A run through the Paint Mines is a journey in time. Archaeologists claim that prehistoric people began living on the rolling prairie at the Paint Mines 9,000 years ago. Native Americans are known to have taken the colorful clays to produce pottery and ceremonial paint. The park is off the beaten path, but the views of red hoodoos and orange sandstone spires are worth the drive.
Runners will immediately notice an unyielding wind on the quiet grassland. The park encompasses approximately 750 acres and includes four miles of trails. The trails include two loops, which can be combined to make one large loop. Along the route, mule deer, coyote, red fox and pronghorn antelope can sometimes be seen. Short-horned lizards may scurry by your feet, while Colorado’s state bird, the Lark Bunting, may serenade you on your run.
The trail is well marked, but you may want to take a brochure with you as it contains some very interesting information on the landscape that you will be running through. Begin your run on the wide, dirt trail that starts at the parking lot. Continue straight at the first junction. The trail is very hilly, so it will test your fitness. There is an elevation gain of 560 feet and a high point of 6,759 feet. After about one half mile, make a sharp right at the sign onto the sandy trail and follow this to a four way crossing. Turn left to continue, but if you need to cut your run short, you can turn right and travel back to the parking lot. This trail travels uphill for 1.3 miles before approaching the next intersection. Continue to the right and run down the steep hill to another sandy trail. At this junction, you can turn left and run out and back if you want to add another 0.4 mile onto your run, or you can continue the loop by turning right. These sandy trails are narrow and have very sharp turns, so be ready for them. At the next junction, turn left and run up the steep hill to a bench. Once you pass this bench, it is all downhill to the finish. You will pass six different informational signs along the path that explain more about the history of the region.
The Paint Mines are named for their brightly colored clays. The bands tinged with red, orange, yellow, purple and gray hues are caused by oxidized iron compounds. When the outcrops erode, a hard capstone allows towers of clay to be preserved underneath, creating the spires called hoodoos.
The Paint Mines Interpretive Park is located in northeastern El Paso County near Calhan. To get there, drive Highway 24 east from Colorado Springs to Calhan. Turn south on Yoder Road/Calhan Highway. Turn east on Paint Mines Road and look for the designated parking area.
The park is open from dawn until dusk. Pets, horses and bicycles are prohibited. The Paint Mines are considered significant in the prehistory of the region and the area is listed as an Archaeological District in the National Register of Historic Places. The removal of any rocks, plants, or historic artifacts is prohibited. A restroom facility is on site.
A Historic Timeline
Paleoindian Stage 7000 – 5500 B.C.
The earliest people to live in the Paint Mines are known as the Paleoindians. They were likely the descendants of the first Americans who migrated over the Bering Land Bridge from northeastern Asia. They survived by hunting large game, such as mammoth, caribou and bison.
Archaic Stage 5500 B.C. – A.D. 100
The Archaic Stage was known for stone darts. The Archaic sites feature grinding stones that were used for processing plant material for food. For survival, the Archaic people relied on game animals like deer and pronghorn antelope and gathered plant foods.
Ceramic Stage A.D. 100 – 1450
The Ceramic Stage was trumpeted with the appearance of pottery, the bow and arrow, and a greater dependence on plants, such as corn and squash.
Protohistoric Period and European Contact A.D. 1450 – 1900s
The Protohistoric Period signaled the end of the prehistoric era. The people were hunter-gatherers who pursued a more nomadic lifestyle with the introduction of the horse. Euro-American settlers moved into the area in the 1800s.
Courtesy El Paso County Parks