Yes, You Can (and Should) Visit Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs in Winter. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Header: Yes, You can and Should Visit Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO in Winte

Yes, You Can (and Should) Visit Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs in Winter. Here’s What You Need to Know.

Colorado, Hiking, OUTDOOR TRAVEL, PHOTOGRAPHY, SOLO TRAVEL, USA Destinations

Can you visit Garden of the Gods in winter? Yes, and it’s stunning. Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs’ iconic city park is open and free year-round, and it is worth visiting during the slower winter season. The park is stunning any time of year, but the smaller number of visitors, and the chance of seeing the park blanketed in snow, make visiting in winter a more relaxing, magical experience.

Photos of Garden of the Gods in Winter

The following are a few of the snaps I took after a recent snowfall in early April. Temperatures were hovering in the low 30s and there were even a few flurries while I was out there. Wind was low, and I was comfortable with some thick water resistant hiking leggings, a turtleneck workout top, wool socks (I’m SmartWool obsessed!), inexpensive beanie and gloves. Honey Stinger’s Peanut Butter Chocolate cracker bar was a delicious snack that also held up in the cold..

Road into Garden of the Gods from Visitor Center side.

…and for comparison, the following are a few photographs I took at Colorado Springs/Manitou Spring’s Garden of the Gods a month earlier, in early March. That weekend was sunny, warm, and dry. I wore long pants and long sleeves on all my trips to the park that weekend, but I would have been comfortable in short sleeves or a tank top.

If you like these, and other travel photos, click to check out my Etsy store, Tower 27 Photography.

Weather at Garden of the Gods in Winter

Average Temperatures During Winter in Colorado Springs, CO

The following are the average highs and lows (in Fahrenheit) at Garden of the Gods in winter, according to NOAA. I included November April because there’s a solid chance of snow during these months.

MONTH AVG HIGH/LOW
November                  52° / 25°
December                   46° / 19°
January                       45° / 18°
February                     46° / 19°
March                          51° / 25°
April                            58° / 31°

Snow is common in winter, the region gets about 29 days of snow per year with around 57 total inches annually. Sun is also common with around 243 sunny days per year, above the US average.

Weather Fluctuations are Common

You may be tempted to hope for no snow, embrace it if it comes because there’s something almost magical about seeing the millions of years old red rocks amidst the snow.

Tips for Visiting Garden of Gods in Winter

Add Traction

Winter weather = slippery ground. Avoid slipping by giving yourself some additional foot traction with winter hiking shoes and/or Yaktrax, and improve balance with trekking poles.

I started using Yaktrax this year and am obsessed with this affordable option for winter traction. They’re particularly helpful in places like Garden of the Gods in winter where you can face a lot of in-between terrain that is dirt in one area that has received ample sunshine, but snowy and icy in another that is in the shadows. Yaktrax are small and light so you can throw them in your CamelBak and pull them out if you need them. I find trekking poles particularly helpful going downhill in winter weather.

Prepare for Mud on Warm Days

Warm days in winter melt some, or all of the snow on the ground, this creates mud. Be prepared. Winter is not the time to try out your brand new kicks that you don’t want to get dirty. You should still bring traction on warm days since areas that are blocked from the sun may have slippery snow/ice combinations.

Dress in Layers

As discussed above, weather can fluctuate quite a bit between days in Manitou Springs/Colorado Springs in winter. It can also fluctuate during the day so dress in layers to give yourself options. You could start a day needing a jacket and end up comfortable in a tank top a few hours later. I tend to dress on the warmer than needed since I dislike being cold and then just shove my extra layers in my CamelBak as I warm up.

Avoid Crowds (If you Want)

Even though Garden of the Gods is a lot slower during winter, it is still a very popular park for both Manitou Springs/Colorado Springs locals and visitors. The park is generally less crowded just after opening, right before closing, on weekdays, and on days with less than perfect weather.

The visitor center and nearby Perkins Central Garden Loop are usually the most crowded areas (and worth visiting at least once) so using parking lots, trailheads, and trails away from those sections can help you avoid people (and get some unique views). If you’re not picky on which part of the park you want to explore, you can drive the perimeter of the park and start your exploration from the least crowded parking lots.

Bring Water, Wear Sunscreen

Water and sunscreen are summer outdoor essentials. They are also winter outdoor essentials. My go-to sunscreen for face is La-Roche Posay’s Anthelios Clear Skin, actually stays on and doesn’t make me break-out. And I’m loyal to CamelBak all the way for holding water (and other hiking essentials).

Dry weather, which the area is known for, particularly in cold weather, can deceive you into dehydration because you don’t “feel” thirsty. Similarly, the cooler temperatures may lull you into feeling like you can’t get sunburned because you can’t “feel” the sun warming you. You can get sunburned, and fact, if there’s snow on the ground, it reflects the sun and magnifies its effect.

Getting to Garden of Gods in Winter

Getting to Garden of the Gods in Winter is the same as summer. If you are in Colorado, you can drive. If you’re further, you can fly into Denver Airport, and drive about 1.5 hours, or fly into Colorado Springs Airport and drive about 15-minutes. Use the tool below, to check prices with Skyscanner, one of my fav. search tools.

As for lodging, the closest places to stay to Garden of the Gods are Colorado Springs, CO proper, or Manitou Springs, CO, part of greater CO Springs and where the park is technically located. Click here to check Colorado Springs hotel prices and reviews on TripAdvisor

Sort of Legal