How Long Is the Hike?
Short walks
The Perkins Central Garden Trail is paved, 1.5 miles round trip with less than 30 ft of rise, and wheelchair and stroller accessible. The Siamese Twins Trail is 1 mile round trip with less than 150 ft of gain and a view of Pikes Peak through a natural rock window. The Ridge Trail is a 0.5-mile loop with less than 100 ft of gain, rated moderate by the park. From the overflow lot, the Gateway and Central Garden trails together make 2.5 miles. The Central Garden Trail page and the Siamese Twins page have more.
Longer routes
The official park map gives the Palmer Trail at about 1.9 miles, and the Scotsman and Buckskin Charlie trails make a moderate, rocky loop. AllTrails, a secondary source, describes an “Outer Loop” of about 6.5 miles. Off-trail travel is prohibited. The park advises carrying water, noting strong sun at altitude and summer storms that can form within minutes. The hiking trails page and the difficulty page cover each route; the park’s hiking trails page has the map.
With a guide
A ranger-led nature walk runs daily at 10:30 am; a small fee applies and reservations are required. Among the tours, the luxury jeep tour’s listing mentions walking along hiking trails within its 2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the walking trail at Garden of the Gods?
The main paved trail, Perkins Central Garden, is 1.5 miles round trip. See the Central Garden Trail page.
How long is a hike at Garden of the Gods?
From 0.5 mile on the Ridge Trail to about 6.5 miles on the AllTrails Outer Loop. See the hiking trails page.
Is the hike at Garden of the Gods hard?
The short trails have little gain; the Scotsman and Buckskin Charlie loop is rocky. See how hard is it.