Red Rocks Park, Mountain park and National Historic Landmark in Jefferson County, United States.
Red Rocks Park is a mountain park of 351 hectares in Jefferson County, Colorado, owned by the city of Denver. Its red sandstone belongs to the Fountain Formation, laid down about 290–296 million years ago and later tilted by the Laramide orogeny. Named formations include the mushroom-shaped Seat of Pluto and the inclined Cave of the Seven Ladders; around the amphitheatre stand Creation Rock to the north, Ship Rock to the south and Stage Rock to the east.
The city of Denver acquired the land in 1928 and developed it into a public park during the 1930s. Workers from the New Deal laid paths and built facilities that remain in use today.
The Ute used the park as a favoured campsite because the rocks gave natural cover from the elements. The earliest known name was Garden of the Angels, reputedly given on July 4, 1870, by pioneer judge Martin Van Buren Luther. From 1906 John Brisben Walker, who bought the land with proceeds from selling Cosmopolitan magazine, organised concerts on a temporary platform at the Garden of the Titans.
Several hiking trails wind through the rock formations and offer views of the surrounding hills. Some sections are open to bikers and horseback riders, while others are only accessible on foot.
The red rocks create natural acoustics that amplify and distribute sound waves evenly. This quality made the area a popular site for outdoor musical performances.
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