Garden of the Gods is a public park located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, a 1971's registered National Natural Landmark. The Garden of Gods in Colorado Springs has several gorgeous red rock formations which were formed millions of years ago due to upheavals in the earth's surface and erosion, but one of the most popular features of this beautiful park is Balanced Rock - it looks like it could fall down at any time. A balancing rock is a naturally occurring geological formation, featuring a large rock resting on other rocks that only appear to be balancing. These amazing rock formations showing its beauty in the Garden Of The Gods are silent witnesses of unique geological development and are a true wonder of nature. The area is now known as Garden of the Gods but was formerly called Red Rock Corral by the Europeans.
Image Credit - Flickr
The Park's outstanding geologic features are sedimentary beds of sandstones, limestone, and conglomerates that were deposited horizontally but now have been tilted vertically by the mountain building forces caused by the uplift of the Rocky Mountains. The huge red sandstone rock formations rise to a height of up to a hundred and fifty meters. The park contains rock formations that have different shapes: toppled, overturned, stood-up, pushed around and slanted. Balanced Rock that presents a popular photo opportunity today and is one of the most impressive features of the park was actually formed as erosive processes removed softer layers near its base, eventually leaving the precarious-looking formation seen today. It is a combination of coarse sand, gravel, silica, and hematite. It is the hematite that gives the large balanced rock its red hue. Three Graces, Gateway Rocks, and other outcroppings are sedimentary layers that had been pushed up vertically. The two Gateway Rocks which are the largest outcroppings in the park, "North Gateway and South Gateway", form a natural entrance to the Garden of the Gods, and are composed primarily of Lyons Formation, a stone made of fine sand from ancient sand dunes. Gray Rock", and "Sleeping Giant" are also composed of Lyons Formation. Steamboat Rock and Balanced Rock are the two beautiful rock formations that are popular spots for tourist photography.
Image Credit - Flickr
The Garden of the Gods Park is a rich ecological resource. A combination of three ecological systems, indigenous wildlife and vegetation provided a good source of nourishment. The sandstone is filled with fossils of marine life, plants, and dinosaurs. The skull of a dinosaur was found in the park in 1878 and was identified as Theiophytalia kerri, a unique species, the only fossil of the genus yet to be discovered. The park is also home to more than 130 species of birds including white-throated swifts, canyon wrens, and swallows. Bighorn sheep, Fox, and Mule deer live in the Park and are very common in the park. The park is also popular for technical rock climbing, hiking, horseback riding, and road and mountain biking. Due to the unusual and steep rock formations in the park, it is an attractive destination for rock climbers. The beautiful Garden of the Gods Park attracts more than two million visitors a year, making it the city’s most visited park. The park has a great gift of nature in the form of balanced rock that must be seen before it falls down and becomes just an ordinary rock.
Image credit - Flickr
The Park's outstanding geologic features are sedimentary beds of sandstones, limestone, and conglomerates that were deposited horizontally but now have been tilted vertically by the mountain building forces caused by the uplift of the Rocky Mountains. The huge red sandstone rock formations rise to a height of up to a hundred and fifty meters. The park contains rock formations that have different shapes: toppled, overturned, stood-up, pushed around and slanted. Balanced Rock that presents a popular photo opportunity today and is one of the most impressive features of the park was actually formed as erosive processes removed softer layers near its base, eventually leaving the precarious-looking formation seen today. It is a combination of coarse sand, gravel, silica, and hematite. It is the hematite that gives the large balanced rock its red hue. Three Graces, Gateway Rocks, and other outcroppings are sedimentary layers that had been pushed up vertically. The two Gateway Rocks which are the largest outcroppings in the park, "North Gateway and South Gateway", form a natural entrance to the Garden of the Gods, and are composed primarily of Lyons Formation, a stone made of fine sand from ancient sand dunes. Gray Rock", and "Sleeping Giant" are also composed of Lyons Formation. Steamboat Rock and Balanced Rock are the two beautiful rock formations that are popular spots for tourist photography.
The Garden of the Gods Park is a rich ecological resource. A combination of three ecological systems, indigenous wildlife and vegetation provided a good source of nourishment. The sandstone is filled with fossils of marine life, plants, and dinosaurs. The skull of a dinosaur was found in the park in 1878 and was identified as Theiophytalia kerri, a unique species, the only fossil of the genus yet to be discovered. The park is also home to more than 130 species of birds including white-throated swifts, canyon wrens, and swallows. Bighorn sheep, Fox, and Mule deer live in the Park and are very common in the park. The park is also popular for technical rock climbing, hiking, horseback riding, and road and mountain biking. Due to the unusual and steep rock formations in the park, it is an attractive destination for rock climbers. The beautiful Garden of the Gods Park attracts more than two million visitors a year, making it the city’s most visited park. The park has a great gift of nature in the form of balanced rock that must be seen before it falls down and becomes just an ordinary rock.
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