Trip
Exploring Nature – Paint Mines Interpretive Park
This will be a short hike through grasslands and then through a series of colorful hoodoos. The clay from these rock formations was used by indigenous peoples and more modern tile companies as well. In places the hoodoos form short slot canyons, allowing sunlight to penetrate and light the walls in unique ways.
Contacts
- Wed, Jan 14, 2026
- Rocky Mountain Over the Hill Gang
- Exploring Nature, Hiking
- Adults
- Easy
- Mileage: 3.5 mi
- Elevation Gain: 331 ft
- High Point Elevation: 6,800 ft
- Pace: casual about 1.8 mph
- FULL, 5 on waitlist (11 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
Cabela's opens at 9:00 if there is a need for bathrooms. There are also vault toilets at the entrance to the Paint Mines center.
Keep an eye on the weather. The trail is mostly clay and can be muddy/slippery if it has rained or snowed recently. Two weeks out it looks like it should be dry. This is a short hike with minimal elevation gain but leads to interesting rock formations. Please bring 10 essentials.
For last minute cancellations or concerns, please call or text me at 703-774-6266.
Paint Mines is near Calhoun, CO. NO DOGS allowed, sorry.
We will meet at Cabela's in the Ridge Gate shopping plaza (10670 Cabela Drive, Lone Tree) at 9:00 for 9:15 departure. Please drive past the front of Cabela's to the far parking spaces (to the left, facing the store), so we can leave cars without taking spaces closer to the building. From Cabela's it is a 70 mile trip (140 round trip) or $42 per car.
There is an option to stop at Roosters Grille and Pizzaria for lunch before heading home. Carpools can be formed with this option in mind.
Required Equipment
TK