I recently had the pleasure of photographing border collies Huck and Gus amongst the impressive rock formations at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Because they live in the midwest, their mom wanted photos that looked like nothing like their home on the plains. Garden of the Gods, with its unique rock formations, fit the bill perfectly. Note: Dogs are required to be on a 6 foot leash in the park. Gus and Huck’s leashes have been removed in Photoshop.

If you’re looking for stunning one-of-a-kind scenery for your dog photoshoot or maybe just in need of a fun adventure with your pup you definitely should consider visiting this gorgeous area.

The Garden of the Gods’ rock formations were created during a geologic upheaval along a fault line millions of years ago. Histories of ancient seas, ancestral mountain ranges, and Saharan-scale deserts are etched in their jutting, precarious forms.

Visiting Garden of the Gods with a dog information:

Hours and admission

The park is open daily from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. Admission is free.

Are dogs allowed at Garden of the Gods? Yes! Here’s the dog policy:

Dogs on a 6-foot leash are allowed in the Garden of the Gods Park. Dogs are allowed off-leash in the designated area south of Gateway Road, West of 30th Street, and east of Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site.

Garden of the Gods dog-friendly trails

The good news is that Garden of the Gods is incredibly dog-friendly. Dogs are allowed on any of the 21 miles of trails in the park as long as they’re on a 6-foot leash. Here are a few of my favorite hikes to get you started: 

• Perkins Central Garden Trail (1.1 miles out and back): This paved trail takes you into the heart of the park and allows you to wander around the bases of the highest rock formations such as Signature Rock, Sentinel Spires and White Rock.

• Siamese Twins Loop Trail (1 mile round trip): An easy trail that takes you to twin sandstone formations and a unique view of Pike’s Peak. 

• Susan G. Bretag Trail & Palmer Trail Loop (2.5 miles round trip): The trail winds over rolling, rocky terrain. Great views of the rock formations. The Palmer portion is particularly beautiful. 

Best photo spots in Garden of the Gods

Prefer to skip the hike and go straight to the pretty photo locations? Here are my top spots that require minimal effort to reach:

• Camel’s Back: you’ll need to park in the main parking lot (the first one as you enter the park) and walk across the road to get Camel’s Back in the photo.

• Three Graces View Point: parking here is tricky as it’s just a small roadside pull-off, but it has incredible views of the rocky fins jutting dramatically out of the landscape.

• High Point: One of my favorite locations! It’s an easy walk from the parking lot onto the deep-red rocks.