A Hiker's Path: The open spaces of Colorado Springs' Red Rock Canyon

Recently I wrote about my visit to Colorado Springs.

This week I am sharing about another hiking adventure I had while there.

Red Rock Canyon is an open space made for the public and it’s got a lot of rock formations like the Garden of the Gods.

I got up early on a sunny Sunday morning to visit and hike this unique place.

When I arrived at the parking lot, I saw a sign with a map of the trails that were in the park. The parking lot itself was very big and on this day, it was full of cars and people. Admission to the city of Colorado Springs park is free.

Technically, it is an “open space,” which is an outdoor public space used for a park or recreation. These are typically found in urban areas.

Red Rock Canyon is characterized by a series of canyons and parallel, sandstone ridges, (called “hogbacks”) sculpted by erosion by the area’s uplifted strata.

The park contains 1,474 acres and has 11 marked trails to hike.

With a copy of the trail map in my possession, I took off to explore.

I was so excited to visit this place.

I started off on the first trail which led me by a great big rock wall that had earned the name “the Whale.” This wall is a favorite for rock climbers in the area and across the country. The whale is a long, humped fin on the west side of Red Rock Canyon. A “fin” is a  geological formation that is a long, residual wall of hard sedimentary rock.

There are many “named” walls in this place that rock climbers access.

I, myself, am not a climber, but after so many treks in the Sierra Nevada, I have done my share of rock scrambling and bouldering. It can be brutal, but so much fun!

A close-up view of many of the smaller rock formations revealed details in the rocks, such as shades and lines and other interesting impressions. I came across the most beautiful rock formations that I’ve seen so far that day.

I found as I walked along, the different trails interconnected with one another.

I had a really good day just exploring the different formations and canyons.

It was a pleasant day under a beautiful, blue sky.

Close to the end of my hike, I came to a stone bench that had signatures written on it. The bench is meant for meditation.

This was the one time when graffiti was OK. I named it the “signature bench.” It seemed to fit right in with the rest of the landscape. I sat on it taking in the views around me; it was a quiet time of reflection.

I just loved this place and I really felt happy that I got the chance to visit.

If you want to learn more about this place, check out the website https://coloradosprings.gov/redrockcanyon

It was my first visit to Colorado Springs. I had heard so much about it that I just finally had to see go see it. It was a good visit.

I’ll write more about my hiking adventures there in my next column.

To get to this place: the address is 3550 W. High St., Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Here is a quote for your week: “It is necessary for a person to go away by themselves, to sit on a rock, and ask, 'Who am I, where have I been, and where am I going?'" — Carl Sandburg, American poet, biographer, journalist, editor, Pulitzer Prize winner, 1878-1967

Until the next trail,Susan

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Hogbacks and more to see at Red Rock Canyon in Colorado Springs