Charles Elliot Parkins purchased 480 acres of the current Garden of the Gods Park for a summer home he never built. After his death in 1907, Perkins' children knew their father wanted the public to enjoy the natural wonder. As a Christmas present of sorts, the land was given to the City of Colorado Springs in December 1909, stipulating that the Park belong to the City and be open to the public for free.

A small, unspectacular visitor center existed inside the Park until this beautiful addition to Garden of the Gods Park was opened in 1995, the result of a unique public/private partnership. The privately-owned Center offers an array of educational exhibits and a spectacular view of the park.

The private Garden of the Gods company operates the gift shops and cafe, annually contributing a portion of proceeds to the non-profit Garden of the Gods Foundation that funds the Park's improvements and maintenance. The City Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services employees staff the information center and educational programs.

The Center is open from 9 am to 5 pm in the winter months, and from 8 am to 8 pm Memorial Day through Labor Day Weekend.

It hosts activities for guests of all ages, including free nature walks and 30 educational exibits. For information on some of the cultural history of the area and on how the park formed geologically, there is a 12-minute movie, "How Did Those Red Rocks Get There?" A multi-media, Blue Ray, High Definition presentation is offered daily in the Center’s Theater. “How Did Those Red Rocks Get There?” is shown every 20 minutes. For those who are spending the day, the Center houses a cafe and gift shops.

Do you enjoy meeting and talking with people? Then we have a volunteer opportunity for you! The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature center is currently accepting volunteer applications for their information kiosk. Volunteers will greet visitors, share information regarding the park and surrounding areas, and let visitors know what is happening in the Visitor Center that day. Day and evening shifts are available. For more information regarding the volunteer opportunities at the Center, please call Bret at 719-219-0108.