Garden of the Gods Park closed to vehicles during Early Bird Hike & Bike

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Garden of the Gods Park will be closed to vehicles on Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 5-8 a.m., according to the City of Colorado Springs.

The closure is for “Early Bird Hike & Bike,” which is an opportunity for people to enjoy the park and its roads without vehicles. The event is free-of-charge.

The park’s popular Motorless Morning events, held in the spring and fall since 2018, have been cancelled in 2020 because of COVID-19. 

Instead, visitors can enjoy the Early Bird Hike & Bike, which is a scaled-back version of Motorless Morning.

A city spokesperson said since this event is held in the early morning hours on a weekday, instead of in the afternoon on a weekend, they expect to see fewer people than showed up for Motorless Mornings.

All visitors are asked to practice physical distancing and wear a face covering when they are within six feet of others. 

People can park in the overflow lot near the park’s main entrance (30th Street and Gateway Road) and in the parking lot at the Garden of the Gods Trading Post (324 Beckers Lane, Manitou Springs). Accessible parking spaces are available at the Trading Post.

This is the only Early Bird Hike & Bike currently scheduled in the park. The city said feedback collected from people at the event will help determine if it is held again in the future.