The Visitor and Nature Center at a glance
The Visitor and Nature Center stands at 1805 N. 30th Street in Colorado Springs. A foundation runs it, and entry is free. The park itself belongs to the City of Colorado Springs and is also free. The center, the Trading Post, the Garden of the Gods Resort and Club and the tour companies are separate organizations.
This is an independent guide, not the website of the center, the foundation or the city. Hours and prices below are the figures listed for 2026. They can change, so check the current hours before you go.
Garden of the Gods hours: park and visitor center
The building closes much earlier than the park. Do not mix the two.
| Place | Season | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Park (roads and trails) | 1 May to 31 October | 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Park (roads and trails) | 1 November to 30 April | 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Visitor and Nature Center | Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend | 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Visitor and Nature Center | Rest of the year | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Trading Post (private shop) | Summer | 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. |
| Trading Post (private shop) | Winter | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
The center is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. An older city map insert still shows 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the center in summer. The operator's current figure is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., so plan with that one. For the Trading Post, spring and autumn hours are not fixed; call before you drive over.
What is inside
Four things to look at, and what each one costs.
Exhibits and galleries
The exhibits cover interactive geology, plants and animals, and people and history. One exhibit is devoted to Theiophytalia kerri. A gallery on people and history names the Nuu-ciu (Ute) as the original inhabitants and describes ties of other Native nations to this land.
Geo-Trekker film
The film is called "How Did Those Red Rocks Get There?" It runs under 15 minutes, with a showing every 20 minutes. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children aged 5 to 12. Children under 5 are free, and SNAP EBT cardholders get free admission. Buy tickets at the kiosk or online.
Gateway Café and gift shop
The center has a café and a gift shop. Café hours can differ from the building's, so check on arrival and eat early if you rely on it.
Facilities
The building is ADA compliant and has restrooms and water bottle refill stations. Free non-motorized loan wheelchairs are available depending on availability: one page of the operator lists 3, another lists 2, so ask at the desk. There is no luggage storage.
Guided tours at Garden of the Gods
Jeep, trolley, Segway and bike tours, plus Pikes Peak and Manitou Springs day trips from Colorado Springs, with live prices and availability.
Nature walk and audio tour
One costs money, one does not. They are easy to confuse.
Guided nature walk
The walk starts at the visitor center every day at 10:30 a.m. and lasts 45 to 60 minutes. It costs $5 per person, and a reservation is required. It follows the Gateway Trail to the Central Garden Trail.
Audio tour
The audio tour is free and self-guided. You listen through headphones or your car speakers. If you want a guide, book the paid walk.
For distances, climbs and loops, see the trails page. The famous rocks are explained on the rock formations page.
Garden of the Gods Trading Post is a separate shop
People search for it together with the visitor center, but it is not part of it.
The Trading Post is a private shop at the southwest entrance of the park, at 324 Beckers Lane in Manitou Springs. It is not run by the foundation and has its own hours: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in summer and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The visitor center is a different building, reached from 30th Street. If you want the center's exhibits or the film, do not drive to the Trading Post.
Getting to the center and into the park
Walk from the building or drive in from the roundabout.
From the center you can walk into the park through the pedestrian tunnel. Cars enter at the roundabout on 30th Street and go west. The center's lot has fewer than 200 spaces, and in summer and on holidays it can fill up. Overflow Lot 1 is across from the center on Gateway Road. Buses, trailers and campers may unload only in the marked zone at the center and should wait and park in the overflow lot. More detail, including the other lots and the summer shuttle, is on the parking page. If you arrive from Denver or the airport, see getting there.
Smoking outdoors is banned in all city parks and open spaces under the city's burn restrictions, in effect since 17 February 2026. Dogs must be on a leash, and drones are not allowed.
Keep exploring
Pages that pair well with a visit to the center.
Parking
Lots, the summer shuttle, speed limit and park roads.
Trails
Loops and distances, from the flat Central Garden to the Siamese Twins.
Famous rock formations
Kissing Camels, Cathedral Spires, Three Graces and the geology.
Balanced Rock
Where to see it and how the rock came to stand this way.
Visitor center: frequently asked questions
What are the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center hours?
In summer, from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend, the center is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For the rest of the year it is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The park roads and trails stay open longer, from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. depending on the season.
Does the visitor center cost anything?
No, entry is free. The Geo-Trekker film ($6 for adults in 2026) and the guided nature walk ($5, reservation required) cost extra. The audio tour is free.
Is the Trading Post the same as the visitor center?
No. The Trading Post is a private shop at the southwest entrance, in Manitou Springs. The visitor center is a separate building on 30th Street. They have different hours and different owners.
Can I borrow a wheelchair?
The center lends non-motorized wheelchairs for free, depending on availability. The operator's pages give 3 chairs on one page and 2 on another, so ask at the desk. The building and the main paved paths are accessible, but that is not a promise for every trail. See the trails page.
Do I need a reservation to visit the park?
No general reservation is required for a normal visit to the park. The guided nature walk does need one.
Is this the official website?
No. This is an independent guide with no link to the center, the foundation, the city, the Trading Post or any tour operator.