I have not spent time exploring prairies, but occasionally drove through them in WY and MT. With nonexistent experience and naiveté, I believed prairies were flat and boring. I have a lot to learn! Living on the Front Range of the Rockies offers many opportunities for a short drive East to explore Colorado’s contribution to the Great Plains. Today we will explore Paint Mines Interpretive Park, a unique walk through history exploring both prairie and badlands. Amazingly vibrant geological wonders await, so let’s go!
Arriving at the parking lot about 8:15am, the landscape doesn’t do much to dispel my original thoughts about prairies. But wait–this is prairie land but in the Great Plains of the USA? I thought plains and prairies were the same. Are they? Glad you asked.
About 1/3 of Colorado is in the Great Plains and marks its western edge. A plain is a more generic term for flat land that is treeless with little or no elevation gain. This landform covers more than one-third of the world’s land area, and many are grasslands. A prairie is one type of plain that is typically grasslands with flowering plants and some trees in a temperate environment–warm summers and cold winters. There are three types of prairies in the US and Canada. The tallgrass prairie, midgrass or mixed prairie, and shortgrass prairie. The more rain and snow, the higher the grasses, although much of the tallgrass prairie has been plowed under for farmland or pastures.
So let’s stroll into our shortgrass prairie and look for these amazing colored rock formations. Seeing a wind farm was unexpected, but considering the winds that race across this open land it makes sense.
I would love to find a wildflower/plant book that offers pictures of autumn attire as plants fade awaiting winter. However, soapweed yucca (Yucca glauca) is easy to identify among the grasses and flower remains. There are about 40 species of yucca across much of the US. Yucca are evergreens that produce flowers, but not every year. When flowers do bloom, a stem two to three feet tall is covered with cream-colored cup-shaped flowers.
However, the autumn remains has its own beauty.
Thistles are everywhere. They seem frozen in time as colder temperatures arrive but be careful. Those spiky thorns, called prickles, are still hard and sharp.
We are walking straight into the sun, but still need gloves, a hat, and a few layers. It will warm as the sun gets higher. We will take the trail to the right, marked by the green pole. It is a short cut to the formations rather than hiking the entire four miles. There are so many rabbitbrush along the trail.
There remain a few of its golden flowers (left), but mostly we are seeing the autumn seed-spreading fluff. Rabbitbrush, a member of the Aster family (Asteraceae) along with sagebrush, blooms from August to October. As most other plants are fading, rabbitbrush provides vivid gold color and is a pollen source for insects late in the summer.
This is the largest rabbitbrush I’ve ever seen. It is over six foot wide and about four foot tall. Since it is bowing down as it fades for winter, we have got to come back next summer and see its true size and golden glory.
I have to say, this is really tall grass considering it is shortgrass prairie. Many places along the trail the grasses close in even hiding the trail, but up ahead is an interesting wall that marks our way. Most of the rock formations here are types of sandstone.
No unique colors on this 12+ foot tall sandstone wall facing east, but look at all those red dots in the grasses to the left.
So many rose hips! They have been all along the trail. Definitely have to come back next summer with wild roses across the landscape. The odor along the walk must be wonderful.
It is so interesting that you walk a short distance and the little canyons just disappear. No wonder the prairies look so flat.
These are very creepy spidery Plains Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia polyacantha). We have been dodging these cactus since we left the parking area. They produce gorgeous flowers in the spring. Another reason for return trips next spring and summer.
We are entering the primary formations. I want to assure you I did not saturate any of these pictures either in my camera or in editing. Hard to believe but true! The morning sun is fading the colors just a bit, but glorious shades of yellow, gold, pink, mauve, orange, and white/tan. There is even some green on the hillsides.
There are many short dead-end trails, but being unfamiliar with the area, we end up walking almost every one. Each is unique for the erosion and colors displayed.
You can’t keep a rabbitbrush from taking hold, even on a vertical surface.
Spoiler alert: I’m squeezing into all these tight places because frankly, I’m looking for the entrance to the heart of this badlands. We will get there my friend, but the beauty along the way is stunning.
Archaeological records show humans inhabiting this area for about 9,000 years, although new finds support that prehistoric peoples may have been here 12,000 years ago. The area is named Paint Mines because historically Native Americans collected the colorful clays to make ceremonial paints and pottery. The bands of color are caused by different iron compounds leaching out of the clays and oxidizing. Much like what is happening in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone as well as most badlands and canyon areas–the rocks are “rusting”.
Wildlife ahead!!
OK, don’t laugh. We are spoiled from Yellowstone wildlife, but each new area we visit offers unique populations of critters, large and small. Although cottontail rabbit species can be hard to tell apart, this habitat and the length of the upright ears tells us we are socializing with a desert cottontail.
This park was originally established as a wildlife preserve to protect the horned lizards, Pronghorn antelope, mule deer, weasels, and coyotes that make their home here, as do a wide variety of birds and small mammals such as our rabbit.
You know, I am hearing Sandhill Cranes. Their call is unmistakable. There it is again.
Once you hear their strange, very loud call, you never forget it. Not to mention the call can carry over two miles. We saw Sandhills often in Montana and Wyoming, but they are only migrant visitors in most of Colorado. Let’s walk up the hill and see if we can find them across the prairie. Wait, their call is getting louder–duh! Look up!!
Not much time to get pictures–after all I was not looking up–plus I did not bring a long lens. Sandhills have about a four foot wing span and always fly with their necks straight and legs straight behind. Ahh . . . life is good on a day with Sandhills.
Sandstone erosion artistry.
These fantastic spires, called hoodoos, are in the heart of this badlands area. We made it! These hoodoos are formed during erosion when the hard white sandstone cap preserves the column of clay beneath.
Historically, Native American hunters took advantage of these dead ends to strategically hunt. They would scare bison into this labyrinth of narrow passages and gullies where they became easy targets for spears and arrows.
Rabbitbrush everywhere, adding to the beauty of the colorful, unique formations.
More “delicate” hoodoos on top.
The narrowing rainbow wall as we head back.
Little hideaways we missed on the way in. How did we miss this, it isn’t little at all. Well, it is the nature of photography hiking, catching the beauty coming and going.
The white sandstone formations bid us farewell.
As we start back to the car, we see the wind farm again and additional formations across the landscape.
Heading up the steep trail to the parking lot, let’s take a moment to look back at the formations. It is hard to believe that our encounters with such glorious colors and forms is in there somewhere but it doesn’t look like much from here. Thus explains the hidden treasures of the prairies.
Until next time my friend, look for the hidden treasures in your neighborhood.
