Saturday, April 20, 2024

Don't Miss

Garden Of The Gods Camping

Holiday Village Rv Camp

Truck Camping: Garden of the Gods Illinois
  • This RV camp is at a distance of 5 miles to the Garden of the Gods, a few minutes walk to Pikes Peak.
  • Nearby attractions include the Rock Ledge Ranch, a historic site, 2.1 miles away, and McAllister House, 2.8 miles distance.
  • Facilities include a bathhouse, restrooms, hot showers.
  • Recreation includes a spa, a recreation hall.
  • There are restrictions on pets.

Location Of Garden Of The Gods Rv Resort

Colorado Springs is about an hour south of Denver Colorado. The major interstate highway I-25 runs through it. Garden of the Gods RV Resort is in western Colorado Springs, near the border of Manitou Springs. Roads into the area are easy to manage. But be mindful of your routes coming into Colorado, as some routes may involve long steep grades at elevation.

We loved that this resort has very quick easy access to nature and the outdoors, yet is also walking distance to stores and conveniences.

with the latest RV park reviews, news and updates.

Amenities At Garden Of The Gods Rv Resort

Garden of the Gods RV Resort has nice amenities for a RV park of its size. There are two heated pool areas , a playground, dog park, billiard room, and store. It is a very well stocked RV resort store, with snacks, RV supplies, camping supplies, clothing and books.

At the time of writing this post, their store even carries autographed copies of our book, Living the RV Life Your Ultimate Guide to Life On The Road. They also have a large arcade, and a building that can host large group events. This RV park often attracts small rallies and traveling groups.

Don’t Miss: Rv Beach Camping Northern California

Free Camping Near The Garden Of The Gods Colorado

For RV campers who are enthusiasts in the Garden of the Gods Camping, it is good to know that they can freely camp on the public land administered by the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Most of the sites for free Colorado RV camping are in national forests. State parks, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies also offer free RV camping.

Garden Of The Gods Rv Resort

Garden of the Gods Campground

The Garden of the Gods RV Resort offers tent sites, a full range of simple to luxurious RV sites, as well as actual cabins .

With a variety of amenities , this will barely even feel like camping. Still, youll wake up to see youre at the foot of Pikes Peak near Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs, only minutes from Garden of the Gods. Its a great option if you want to camp really close to the Garden of the Gods while having access to modern amenities.

Cost varies depending on what site you pick. Visit their website for a full list of options. They book up quickly, so plan your reservation early!

Address: 3704 West Colorado Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

Recommended Reading: Where Can I Sell My Camping Gear

Disclosure: Opinions Camping Practices And Experiences Expressed With Articles Posted Here Or Otherwise Via User

The Shawnee National Forest, located in the southern tip of Illinois, was our first stop on the Grand Tour to Glacier National Park. Our rule of thumb for setting our schedule was to travel for about 8 hours, camp a few days, then continue on. Most of the campsites we had booked but there were several nights where we were just winging it. If you’re RV camping, I definitely recommend having reservations for every stop. If you change your mind then call around. And you won’t be heartbroken when you can’t find an open site. But for us, we were tent camping on this trip and found it quite easy to find an open tent site at just about everywhere we wanted to stay.

The ride from Atlanta to Shawnee was pretty easy. We opted to take some of the lessor traveled state highways and stayed off of interstate highways as much as possible. I saw a sign for Land Between the Lakes, which sounded like part of an adventure so , I said, “Here we go.” Even though it was a little bit of a detour, we were rewarded with an actual river ferry ride across the Ohio River on Cave-in-Rock Ferry. Crossing over, we saw an amish family living the simple life of a horse drawn carriage – and my mind started to wonder how good that would be… A little further and we were in Shawnee National Forest. I have to admit though, the route we took was through some very remote one lane dirt roads where we even lost GPS signal for a bit, and I’m pretty sure I heard banjo picking more than once.

0 Comment

Garden Of The Gods Illinois Cabins

If youre not a fan of camping yet still want to spend the night and enjoy the area, then you can opt for cabin rentals nearby. Shawnee Forest Cabins are one of the closest cabins to the popular Garden of the Gods Illinois. The beautiful, new log cabins near the Shawnee National Forest offer one bedroom, hot tub cabins, as well as two-bedroom, log cabins.

The cabins offer full furnished kitchens including all utensils, cookware and even paper towels, as well as queen size beds with linens, and spacious full-size tub/showers complete with towels and washcloths, not to mention free super-fast Wifi and Direct TV.

Read Also: Camping World Human Resource Department

Pike National Forest Campgrounds

The Pike National Forest encompasses a lot of the land west of Colorado Springs. In addition to fishing, this stretch of CO-67 N contains hiking, biking, off roading and even river tubing in the summer. Another nice advantage of this region is its almost equal proximity to Denver and Highway 285 to the north. From Colorado Springs take Highway 24 to Woodland Park and take a right onto Highway 67. The USFS Pike N.F. Campgrounds will start just north of Woodland Park. Colorado Campground is among the first you reach at 25 miles:

  • Closest town: Woodland Park Colorado Springs
  • Specs: 80 campsites, vault toilet, water, 30 parking areas, open June 1 to September 7
  • Amenities: Amphitheater, hosted campground

Cheyenne Mountain State Park Campsites

Garden of the Gods RV Resort

Located in the Cheyenne Mountain State Park, these tent campsites are perfect if you want to hike or bike and see wildlife on over 28 miles of trails. Located approximately 30 minutes south of Garden of the Gods in a state park, this campsite is secluded and a true mountain experience.

Featuring full service campsites and some basic walk-in tent sites, the campground also has coin-operated showers, laundry facilities, a playground, and more. There nearby visitor center offers souvenirs and refreshments, as well as just a place to relax. This is a great campsite for all ages, especially if you want to tent camp away from the RVs.

Reserve your campsite online. Visit their website for more details.

Cost: Depending on the site type you choose, costs range from $28 to $41 per night .

Address: 410 JL Ranch Heights, Colorado Springs, CO 80926

Read Also: Free Camping In The Upper Peninsula

Rv Sites At Garden Of The Gods Rv Resort

All RV sites are gravel, or concrete pads and include picnic tables and concrete patios. Power is 30/50 amp, and all sites are full hook-up . Some sites also provide cable TV.

Pull through sites as long as 65 are available. But most sites are back-in, and many will not accommodate large . There are a total of around 170 RV sites, and are divided into 6 different types, from standard back ins, to executive pull throughs.

About 31 are pull-through, and the rest back in. Despite the fact that the number of large sites is a small percentage, we would still consider this a reasonably big rig friendly RV resort. Mostly because the internal roads are relatively easy to navigate, and many of the large sites are pull-through.

Most sites are pretty level, but there are many that might require leveling blocks. We only saw a few travel trailers and fifth wheels needing leveling blocks. But more motorhomes needed leveling blocks, as they have less range for leveling.

Camping Garden Of The Gods

A lot to look at overlooks and sandstone bluffs. A lot of poison ivy almost impossible to avoid in some places along the lower loop along the sand stone cliffs.

This is an amazing trail and the springs and devils backbone are beautiful. Trail was too overgrown to get to bridge.

Geart trail. Flag stone path, but you can leave the path to investigate. Short, dog welcome on leash.

Wonderfully maintained, paved trail. So many stunning views and photo opportunities. Popular area soots of other hikers and dogs greeted us along the way. We spent a lot of time relaxing and enjoying the breezes from atop the various rock formations and taking photos so we were there about 90 minutes.

Pretty slick in spots, but still a great hike. Lived an hour north of this place and didnt know it was here until after I moved away.

Im Johnny,I run this trial once a week. If anyone is local and would like to join me please let me know. 7072001220

Saw a beautiful sunset. Lots of great rock scrambles. Heat drove away a lot of people so it wasnt very crowded on a Friday night.

great trail, gorgeous overlook. second half after lookout, very overgrown, wear pants and be mindful of aggressive spiders and tree roots.

It was an ok hike. If you are allergic to poison ivy DO NOT do this trail. It is very narrow and covered in ivy. If I did this again, Id go straight out to the view and skip the loop back and come straight back

Read Also: Grand Teton National Park Camping Reservations

Mistake #1 Not Having Proper Hiking Shoes Or Boots For The Observation Trails

Although the distance is short, you do have to have some level of physical fitness, as you are walking up uneven pathways.

It would also be in a visitors best interest to wear comfortable and supportive hiking shoes or hiking boots. Having the necessary footgear will allow for a more stable walk or hike up the trail, especially when youre ready to venture out on some of the cliffs for some epic photos.

My only caution is that you are careful and not playing around. The cliffs are high and can be dangerous.

Trails Within This Wilderness Area

Garden of the Gods

The Observation Trail is the most visited site in the Shawnee National Forest. The trail consists of many bluff tops and wide scenic views of the Garden of the Gods Wilderness Area. Of the many rock formations present, Camel Rock is likely the most famous and is even featured on the back of a US Quarter. This trail is less than a quarter of a mile and is a loop. A portion of this trail could be accessible to handicap visitors with some help from others if required. Disposable food and drink containers are not allowed on this trail violations can result in fines. Please help us keep our forest beautiful by not littering. There are trash cans in the parking lot as well as bike racks, adequate parking and restrooms.

Anvil Rock area provides access to the wilderness from the day-use only parking area. There are hiker-only and hiker/equestrian use trails from this area. The hiker-only bluff trail provides access to extremely interesting rock formations such as Starry Night and Anvil Rock, and also provide access to very scenic overlooks of the wilderness area. The various horse/hiker shared trails will lead to various different points of interest throughout the wilderness.

Also Check: Camping 4 Hours From Me

Camp Cadiz At Shawnee National Forest

This campground is the site of an old Civilian Conservation Corps work camp. It is somewhat off the beaten path about six miles from Garden of the Gods. The campsites are level and each has a fire ring with grill and picnic table.

We had no problem finding an available campsite at Camp Cadiz. The payment processing is the same and the campsites are clean and well-kept.

Shawnee National Forest Campground

El Ranchito Restaurant. #6 of 29 Restaurants in Harrisburg. 16 reviews. 303 S Commercial St Ste 3. 0.9 km from Garden of the Gods. Savory Mexican Food 23/05/2020. Excellent 08/12/2019. Cuisines: Mexican, Spanish Open year-round, Garden of the Gods is a registered National Natural Landmark located in Colorado Springs. An American icon, Garden of the Gods features 300-foot rock formations against one of Colorados most famous 14ers, Pikes Peak. For the uninitiated, a 14er is a mountain of at least 14,000 feet elevation Garden of the Gods RV Resort allows guests a unique opportunity to disconnect from regular life and enjoy the spectacular view of Pikes Peak. Garden of the Gods is surrounded by Colorados historical mountain towns, something the history buffs in your party will really enjoy. The park was recently upgraded to offer you even more amenities Log cabin by Garden of the Gods in Shawnee National Forest. Sleeps 81 bedroom4 beds. Premier Host. Previous Image. Next Image. Create a new Trip Board. Cabin3.5 mi to Shawnee National Forest Peace of Mind Rate Our Peace of Mind rate is fully refundable less a 10% cancellation fee except during holiday periods. You may make ONE date change or cancel the reservation but this change must be made by 3:00 pm MST, 72-hours prior to arrival. You must make your date change or cancellation by calling the property at 719-475-9450 and.

Recommended Reading: Best Camping In Dc Area

Garden Of The Gods Directions

Take Exit 54 off of Interstate 57 and follow Illinois 13 East for 25 miles. Turn Right onto US 45 in Harrisburg, IL and continue South for 1 mile. Then, turn Left onto Illinois 34 and follow the highway for 16 miles until you reach Karbers Ridge Road. Turn left onto Karbers Ridge Road and follow the road East for 3 miles. Turn Left onto Illinois 10 and continue for around 1 mile. Finally, turn left onto Garden of the Gods Road and look for the recreation area to your left.

Map Of Recommended Route

Shawnee National Forest-Bell Smith Springs & Garden of the gods

The following map outlines our recommended route. Click the Load Interactive Map button to load the correct map. Once loaded, you can navigate along the route and view recommended campsites.

For even more detailed mapping, including being able to print a copy for yourself, click the Open in CalTopo button at the top of the map once its loaded into view.

  • Day 1 Lusk Creek Trailhead to Little Lusk Creek Campsite
  • Day 2 Little Lusk Creek Campsite to Overlook Campsite
  • Day 3 Overlook Campsite to Garden of the Gods Backpacking Parking

*Note: Please refer to the official River-to-River trail maps in the Resources section below for extending your route. There is actually a network of trails that you can take from the main one to the Camel Rock area, exit the trail in its parking area, then walk the rest of the way back to your vehicle on the park road. Unfortunately, these are not shown on Caltopo.

Another option is to have an extra long second day. Hike to the Pharaoh Campground, stay all night, and day hike the rest of the sights in Garden of the Gods.

You May Like: Large Power Bank For Camping

Don’t Miss: Illinois State Park Camping Reservations

Mistake #3 Waiting To Take Photos The Next Morning

For photos, there is a real and working payphone and phone booth outside of the Outpost. When the day was nice, I skipped the photo and said that I would do it before we left out the next morning.

The next morning, as we headed out, we stopped for the Outpost photos and the phone booth was very damp from the morning dew making for not the ideal phone booth photos. So, dont wait. When you see the , go ahead and grab the photos instead of trying to wait for the perfect moment.

Aside from this, across the road are images of a family of Bigfoots eating ice cream, as well as Bigfoot himself as a statue catty-corner to the Outpost. Regardless of the morning dew, these were awesome photo opportunities.

Garden Of The Gods Rv Resort In Colorado Springs Review

Disclosure: Please note this post may contain affiliate links. This means at no additional cost to you we earn a commission if you make a purchase using our links. We only link to products and companies we use and recommend. The income goes toward supporting the free content on this site and community.

We have stayed at Garden of the Gods RV Resort many times in our 6 years of travel, and have always enjoyed our return visits. When the pandemic shelter in place orders began in March, we were boondocking in Arizona, where we ended up staying for 5 weeks. But with the desert temperatures set to soar by late April, we knew it was time to look for a safe, and much cooler, location where we could situate ourselves for an extended period.

After making sure they were open and could accommodate us, we headed straight to Colorado Springs to complete phase 2 of our shelter in place. We initially booked a 2 month stay, but ended up extending by an additional two weeks. All up, we stayed for about 10-11 weeks. This post is loaded with photos as you read on, but for an even more visual tour, check out this related video.

This RV Resort is one of seven owned by RVC Outdoors We enjoyed our stay at their Catherines Landing location as well.

Read on for more details about Garden of the Gods RV Resort and the surrounding area.

Also Check: Camping Inside The Grand Canyon

Latest Posts

Popular Articles

Stay in touch

To be updated with all the latest news, offers and special announcements.