COLORADO SPRINGS – New gates at Garden of the Gods will be closed overnight starting this weekend to keep unwanted guests from visiting after hours.
The park has always been off limits from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., but the new gates now secure the entrances and enforce the closure.
Repeated reports of vandalism and street racing in the park forced the new measures.
The phased plan starts with the gates at Ridge Road on the south end of the park. Security will be in the park each night, announcing the closure before they lock the gates.
Anyone in the park will have time to leave after being notified before a systematic closing of all the gates so no one is locked inside.
More gates will be added to the closure time later in the month.
On a related note, the City of Colorado Springs announced Friday morning that another ‘Motorless Morning’ will take place at the park on Sunday, October 7th. The first event was held on Earth Day of this year to allow visitors a quieter experience in the beautiful park.
Visitors will be encouraged to park at the Visitor and Nature Center, the Garden of the Gods Trading Post, or in the temporary parking lot at Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site before hiking in.
