Red Rock Canyon Open Space

I went here today for a walk and picnic. Definitely some great easy trails or more difficult ones if you desire. The scenery and views are amazing and it was overall just a very beautiful, and more importantly uncrowded, space.

When they say «Open Space» they really mean open space. I might end up flying a kite here one day if its not too stormy or even hazy like today. Beware some trails that lead to the edge go nowhere but down! I like this place a lot. Super easy trails everywhere. Don’t mind the noise of the traffic. Once you get to any of the trailheads, the sound will disappear. Have at it. Easy as it gets and you get to be outside. Watch for wildlife too cause they’re around here and there.

Great place for a walk or hike. Took my pup here while I was in Colorado. They’ve got some off the leash trails for the dogs, so that was nice.
Gorgeous view of the quarry and mountains at one point. Go early in the morning to beat the heat during the summer. It was quite hot since there is not much coverage. You get to see some deer if you’re lucky!
Also saw some people jumping off the cliff across the quarry. Looked like fun.

Red rocks canyon open space is amazing! Beautiful views everywhere! Well maintained trails! I love hiking here :)

This park has a lot of bang for the buck! It was recently closed due to flooding damage, but is now open and I didn’t see any damage. There is lots of parking (3 different lots, on the north side). There are two to three long fins of striking red rock formations. The vegetation is pretty lush and dense — lots of Gambel Oak and wildflowers. There are many trails and it is somewhat confusing, although most of the trail junctions had maps and direction markers. There is a new trail down from the hogback on the east to the pond which isn’t on the maps. The pond is pleasant and surrounded by striking red rock formations. There were many ducks enjoying the water. Next to the pond is the remnants of a house and bomb shelter. Above that a trail climbs up to a large rock quarry. Then the trails wind around, up and down. There are nice views to the north of Garden of the Gods, views west of Pikes Peak and The Incline, and to the northeast and sometimes southeast of the park. On the north side there’s a small mountain bike park with jumps, and a small quarry above that. The view of the park from above this quarry is great. There’s also bike ramps, etc. below; they were somewhat in disrepair. There are also dog off-​leash areas nearby. It all is a rather striking setting with lots of interesting and showy vegetation, with a nice amount of trails that aren’t too difficult. There are also many interpretive signs in several locations, detailing the park history and ecosystem.

I like this park A LOT. There are so many trails, long and short and they are SOOO WELL MARKED. I love that at each crossroad there is a detailed map that will help you decide which way you want to go next. The hikes here are never the same. The only downside is that it’s super crowded. This is the GOG for hikers. So it’s always packed on weekend or nice days.

Colorado Springs offers plenty of great things to visit and see! This is one of them! If you’re in the Colorado Springs area, the Red Rock Canyon and the Garden of the Gods are a MUST see! You wont be disappointed with either place as both offers spectacular scenery!

One of my favorite places to hike and explore!!! It’s never too busy, but always a friendly face around to make you feel safe. Beautiful views without a long drive!

Wowowowowowowowowowowow! !!! Unbelievably gorgeous! A must see! Not a ton of people like GOG.

Lovely hiking trails and great views!
Our dogs loved it and so did we, so beautiful!
Highly recommend you see it for yourself!

By far my favorite, nothing is better than waking up in the morning and driving to red rock canyon. I live close by so it’s convenient, the trails are amazing ranging from easy to advanced. It’s not overly crowded and there are checkpoints every so often that gives you a map of your location. I recommend red canyon and make sure you explore all areas and bring your dog!

Beautiful! There are good hiking trails, as well as off-​leash dog trails and plenty of mountian biking space. The views are absolutely stunning! Oh, and did I mention rock climbing areas, too (given you have proper equipment and permits). I was pleased to find that this whole area is free! That’s correct, I said free! You can enjoy natures beauty at the fullest. There are also picnic tables at the start of the trails, just off of the parking lot. Another pro is that there is so much space that you aren’t crowded by herds of people. You do cross paths with others, but everyone is generally friendly. It’s a great place to run, walk, or just have a beautiful view! Don’t forget to go up the stairs carved into the rock on the Quarry Trail!

Unbelievably beautiful scenery and the perfect place to get a good workout! One of the most peaceful places I have ever been. Hope to get back there one day.
100/​A++++

This park has something for everyone including cyclists, kids, climbers, canines… and everyone else! Great views all around. Most of the accessibility is on dirt, undulating trail.
Plenty of parking is available (gratis, just like the park itself) and several different trails to choose from. The map signs are color-​coded similarly to ski runs (green — easiest, blue — moderate, black — strenuous/​difficult) and labeled with mileage. If you plan to climb, make sure you registered for a permit at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center.
We saw ducks at the pond as well as deer further up.

Hard to go wrong when something is free, beautiful, outdoors, dog friendly and a great way to exercise.
If you have free time. GO HERE!

This is one of my favorite places to go hiking at in the Springs. It’s never been overly busy the times I’ve gone. And the natural landscape is gorgeous. And it has great views of GOTG.
There are a lot of different trails you can take — easy to black diamond. I went with my nephew once on some of the more difficult ones that literally have you scaling down rocks, but it’s fun. The old quarry is really neat to see, too. Definitely head that way. Everything is really well marked, too.
There are off-​leash dog areas. I have a really small dog, so I don’t take him. The Springs has an uncommon amount of dog attacks. After one, we were done with that. But if you’re pretty secure in your dog’s ability to defend itself, I’d say go for it. All the dogs I’ve met have been friendly — including the wolf-​hybrid that was off leash when we went once. Its owner was out of sight for the first 10 seconds — just long enough for me to process it wasn’t a Husky or a German Shepherd (tail, paw, nose, eye differences) and really start to panic. But he and his owner were really friendly.
There are restrooms at the parking areas.
I’ve also see quite a few rock climbers, although it is limited to where you can climb, and there signs about needing to obtain a (free) permit.
And mountain biking is allowed here. There is even a mini-​terrain park.

Consider the Red Rock Canyon a little sister to Garden of the Gods. It’s an extremely popular spot for locals to get out and get some excercise. It features some bluffs, rocks, etc. that are pretty similar to the Garden, if not quite so spectacular. Still, if you’re going to put it in the context of local parks for hiking in the US, it ranks up there with some pretty good one. I know I had my camera out several times.
The day I went, a Sunday afternoon, there were several groups of rock climbers doing their thing and lots of people of all ages hiking up and down the trails. Even though there were lots of visitors, I never felt crowded out — it’s a big area and some of the trails are a little less accessible, so you can go your own way.
The main trails are very wide and easy, so bring the kids, dogs, grandma, everyone will fit in here.
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Great spot to take a hike, it’s also great for folks that are out of state and aren’t exactly used to the higher mountains but, still want to see the beauty of the mountains and canyons. The park has many trails ranging in levels of easy/​flat to harder ones that are steeper but, bring you to some of the best views in the park.
The off-​leash dog area is also a huge plus for taking the dogs to run around at. Go during the early morning or evening hours for a great view of the city during the sunrise or set.

I researched Garden of the Gods online but I was referred to Red Rock Canyon by a fellow «transplant» so I knew it would be worth my time. Besides one of the maps near the parking lot having a slight error, putting us back a 40 minute hike, I absolutely loved this park!
The trails are ‘paved’ in a dusty, copper, clay-​sand dirt and are so very easy to spot. I never once felt unsure of my surroundings. It could have also been that at every 0.02 to 0.65 miles there is a fresh map to show you where you are… :)
Either way, I LOVED this park… possibly more than Garden of the Gods for three reasons:
— No Crowds
— Amazing Mountain Views
— Wildlife at Your Feet
Definitely go to both parks before saying Garden of the Gods is your favorite!

Red Rock Canyon Open Space is the little brother of Garden of the Gods. It’s a smaller scale. But with this comes less crowds, more locals, and in my opinion better trails with a great view of Garden of the Gods below. The trails are nice and there are plenty of markers and maps for novice hikers.
To be close to the rocks and have some shade take the Contemplative trail. One of the locals told us this was the best one… and I think she was right. We enjoyed this part of the space the most. Altogether, we probably got a 2 miler in.
And as always, when hiking in CO, head out early to mid-​afternoon. Once 3pm passes you never know what the clouds will bring in.