People of the Garden

The Garden of the Gods has been a source of fascination for a wide variety of people, ranging from prehistoric hunter-gatherers to modern-day visitors. This story of the Garden of the Gods, enhanced with vintage and contemporary photographs, is the story of those people who encountered this geologic wonder, either through circumstance or through choice. Some left their marks on the rocks as messages for those who came after them. Others left their messages either in print or as works of art. Many more were just passing through on their way to goldfields, to a new way of life, or to settle the land.

Since the Garden of the Gods became a city park in 1909, millions of people from all over the world have come to gaze in wonder at the beautiful and unusual rock formations, often finding a spiritual aspect to their visit. This book contains Garden of the Gods’ history, archaeology, geology, and Ute lore.