by Jessica Griffiths - Colorado Runner

Hit The Dirt...
sponsored by
Paint Mines
by Jessica Griffiths

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.
Derek Griffiths / Colorado Runner
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
November/December 2006 coloradorunnermag.com 45