All before Breakfast

There is something unforgettable about watching the first light hit the towering sandstone spires of Garden of the Gods. If you only have one morning in Colorado Springs, hitting the trails right at dawn is the absolute best way to experience the park without the overwhelming crowds or midday heat.

Beyond being a breathtaking hike, the golden morning light shifting across these ancient red rocks is pure fuel for creative inspiration—whether you love sketching in a travel journal, capturing photos, or gathering ideas for stories along the way.

Here is our tried-and-true morning itinerary covering three must-do trails, a creative pause, a quick roadside spectacle, and plenty of time left over for a well-deserved breakfast.

Trail 1: Perkins Central Garden Trail

• Distance: 1.5 miles
• Difficulty: Easy (Paved & accessible)

We started our morning right in the heart of the park on the Perkins Central Garden Trail. This fully paved pathway winds through the central garden, bringing you right beneath the park’s tallest and most dramatic rock walls.

Walking here as the morning light begins to warm up the red rock is pure magic. Because it is flat and wide, it’s an effortless stroll that lets you focus entirely on the massive scale of the formations towering directly above you.

Trail 2: Sleeping Giant Viewpoint

• Distance: ~0.5 miles round-trip
• Difficulty: Moderate (Brief stair climb)

Located directly off the main Perkins loop is a side trail leading up to the Sleeping Giant Viewpoint. Don’t skip this one! It requires a short half-mile effort up a well-maintained path set with railroad steps, but the payoff is massive.

From the top, you get a sprawling overview of the entire main garden—including the famous Three Graces rock formation—with snow-capped Pikes Peak holding down the horizon in the background.

A Moment for Creativity: Art & Storytelling on the Trail

Mornings like this are made for slowing down and soaking in artistic inspiration. Watching the contrast of deep crimson stone against bright cobalt blue skies is an absolute dream for travel journaling, sketching, or watercolor work.

If you are a writer or artist, carry a pocket sketchbook or notebook on these hikes. Standing beneath the giant formations, it’s impossible not to feel new ideas sparking—whether you’re capturing continuous line sketches of the landscape, jotting down vivid sensory details for a book scene, or simply letting the peaceful morning silence reset your creative mind.

Trail 3: Siamese Twins Trail

• Distance: 1.0-mile loop
• Difficulty: Moderate (Rocky steps & mild incline)

After finishing up near the central garden, head over to the Siamese Twins Trailhead. This 1-mile loop offers a more classic hiking feel, taking you over clear dirt paths, a few large rocks, and natural stone steps.

The crown jewel of this hike sits right at the top: the Siamese Twins formation. If you stand in just the right spot, you can look right through the natural rock “window” to see Pikes Peak perfectly framed inside. It’s easily one of the best photo and sketching ops in the entire park.

Bonus Quick Stop: Balanced Rock

As you drive toward the park exit, keep an eye out for Balanced Rock. You don’t even need to lace up your boots for this one—the massive, gravity-defying 700-ton boulder sits right beside the roadway. Pull over into one of the designated spots for a quick look before heading into town.

What’s Next?

By the time you finish all three hikes, spend some time creating, and drive past Balanced Rock, it’s still early morning! You’ll have plenty of time to head into Colorado Springs to grab a hot breakfast. Or if you were like us and stayed the night at Glen Eyrie Castle, then you have plenty of time to head back for your free buffet breakfast.

From there, the rest of the day is wide open—whether you choose to explore more local spots or hit the highway like we did as we pointed our wheels north toward Wyoming!

To see more go to my YouTube Video:

Have you been to Garden of the Gods? Is there a favorite trail you love?