Bike the Garden of the Gods Loop
Details
Distance
6 miles
Elevation Gain
500 ft
Route Type
Loop
Added by Connor Bruson
With dedicated bike lanes, multiple loop options, and epic scenery around every corner, Garden of the Gods is straight out of a road cyclist's dream.
The Basics: Garden of the Gods is a free, public park on the Western edge of Colorado Springs. Open year round, the excellent paved roads with wide bike lanes provide road bikers with multiple loop options from 3 to 10+ miles. From casual bike riders to seasoned pros, you choose your distance and difficulty!
The Ride: Starting from the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center entrance (East side of park), the 2.5 mile inner loop takes you counter-clockwise around the majority of the jaw-dropping rock formations. You'll ride past multiple great photo ops on the roadside. Be wary! Despite multiple warning signs, tourists love to park in the bike lane, especially during busy summer months.
To add to the inner loop, follow signage to the rider's right for Balancing Rock and the Trading Post. Once you make it downhill to the Trading Post, the road will take you back to the main inner loop. This larger loop is about 6 miles.
Rinse and repeat these loops as much as you want. You can also exit the park in any direction and rejoin on a different access road to add mileage and difficulty.
The Area: Garden of the Gods has multiple amenities inside the park at the Visitor's Center and the Trading Post, where maps, food, bathrooms, and souvenirs are available. The unique Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort is located at the park boundary. The Garden is nestled near Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs, which both provide ample bike shops, tourist attractions, eateries, and lodging. You can also access the Garden of the Gods by bike from downtown Colorado Springs via the Midland Trail. I highly recommend catching the sunset after your ride. These loops are just as excellent for road running, and there are miles of hiking trails interspersed between the roads and rock formations for many days worth of exploring. Looking for hikes or climbing, check out Climb and Hike in the Garden of the Gods or Hike the Garden of the Gods Observation Trail.
Pictures (left to right): Mesa Rd. overlook, Approaching the Garden on Ridge Rd, S-curves behind the rocks, Kissing Camels, The Garden in Fall, and The Gateway
Know for
Nearby
š
Local adventures
Find hikes, backpacking, photo spots, and more around Colorado Springs.
š
Nearby lodging
Search campgrounds, glamping, and hotels near Colorado Springs.
Reviews
Leave a Reviewawesome to do in the am
Even with the bike lanes, if you go early you will have less crowds and can afford to look around and see the awesome red rocks of GOTG area.
5.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on.