An Otherworldly Afternoon in the Calhan Paint Mines | Colorado, USA

Hiking Amid the Colorful Hoodoos of El Paso County, Colorado

There are several renowned geological formations belonging to the Colorado Springs area, but none as colorfully mystical as the rocky outcroppings in Paint Mines Interpretive Park, located near Calhan.

Clay textures mix bands of yellow, orange and purple, topped with glimmering capstones—a sort of Neopolitan ice cream with marshmallows on top. Despite its terrestrial nature, these badlands evoke the off-world setting of a 60s era sci-fi flick.

Far out.

The majesty of it all speaks through the warmly lit folds and cool shadows of towering clay spires. The time-worn condition of the sedimentary rock reveals a rich history shared with humans beginning about 9,000 years. Once inhabited by Native Americans, the area provided clay hues used to make ceramics and other domestic items.

There are many delicate crevices and caves to gaze into among the mine's soft, eroded formations. A few miles of trails reach around the area and are easily walkable. During my stroll in the January air, wildlife was sparse, spare a few foraging birds and the quick scurry of a jackrabbit.

If you’re around Colorado Springs or Denver, this is a great spot to spend the day with friends and family, or in solitude either way. Traveling east on Highway 24, you’ll know you’re getting close as windmills begin to loom on the horizon.
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