Painting the Prairie

 The first lesson of agency life is that the world actually stops turning between December 24th and New Year’s Day. After decades in broadcasting, where "dead air" is the only mortal sin and the signal never sleeps, the discovery of a paid company closure was a shock to the system. With the calendar wiped clean and the office lights officially dimmed, Tim and I decided to take advantage of the rare winter lull. We pointed the car south, leaving the familiar sprawl of Lakewood behind for the high plains of El Paso County to explore the Paint Mines Interpretive Park.

Vivid bands of oxidized iron and selenite clay create a natural rainbow across the soft Paleocene-era formations.

Walking into the gulches of the Paint Mines feels like stepping into a Paleocene-era fever dream. While the surrounding prairie is a study in muted winter tans, the mines themselves are a riot of oxidized iron and selenite clay. We spent the afternoon navigating a labyrinth of white sandstone hoodoos capped with harder rock, protecting the vibrant bands of purple, gold, and pink that give the park its name.

The vast El Paso County horizon meets the ancient Dawson Formation, stretching out under a deep winter sky.

There is a strange, quiet dignity to the place. Standing among formations that have witnessed nearly nine thousand years of human history, it’s hard not to feel the weight of the time. Above the ancient Dawson Formation, modern wind turbines churn the steady prairie breeze, a striking juxtaposition of the prehistoric and the present. It was exactly the kind of spontaneous, unhurried adventure this new chapter of life allows—a chance to see the world in high definition before the Monday morning reset.

Shadows dance across the textured "paint" walls as the afternoon sun begins its descent.

Weathered fences and well-marked trails help preserve this fragile archaeological and geological district.

A fork in the trail offers a choice between exploring the high ridges or the deep, colorful gulches.

Low-angle light emphasizes the deep orange and gold tones of the lower sediment layers.

A brilliant display of purple and pink hues, created by varying levels of mineral oxidation within the soil.

The bright January sun highlights the crystalline structures and selenite deposits found within the clay.

Capped sandstone formations illustrate the process where harder rock protects the softer, colorful clay beneath it.

An isolated evergreen tree stands resilient amidst the crumbling spires of the interpretive park.

From the upper rim, the scale of the "paint" deposits becomes clear against the stark white of the Dawson Arkose sandstone.

Heavy erosion reveals the layered geological history of Colorado, dating back roughly 55 million years.

Dense clusters of white hoodoos resemble a frozen, terrestrial coral reef along the valley floor.

Sparse prairie vegetation clings to the edges of the colorful clay deposits, marking the transition from grassland to badlands.

Delicate stalks of winter grass offer a soft contrast to the rugged, chalky textures of the background sandstone.

An isolated evergreen tree stands resilient amidst the crumbling spires of the interpretive park.

A winding path leads travelers deep into the labyrinth of hoodoos and spires sculpted by millennia of erosion.

Modern wind turbines stand as silent sentinels on the high prairie above the prehistoric gullies.

Wherever your travels may lead, I hope you find a splash of color in the winter landscape.

Don Bergquist - Jan 04, 2026 - Paint Mines Interpretive Park