Entry No. 52 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: hoodoos
Paint Mines Interpretive Park (Hoodoos)
Most people picture hoodoos in Utah, not 45 minutes east of Colorado Springs on the high plains. But out past Calhan, hidden in a fold of otherwise ordinary grassland, sit Colorado's only badlands-style spires: clay-and-sandstone towers banded in yellow, lavender, rust, and gray, carved by 9,000 years of water and wind. Indigenous people quarried pigment here for millennia. You'd drive right past it on US-24 and never know. The interpretive loop stays nearly flat across open prairie, then drops you into a maze of striped gullies and otherworldly formations that look airlifted from another state entirely. Honest catch: no shade, no water, and zero cell-signal drama to distract you.
The story
Drive east out of Colorado Springs on US-24 toward Calhan, and you will think you are staring at nothing but flat, wind-scoured prairie and cattle land. But pull off onto Paint Mines Road and walk past the grass line, and the ground suddenly collapses into an eroded basin of badlands, hoodoos, and banded clay spires. Caprocks of white Dawson Arkose sandstone shield layers of soft selenite clay stained lavender, ochre, rust, and ash-gray by oxidized iron compounds—a geological fluke tucked into a fold of high plains where you would least expect it.
People did not just stumble on this place for weekend strolls; they used it for survival and craft for at least 9,000 years. Prehistoric hunters funneled bison into the maze of narrow gullies, leaving behind Eden-style stone projectile points. Later, Plains tribes—including the Apache, Comanche, and Cheyenne—quarried the soft iron oxide clays to bake into pottery or grind down for ceremonial paint. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, homesteaders and commercial operations dug into the same pockets to supply raw clay for brickworks in Colorado Springs and Pueblo, and Artus Van Briggle famously collected clay from here for his pottery.
In 2001, El Paso County and the Palmer Land Trust officially designated the 750-acre site as a protected park, securing its place on the National Register of Historic Places. The catch with clay this soft is that human boots degrade it almost as fast as wind and rain, which is why climbing on the rock structures or stepping off designated paths is strictly prohibited—even if you catch visitors risking county fines for an Instagram photo.
What it's like
Arriving at the gravel parking lot off Paint Mines Road after the final washboard county dirt stretch, the landscape looks deceptive—just open grassland and an endless prairie sky. The easy 3.4-mile interpretive trail loop stays nearly flat across the plains before dipping directly into the gullies and striped spires. The vibe is quiet and stark on weekday mornings, but weekend afternoons draw crowds and rule-breakers clambering on delicate rock caps (expect county park staff handing out citations for climbing). The catch: there is zero shade, zero drinking water, and no cell signal to rescue you. Go on an overcast day or near golden hour when the iron-oxide tones actually glow instead of washing out under harsh midday glare, skip it completely after rain when the clay turns to slick grease, and bring every drop of water you need.
The move: Make the drive itself the date: load up water and snacks, point the car east into the empty plains, and treat the slow reveal as the whole point. Walk the loop together, let the prairie turn into striped alien towers around a bend, and split off to find the weirdest little hoodoo nobody else photographs. Go on a cloudy day or near sunset when the colors actually pop, then race the light back toward town for dinner.
📍 Before you go A roughly 3.4-mile interpretive loop, rated easy, with only about 331 ft of elevation gain across 750 acres of prairie and hoodoo gullies. From Colorado Springs, take US-24 east through Calhan, south on Yoder Rd/Calhan Hwy, then east on Paint Mines Rd (29950 Paint Mines Rd) to one of the gravel lots; the access road is maintained county dirt. Free, no permit, open dawn to dusk. Spring and fall are ideal, and overcast days make the colors glow; summer is harsh because there's essentially no shade and no water on-site, so bring your own and sun protection. The clay surface turns to slick mud after rain or snowmelt, so skip wet days, and stay out of gullies during storms (flash-flood and lightning risk on the exposed plains). Climbing on or entering the formations is prohibited to protect the fragile rock, and dogs, bikes, and drones aren't allowed.
- 📍 Calhan (45 min east of Colorado Springs)
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Paint Mines trailhead, 29950 Paint Mines Rd, Calhan, CO 80808. From Colorado Springs take US-24 east through Calhan, turn south on Yoder Rd/Calhan Hwy, then east on Paint Mines Rd to the parking areas. The last stretch is a maintained county dirt road.
Hours: Day-use, free. Best season: Spring and fall (overcast days best for color). Confirm trail & road conditions before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Van Briggle Memorial Pottery Building — Pair the raw clay source with the finished art—Van Briggle Pottery famously collected clay from the Paint Mines to fire its early 20th-century ceramics.
- The Control Room — After an unshaded walk through quiet prairie gullies, head back toward east Colorado Springs for retro arcade cabinets, pizza, and spiked slushies.
- Cronk Art & Curiosities — Keep the offbeat momentum going by heading downtown to browse taxidermy, tarot decks, and oddities in a cozy curiosity shop.
- Kilroy's Workshop — Trade ancient clay-quarrying sites for hands-on craft by taking a blacksmithing or welding class at this east-side trade school.
Good to know
How much does it cost to visit, and do I need a permit?
Entry and parking are completely free, with no permits required. The park is open daily year-round from dawn to dusk.
Are dogs, bikes, or drones allowed on the trails?
No. Pets, bicycles, horses, and drones are strictly prohibited throughout the 750 acres to protect fragile clay formations and local wildlife.
Why is climbing on the rock formations illegal?
The hoodoos and spires consist of soft selenite clay capped by fragile sandstone. Climbing or stepping onto them causes irreversible erosion, and county authorities enforce strict fines for violations.
When is the best time of year and day to visit?
Spring and fall offer mild weather, while overcast days or late afternoon light bring out the yellow, purple, and rust clay bands. Summer midday visits are brutal due to total sun exposure and a complete lack of shade.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: alltrails.com · visitcos.com · uncovercolorado.com · parks.elpasoco.com · coloradoencyclopedia.org
last checked: 2026-06-10