Palmer Park is a beautiful scenic place, with incredible views however, use it your own risk and…read morekeep your wits about you. I have had my car vandalized here and there are sketchy people hanging out here, at times. I stopped going to this park two years ago because of the increasing popularity with both regular people who don't clean up after their pets, but worse, less than desirable people that make me question my safety.

I love Palmer Park! It's in the middle of the city and…read moredoesn't even feel like you are haha! Lots of trails for all levels! We completed two easy trails today and had a blast. This park is Mountain bike, dog, and horse friendly. Highly recommend visiting ^.^

I wanted some vibes like Garden of the gods but did not want the crowds so I checked out Red Rock…read moreCanyon Open Space! I was really impressed with this open space. Parking was easy, they had plenty of spots while I was visiting. They've got something for everyone! Hiking trails, bike park/paths, rock climbing (permit needed), an off leash dog park. I specifically went for the hiking trails. They were great for my 4 year old. When I go with him I try to look for trails under 3 miles. My only complaint is I wish they had real bathrooms by the parking lot. The porta potty was pretty gross. P.s. you can see garden of the gods from this park! They are pretty close to each other!

Colorado is the healthiest state in the US (this is fact, you can look this up on the CDC website)…read moreand I can see why. With such amazing hiking available, that is free to residents and visitors, all over the state, it encourages you to get outside and enjoy what mother nature has to offer. Red Rock Canyon Open Space has a series of canyons and ridges sculpted by erosion of the area's uplifted rock strata. The ridges and canyons offer beautiful views that are photo worthy for those wanting to post to their social media (or hey, just keeping these photo keepsakes in your own camera roll is also fine too). Red Rock Canyon Open Space is dog friendly, with some off leash areas (where noted), and 11 trails that you can hike. The trails are anywhere from 1.7 miles to 5.4 miles, with a lot of pretty easy trails for those that are not as active but still want to partake in the journey. You can also see views of Garden of the Gods, which is nearby. Red Rock Canyon Open Space is not nearly as busy as Garden of the Gods (but highly recommend a visit there too, which is also dog friendly). From May 1 and Oct. 31, you can enter Red Rock Canyon Open Space between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.; during the rest of the year, the park closes at 9 p.m. There is free parking available and also one porta potty at the beginning of the trail (but I did not use it) and also trash cans (I did not see trash cans anywhere else in this open space). My husband and I visited Red Rock Canyon Open Space with our little girl dog. We came on a Sunday afternoon, a little after 1 pm. It was an overcast day, which was nice. But it was rather busy but not crowded. We were able to find a parking spot without any trouble. We only did 2 light trails but enjoyed the views. The trails we had were pretty easy for the most part. We also did see a handful of dogs during our visit. Please note that there is hardly any shade so make sure you plan accordingly (hat to shade your face, plenty of water, etc).

I liked this hike! It took me about 30-40 minutes to get up, with some stops along the way for…read morepictures. The road was paved nicely. There are cool white structures you can climb on as you approach the main pulpit rock.

I've passed by this spot for ages and always thought about hiking to the summit. I finally made it…read morehappen! Parking is a breeze and right at the trailhead. There are tons of signs to guide you all the way up. This hike is really easy, making it perfect for families. The views from the top are amazing! You can see the entire west side of Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods, USAFA, and Pikes Peak. It took me around 45 minutes to reach the top from the parking area.

What a lovely place to recreate. Kayaking, fishing, hiking - whatever strikes your fancy. We hiked…read moreabout 30 minutes on the trail and then enjoyed the view before heading back. The path was just challenging enough for those of us who don't regularly hike. The views are pretty as we border the reservoir. The people we encountered during the hike all made way for each other and were so polite. It's refreshing. There are little walkways down to small patches of beach and rock outcroppings to sit on and enjoy the views. There is limited parking regulated by the park rangers so you know if there's space. And the gate for the road to the reservoir is closed at 6pm by the park rangers so be aware of the time. Recommend!

We went on a cloudy day and it drizzled a bit, so our experience wasn't great. It costs ten…read moredollars to get in and the drive in from Garden of the Gods was fun. I'd recommend at least a small awd vehicle, but we did see a few cars and vans on Rampart Range Road. There were tons of places to park and picnic. The water and background had some great views.

The Mesa Overlook isn't just a pit stop--it's a postcard come to life. You pull over thinking,…read more"Okay, let's stretch our legs," and then boom--you're hit with this sweeping, cinematic view of the desert meeting sky like they've been pen pals for centuries. There's a calm up there. The wind has opinions, the rocks are sunbaked storytellers, and the air feels like it's been filtered through time itself. You can see for miles, and it makes your problems feel about the size of a tumbleweed. No admission, no crowds, just raw New Mexico beauty doing what it does best: showing off.

The sights aren't amazing but this is definitely one of the best spots to see the rock formations…read more Only 2 other cars parked here when I came on a Thursday afternoon.

We planned a camping weekend specifically so we could get an early start at Paint Mines. Hindsight,…read moreI would want to start a bit earlier even next time. We were on the trail at 8. Use sunscreen, wear a hat and bring water. The trails are well marked as are the areas that they are protecting from humans. My husband and I had a great time seeing all the formations. We started from the southernmost parking lot. Either lot works as a start point. The southern lot does not have bathroom or port-a-pot. We saw antelope on the drive there. Deer while on the trail as well as many types of birds. The wildflowers were blooming here and there and some cactus had flowers. Once we got back to our vehicle, we drove around to the overlook parking lot and did that vantage point as well. Highly recommend doing this as you get such a different perspective from being down amongst the formations and then seeing more of a composite from above. It is a worthy visit and hike. Be prepared for it to get hot, quick. Hence wanting an earlier start next time. Would do again!

It was a bit of a drive from the city, but worth it. I was there in early July and it was almost…read moretoo hot, but we came prepared and decided not to complete the entire loop due to the heat. I bet this would be a cool spring hike with all of the wildflowers. Plenty of parking and thankfully there was a bathroom. Beautiful rock formations.

The 3-4 mile dirt gravel road is awful. Not a road for normal car. The trail we tried was good but…read moreno signs anywhere. Do not recommend until they improve the access road.

Hidden gem with little traffic! This is a moderate hike with elevation gain of approximately 2000'…read moreover the course of 1.6 miles. There are some areas of loose dirt and rock that make coming down a little tricky, but not super intimidating. The majority of this trail is in the woods and in turn it is shaded. There are multiple trail heads. The one marked on the map is the farthest you can drive to shorten the hike to get to the top. You continue on the road after it turns to dirt. Then on the right is Red Rocks Rd and a gate (that is open) if you were to continue on Mt Herman rd. Turn right and the lot and trailhead are right there. The climb is well worth it. You know you've reached the top when you get to the windsock. You can walk all around the peak and get 360 views of the area. When we climbed there was smoke from the fires, so the view wasn't super clear. I imagine on a clear day that you can see far and get awesome views. We would definitely do this again. Especially because it's fairly short with a big reward. We only passed 3 groups of people too. So this really isn't super busy.

Went here for a blues fest on July 2nd what an incredible spot, very secluded really nice setting…read morefor an outdoor music venue I hope to see more events open to the public