What on earth could be better than exploring the Garden of the Gods and learning old fashioned manual navigation using maps? This full-day trip includes transportation to and from Garden of the Gods, a box lunch, orienteering training, and a beginner orienteering course. You can expect the hiking and orienteering-course to be no more than 3.5 miles, so please plan and dress accordingly. If you have questions about other details, ask our NACIS volunteer field trip organizer, Jeremy Goldsmith (jeremywgoldsmith@gmail.com).
8:00–9:30am — NACIS Members Arrive at the park via shuttle-bus from hotel. The shuttle bus will run at 8am, 8:45am, and 9:15am from the hotel to the park. Feel free to have breakfast on your own, walk around, explore exhibits, and enjoy the park before 9:40am.
9:30am — Everyone meets outside the Visitor Center Entrance
9:40am — Geo-Trekker Movie (Visitor Center)
10:00–10:30am — "Introduction and History of Orienteering". This includes history of the sport, how to use the compass, and how to read the orienteering map & symbols. Four (4) volunteer members of the
Rocky Mountain Orienteering Club will be there.
10:35–12:15pm — Orienteering Course (2–5km).
12:30–1:00pm — Lunch Served
(Variety of boxed lunches. Please e-mail Jeremy if you have dietary restrictions)1:15–3:30pm — Ramblin' Express Shuttle Bus Available to Antlers Hotel (
Bus runs at 1:30pm, 2:15pm, and the last bus is 3:30pm. Please allow 15–20 minutes for the bus to reach the Antlers Hilton if you’re flying out of Denver or Colorado Springs Saturday evening.)
1:00–11:00pm — NACIS Members are highly encouraged to explore more of the park on their own. Garden of the Gods is rated one of the best free parks in the United States. The park offers
free nature talks,
free guided walks, multiple
exhibits,
birding,
motorized tours, and a
“Step Back in History” experience at
Rock Ledge Ranch. The park is open until 11:00pm.
