Bike the Garden of the Gods Loop
6 miles
500 ft gain
- Loop Trail
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
Tags
Go Pro.
We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. Go PRO to support our mission and get benefits like gear deals, no ads, and more!
Join the community Learn More
Nearby Adventures
Hike the Upper Loop Trail
0.75 miles
72 ft gain
Hike the Perkins Central Garden Trail
1.5 miles
30 ft gain
Climb and Hike in the Garden of the Gods
Hike, Climb, or Bike Red Rock Open Space
3 miles
300 ft gain
Inspire Your Fall Aspen Trip!
Autumn days in Aspen are filled with sunshine and nights with crisp cool air. Watch the mountains and valleys turn gold with the changing Aspen trees. Take in the scenery while enjoying scenic drives, hiking through forests, road biking, and exploring our IMBA Gold Level Ride Center recognized mountain bike trails.
