Colorado Springs is one of my favorite "big" cities because there is so much to do there, mostly the outdoor kinds of activities that I enjoy. Unfortunately, its popularity limited the time I was able to stay there this time, as I could only get two nights in a suitable campground. At least this allowed the opportunity to visit a new place that I've been wanting to see for some time, called the Paint Mines Interpretive Park.
Actually located in the tiny town of Calhan, the park is about forty miles from Colorado Springs. The Paint Mines are named for their colorful clays that were collected by American Indians to make paint. Brightly colored bands, caused by oxidized iron compounds, are found in varying amounts throughout the many different layers of clay.
The park has approximately 750 acres, and evidence of human life as far back as 9,000 years ago. It features fantastic geological formations, including spires and hoodoos that form through erosive action that creates gullies and exposed layers of selenite clay and jasper. Four miles of trails lead visitors to various formations and several overlooks that provide a different perspective. I knew I would not be up to this much hiking, especially considering some very steep hills in the trail, so I brought along my E-bike, which was the perfect way to get around here. Riding both formal and informal trails, I put over five miles on the odometer and saw the entire park in little more than an hour. It was great fun cruising among the formations with so little effort.
Driving back to Colorado Springs, I had some decent views of Pikes Peak, reminding me how many times the Unser family had won the famous race there. The drive to the top of the mountain is exhilarating any time, but at 100 mph it must be heart-pounding.
Garden of the Gods is a premier attraction here, and I've walked around there in the past. This time I just drove through and grabbed a few photos to share with you. The red rock formations there are huge and spectacular.
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