Paint Mines Interpretive Park
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toponym
N 38° 57.201 W 104° 17.087
13S E 561972 N 4311843
Colored clay formations in Colorado
Waymark Code: WM134C9
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 09/12/2020
Views: 1
From the location's website: "The Paint Mines Interpretive Park is one of El Paso County’s most unique open spaces. 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 Paint Mines Interpretive Park is located in the northeast section of the County near Calhan with approximately 750 acres. The paint mines have evidence of human life as far back as 9,000 years ago. The park features fantastic geological formations including spires and hoodoos that form through erosive action that creates incised gullies and exposed layers of selenite clay and jasper. The park includes a restroom facility, four miles of trails, interpretive signage, and many natural wonders."
From the website (
visit link)
"several branches of a minor ravine have eroded to expose brightly colored, clayish rocks, in shades of yellow, red and grey, and white, outcrops which were once mined by Native Americans for pigments and pottery." and "The rocks at the Paint Mines are 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. All is from the Dawson Arkose, an early Paleocene formation that extends north towards Denver. The colors are enhanced after rainfall, though wet weather can make the trails muddy and sticky. Excavations have revealed arrowheads, spear tips and petrified wood tools, evidence of Native American activity here many centuries ago; the earliest habitation dates from around 7000 BC."