BBQ near Garden of the Gods. Where to eat after the park.
Garden of the Gods sees about 6 million visitors a year — the most-visited city park in Colorado, free entry, open dawn to dusk. The eating situation around it is mostly tourist-trap. Here is where to eat real wood-smoked BBQ within ten minutes of the Trading Post, written by a chef who works two of the four pits within that ten-minute radius.
Two pits, ten minutes, one chef.
Stage Stop BBQ’s Old Colorado City cart at 38.8454 lat / -104.8616lng is the closest wood-smoked BBQ to Garden of the Gods — about 3 miles east of the Trading Post, Thursday through Sunday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Cantina flagship at 6620 Old Stage Rd. is the closer sit-down option for dinner, about a 15-to-18-minute drive south. Same chef. Same smoke. Same sauce-on-the-side default.
We’ve been a Colorado Springs family ranch since 1993. Chef Eve Natasha writes every recipe at every location. No gas assist, no liquid smoke, fourteen hours on the brisket, six on the ribs. The smoke does the work.
Stage Stop OCC cart. Park first, eat second.
Our Old Colorado City cart is a wood-fired trailer parked in the historic district on the westside — about 3 miles east of the Trading Post. From the south entrance it’s a straight shot down 30th to Colorado Avenue, then east. Most days that’s an eight-minute drive. On a packed summer Saturday call it ten.
The menu is the same one we serve at every Stage Stop: the 14-Hour Brisket on post oak, St. Louis Ribs on pecan, Pulled Pork, the Burnt-End Mac Bowl, and the $4 sauce flight so you can taste Carolina Gold and Alabama White side by side. Sauce on the side by default. Always. If you’ve been hiking Siamese Twins or Central Garden all morning, the brisket plate with smoked beans is the move — it eats heavy on purpose.
The cart is a walk-up window. There’s outdoor seating and a covered patio. It’s dog-friendly — useful if you brought the dog to the park, which is leash-required. Family-friendly during the day. Karaoke runs Friday nights after 8 p.m. and the crowd skews older then.
Old Colorado City itself is worth the stop. The historic district is six blocks of brick storefronts — bookshop, coffee, a couple of cocktail bars, an ice cream window. The cart sits inside that walkable loop. Eat, then walk the avenue. That’s the after-the-park afternoon.
The Cantina. Full bar, indoor seating, the long table.
If you want to sit down with a beer after the park, the Cantina at 6620 Old Stage Rd.is the call. It’s our flagship — the mothership where the recipes are written and the sauces are batched. Full bar. Indoor seating. Live music Saturday nights. Open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
From the Trading Post head south on 30th to Highway 24, then continue south on Old Stage Road. Most days that’s about eighteen minutes. The drive is scenic — you’re climbing toward the foothills the whole way. We recommend the Cantina for a 6 p.m. dinner after a full day at the park, when you want a real meal and a chair you don’t want to leave.
The Cantina menu includes the full Stage Stop line plus three Cantina-only specials Eve rotates monthly. Eve hosts a Pit Master Tasting the first Tuesday of every month — ticketed, limited seats, and the only night the Cantina opens on a Tuesday.
How long to each pit.
All times measured from the Garden of the Gods Trading Post at 1805 N 30th St. Add a few minutes on summer weekends when 30th Street backs up.
| Spot | Drive | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Dickey’s Barbecue Pit 1466 Garden of the Gods Rd. | ~5 min | National fast-casual chain. Not wood-smoked in the Texas-style sense. Closest if you need a quick stop. |
| Stage Stop OCC cart Old Colorado City · historic district | ~8 min | Wood-fired trailer. Post oak + pecan. Thu–Sun, 12p–9p. The closest real-smoke pit. |
| The Cantina 6620 Old Stage Rd. | ~18 min | Stage Stop flagship. Full bar, indoor seating, the sit-down dinner pick. |
Times are typical-day estimates and depend on traffic. Dickey’s listed for completeness — it’s a real option that comes up in maps results. We’d order at our own pit.
Logistics, parking, dogs, kids.
Park first, eat second.
The Trading Post lot is free but the main lots inside the park fill up by 10 a.m. on summer Saturdays. Go early, hike, then drive out to eat. The OCC cart is a clean exit route — you’re heading toward town anyway.
Parking in OCC is easy.
Street parking runs the length of Colorado Avenue between 24th and 27th. One block north on West Cucharras Street there are public lots off 24th, 25th, and 26th — metered on weekdays, free on Sundays and holidays. The alley lot behind the 2600 block of Colorado Avenue is the closest to us. We’ve never had a customer say they couldn’t park — even on a Saturday night.
Dogs are welcome at the patio.
Garden of the Gods requires dogs to be leashed on every trail. The Stage Stop OCC patio is dog-friendly so your dog doesn’t have to wait in the car. Bring water — Colorado Springs sits at 6,000 feet and dogs dehydrate fast here.
Kid-friendly during the day.
The OCC cart works well for families during the day — outdoor seating, walk-up window, a relaxed line. After 8 p.m. on Fridays it shifts toward karaoke and the crowd skews older. For an evening with kids the Cantina is the better pick — indoor seating, kids’ menu, full bar for the grown-ups.
FAQ.
What is the closest BBQ restaurant to Garden of the Gods?
Stage Stop BBQ's Old Colorado City cart is the closest wood-smoked BBQ — about 3 miles east of the Trading Post, roughly an 8-minute drive. It's open Thursday through Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. For a sit-down dinner, The Cantina flagship at 6620 Old Stage Rd. is a 15-to-18-minute drive south.
Is there BBQ near Garden of the Gods that's open for dinner?
Yes. The Stage Stop OCC cart serves until 9 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. The Cantina flagship serves until 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday with a full bar and indoor seating, which makes it the better evening pick if you want to sit down with a beer after the park.
Where do I park for Stage Stop's OCC cart?
Old Colorado City has street parking along Colorado Avenue between 24th and 27th, plus public lots one block north on West Cucharras Street (off 24th, 25th, and 26th) — metered on weekdays, free on Sundays and holidays. The Trading Post lot at the park itself is free but fills up fast on weekends — easier to park in OCC and eat first, then go to the park.
Is the BBQ near Garden of the Gods kid-friendly?
The Stage Stop OCC cart is family-friendly during the day with outdoor seating and a relaxed walk-up line. Karaoke runs Friday nights and skews older after about 8 p.m. The Cantina has indoor seating and a kids' menu and works for families any night.
Can I bring my dog?
Stage Stop patios are dog-friendly. Garden of the Gods Park requires dogs to be leashed on all trails. If your dog has been hiking with you all morning, the OCC cart patio is the easiest stop — they can hang out while you eat.
Is there fast-casual BBQ closer to the park?
Dickey's Barbecue Pit at 1466 Garden of the Gods Rd. is the closest fast-casual BBQ chain — about 5 minutes from the Trading Post. It's a national franchise, not wood-smoked in the Texas-style sense, but it's there if you want a quick drive-through option. For real wood-smoked BBQ the closest pit is the Stage Stop OCC cart.
See you at the cart.
Order online and skip the line, or just walk up. Brisket gets pulled at 11 a.m. The good cuts go first.