A Visit to Paint Mines Interpretive Park near Colorado Springs Doesn't Disappoint

By Bette Erickson

The outing to Paint Mines Interpretive Park in El Paso County was on a Tuesday.

For you, that is the day after Monday. For me, it was a day that, like the other six, brimmed with the potential for mystery, adventure, and awe.

It was a couple months ago that my friend and I found ourselves in Colorado Springs for a mini-staycation. Always on the lookout for great parks or interesting hikes, we located the Paint Mines Interpretive Park, venturing out for a morning of exploration and hiking.

Broomfield resident, Patrick Browne, explores the numerous hoodoos and painted rock formations located at Paint Mines Interpretive Park near Colorado Springs.

Photo by Bette Erickson

One of only about a dozen hoodoo rock formations found in the world, the quiet park offers views of Pikes Peak, with native Buffalo Grass, and wildlife such as pronghorn antelope, horned lizards, Lark Bunting, and more.

Parking at the large trailhead, my friend and I read the informational kiosk, snapped a picture of the routes, and set out to explore. We chose not to follow any particular route, instead we meandered in and around the rock formations, being careful to stay on established footpaths. We were not disappointed.

Detailed information indicates that the rocks at Paint Mines are made up of interlayered shale and clay with embedded selenite (gypsum) and jasper, heavily stained by iron oxide and topped by a more resistant layer of cross-bedded sandstone, which forms the white caprocks on some of the hoodoos. Be on the lookout for colors like salmon, pink, pale greens, and more layered on the rocks.

Several signs and a large kiosk greet visitors to Paint Mines Interpretive Park near Colorado Springs.

Photo by Bette Erickson

The rocks stand sentinel, grounded in truth, as if proud in their beauty and goodwill.

We’re told that early settlers to the area may have used the colored clay from these rocks for various reasons.

Expect to drive by some old bawdy houses, souvenir shops, and cafes en route to Paint Mines Interpretive Park. Add Paint Mines to your list of places to visit, if not to saunter around the hoodoos, then simply to swing by to capture a couple of photos of the peculiar painted rocks jutting up from the dusty landscape.

A public facility outhouse and informational kiosk are located at the first trailhead on the left.

To the Trailhead:

TO GET THERE: Go south on I-25, taking Hwy. 24 east from Colorado Springs to Calhan, turning south on Yoder Road/Calhan Highway. Turn east on Paint Mines Rd. and look for a couple designated parking areas on the left.

DISTANCE: Varies, but there are about 3.7 miles of intersecting trails throughout the area.

DIFFICULTY: Easy

ELEVATION GAIN: Negligible

DOGS: No, dogs are not allowed because of the fragile ecosystem.

COST: The park is free to enter and open from sunrise to sunset.

Bette Erickson writes about people, places, and events. Contact her at bette_erickson@hotmail.com.