What Locals Know About April in Colorado Springs
by Melody Monberg, Hike for Life Operations Manager
I’ll be honest with you. April is not my big hiking month.
Life gets busy, and the trails are in that awkward in-between. Not the snow-dusted magic of winter, not the wildflower explosion of June. Just gray and brown and quietly waiting, with little buds of grass pushing through and a hint of something coming that isn’t quite here yet.
There’s usually a long dry stretch. This year especially, with a record dry winter that felt more like fall, snow arriving in bursts and then disappearing just as fast. April has that same unsettled energy. You never quite know what you’re going to get.
And yet April has its moments, and the Garden of the Gods is the best place to feel that. The lots aren’t full yet. The trails have room to breathe. The summer crowds are still a ways off, and there’s room to wander, to slow down, to actually take it all in.
Start at the Garden of the Gods
But before you head out on the trails, take some time for the Visitor & Nature Center. The story of this place is worth knowing.
Look around. Gray and brown. Red rocks. Little buds just starting. When a late snow dusts the formations, and in April it might, it’s something else entirely.
This is the Garden before it performs for anyone.
The Garden is a great start. But this city has more tucked away than most people realize. Here are two more worth your time. No technical gear required for either. Sturdy shoes with a real sole, good layers, and wool socks if you have them. That’s really it.
Palmer Park | Colorado Springs
Right in the middle of the city. 730 acres, 25 miles of trails, and some of the best views of Pikes Peak (and Garden of the Gods) you’ll find anywhere in Colorado Springs.
April is a good time to come. Quiet, accessible, and beautiful in that early-season way, brown and gray with the mountain rising up behind everything. Explore the trails here.
Want company on the trail? Hike for Life offers private guided tours right here in Palmer Park.
North Cheyenne Canyon | Colorado Springs
Start at the Starsmore Visitor Center and take the Lower Columbine Trail. It runs right through the botanical reserve where the trees are densest. You’ll know when you’re there.
The canyon holds cool air and in April often holds the last of the season’s snow. Shaded and dramatic and gorgeous. Helen Hunt Falls is worth every step. Find your trails here.
Free to enter. Dogs on leash welcome.
The trails are just the beginning. Downtown is ten minutes from the Garden and worth an afternoon on its own. Local or visitor, April doesn’t play favorites. It’s quiet, generous, and entirely worth your time.