"Roxborough State Park provides an excellent example of the titled and faulted sedimentary strata of the Colorado front range environment. The site contains significant fossil remains, fine exposures of hogbacks, unusual erosional patterns in Fountain sandstone, and atypical occurrences of at least two front-range plant communities." NNL Site (
visit link)
"Roxborough is a Colorado Natural Area and a National Natural Landmark for good reason. The 3,339-acre park is filled with dramatic red-rock formations, distinct plant communities, and a host of wildlife ranging from black bears to mule deer.
Visitors can take in all of Roxborough’s geological wonders via a series of trails for every level of hiker. The Fountain Valley Overlook is only 100 yards from the Visitor Center and provides spectacular views of several beautiful rock formations, including the Fountain Formation, Lyons Formation, and the Dakota Hogback. Many visitors tote their cameras to capture one of the many beautiful views or animal sightings such as red fox from one of the park’s overlooks." (from (
visit link) )
"Roxborough State Park is a designated Colorado Natural Area, National Cultural District and National Natural Landmark and is located along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the ecotone between plains grassland and Front Range forest communities. The park encompasses 3,329 acres with elevation ranging from 5,900 to 7,280 feet above sea level. Willow Creek, Little Willow Creek and Mill Gulch are the primary drainages in the park. Dramatic Hogbacks, Spires and Monoliths encompass the landscape.
The most striking feature for visitors to Roxborough is the dramatic Fountain Formation. This spectacular tilted sandstone began over 300 million years ago with the gradual erosion of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains. Today these red sandstones stand beautifully at Roxborugh at a sixty degree angle and are the result of millions of years of uplift and erosion.
There are excellent examples of exposed geology from the Precambrian to Late Mesozoic, including hogbacks of Cretaceous, Permian, and Pennsylvanian age. Erosion of steeply dipping monoclinal sedimentary sections has resulted in the series of three major hogbacks and strike valleys, exposing highly scenic dipping plates, spires and monoliths. Precambrian gneiss and biotite-muscovite granite are exposed on Carpenter Peak.
Carpenter Peak
The westernmost hogback is Paleozoic Age Fountain Formation sandstone, originating from an accumulation of sediments that eroded from the Ancestral Rocky Mountains. It is conspicuously red due to oxidation of iron minerals. The central hogback is Permian Age Lyons Formation, which formed from windblown sand and stream deposits following erosion of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains. The easternmost hogback, Cretaceous Age Dakota Sandstone, is composed of Lytle Formation floodplain deposits and Platte Formation beach and shallow ocean deposits." (from (
visit link) )
Roxborough State Park is south of the Denver-Metro area. There is a fee for entrance. As of 2010, it is $7 US for a daily pass. The park is generally open from 8 am to 5 pm, weather permitting. This is a typical high plains area with almost no shade trees. This area is very hot in the summer (which is why I visited in the winter)! Dogs, horses, bicycles nor rock climbing is permitted. These huge rocks are sandstone and are quite fragile. There are picnic areas and sealed-vault rest rooms. Parking is adjacent to the Visitor Center and along some of the road.
The entrance road for about 1/2 mile is dirt and washboard. GO SLOW! Then the road turns to pavement with speed bumps. Speed limit is 15 mph, so take it slow for wildlife and children.
The Visitor Center offers assistance, educational exhibits, maps and taxidermy. Day packs with educational kits may be 'checked out' for a great educational experience for the family.