rock Canyon Open Space encompasses 1,474 acres of land on the western edge of town. It’s full of hiking and biking trails, picnic areas, and sheer cliffs that are ideal for trained rock climbers to navigate.

This park also features a dog park with incredible views of Pikes Peak and Cheyenne Mountain. Though youโ€™ll get those views from just about anywhere in the park.

One of the most interesting places to hike and explore is the old sandstone quarry, where the canyon stands carved out in perfect geometry. Visitors can even hike through a pass that sits inside of the quarry to the other side of the park.

Red Rock Canyon Open Space remains a favorite for visitors and locals alike. Donโ€™t miss this gorgeous park the next time youโ€™re in the area.

Palmer Park

Palmer Park Pikes Peak In Distance Colorado Springs
Pikes Peak in distance from Palmer Park. Photo: Sam Ripley

Palmer Park is one of the parks that the city is most proud of, set in the suburban sprawl on the northeast end of town. Its geological formations of hoodoos and spires are stark against the landscape surrounding them. The largest park in the Colorado Springs metro area, Palmer Park is sure to blow you away.

City founder William Jackson Palmer donated most of the land for this park in 1902. Today it boasts 730 acres of land to explore, with an estimated 25 miles of hiking trails. The best feature of this park are the stunning views of Pikes Peak. Most residents will agree; there are not many other places in the city where you can see the city and the peak in such a majestic display.

Not only are there hiking and biking trails to trek, there are baseball and soccer fields for practicing athletics, horse stables to catch a trail ride, a dog park for your furry friends, and a botanical reserve for guests to explore and take in the natural wildlife. Be sure to check out this incredible park, which was voted the Best Urban Park of 2017 by Elevation Outdoors Magazine.

Bear Creek Regional Park

Bear Creek Regional Park Overlook Colorado Springs
Overlooking Bear Creek Regional Park. Photo: Sam Ripley

If youโ€™re looking for one of the top parks in the city, you have to stop by Bear Creek Regional Park. This 545 acre park is a great spot for hiking, biking, and frolicking with your dog(s) on the 10 miles of multi-purpose paved and unpaved trails. Well-known for its great dog park, Bear Creek has many other things to offer travelers.

Take a stop by the nature center on your way in and enjoy media presentations, interpretive programs and special events, which are offered year-round. Then stroll down the shady nature center path, which follows the bubbling Bear Creek for which the park is named. Dogs are not allowed on the nature center trail, but are welcome just about eveywhere else in the park.

Aside from the miles of hiking and biking trails, there are volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, tennis courts, and an archery range for visitors to try. Looking for an escape from the urban sprawl? Youโ€™ll find Bear Creek Regional Park to be an outdoor haven.

Ute Valley Park

Ute Valley Park Deer Colorado Springs
Deer at Ute Valley Park. Photo: PEO ACWA

This city park is home to a diverse array of wildlife, geological and archeological formations, and an extensive network of hiking trails, which rival many of the other parks in the city. The hogback formations are a sight to see and are recognizable from just about anywhere in town. Ute Valley Park is located in the northwest corner of the city, within close distance to the U.S. Air Force Academy and easily accessible from the highway for those driving through town.

This park recently opened the cityโ€™s very first downhill-only mountain-biking trail, prompting both criticism and commendations from the public. Thereโ€™s no doubt that this makes Ute Valley a better place for mountain bikers. If youโ€™re passing through El Paso County and love to mountain bike, you cannot neglect stopping by Ute Valley Park for a wild ride.

North Cheyenne Caรฑon

North Cheyenne Canon Mountainside Forest Colorado Springs
Mountain forest in North Cheyenne Caรฑon. Photo: Sam Ripley

If you are a fan of Cheyenne Mountain State Park, another prime place to stop on your outdoor adventures is North Cheyenne Caรฑon Park. On your way in, drop by the Starsmore Visitor and Nature Center for more intel on the myriad of wildlife and geological formations. As you climb the parkโ€™s main road, you traverse further and further into the canyonโ€™s interior, following along with the path of the Columbine River.

One great place to pause before taking a long hike is Helen Hunt Falls, about halfway up the canyon. A short and steep hike will take you to the top of this small waterfall, which bubbles all year round.

North Cheyenne Caรฑon Park also has an extensive array of hiking trails for visitors, many of which climb up to the tops of mountains or pass over bridges and waterfalls. Located in southwest Colorado Springs, this park is truly one-of-a-kind. It’s also among land that was donated to found parks by city founder General William Jackson Palmer.

Whether youโ€™re hunting for a full-day adventure or just a quick stop for the beautiful scenery, North Cheyenne Caรฑon Park is a nifty natural landmark to tour.

Other Colorado Springs Attractions

Looking Through Arch at Bear Creek Regional Park at Cheyenne Mountain Colorado Springs
Thru the keyhole im Bear Creek Park toward Cheyenne Mountain. Photo: Sam Ripley

Once youโ€™re done with a full day of enjoying the abundance of natural adventuring that the Pikes Peak region affords you, why not take a trip downtown. There you can partake in a few of the offbeat tourist attractions that the city has to offer. Or if youโ€™re still hungry for more nature, youโ€™ll swoon over the array of other state parks near town, all with even more hiking, biking and activities to relish.

No matter what kind of adventure youโ€™re in town for, take in the sights, the wildlife, and the incredible geology of Colorado Springs at one of the many parks that dot the city.

Samantha Ripley

About Samantha Ripley

Sam Ripley is a freelance content writer living in Colorado Springs. She is passionate about Colorado travel and enjoys hiking, camping, and hula-hooping in the great outdoors.

FacebookTwitter

Join our Colorado travel community

Enter your email below and grab our free locals' guide and monthly what's up designed to help you live your Colorado life and uncover fun things to do. โ€”and never miss out again.

Previous Post: «Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, CO 13 Best Hotels in Beaver Creek & Avon, CO
Next Post: 15 Best Hotels in Aspen, Colorado The St. Regis Aspen Resort, CO»

Primary Sidebar

Join our Colorado travel community

Enter your email below and grab our free locals' guide and monthly what's up designed to help you live your Colorado life and uncover fun things to do. โ€”and never miss out again.

Recent Posts

  • The Top Wine Shops around Denver
  • 9 Best Motorcycle Rides in Colorado
  • 2022-23 Colorado Ski Resort Season Opening & Closing Dates
  • 12 Marvelous Hiking Trails near Montrose
  • Things to do in April in Colorado

Footer

Get In Touch

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Resources
  • Disclaimer
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter

Disclosure: Uncover Colorado is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Things To Do

  • Travel Blog
  • Colorado Activities
  • Colorado Events
  • Colorado Towns
  • Colorado Hotels
  • Colorado Restaurants
  • Colorado Transportation
  • Made in Colorado

Cheers! Mile High Happy Hour shares showcases Denver neighborhoods' restaurant happy hours.

Winter Activities

  • Federal Lands
  • Ghost Towns
  • Hot Springs
  • Ice Skating
  • Ski Resorts
  • Snow Tubing
  • State Parks
  • Train Rides

Copyright © 2023 ยท Uncover Colorado | Sitemap | Advertise