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About this place
An easy hike that's great when there is some cloud cover (there are no trees), the Paint Mines are colorful and unique geological formations that have evidence of human occupation in the area for the last 9,000 years.
The site is an easy drive from Colorado Springs on US Route 24. There are three parking areas: the west and south parking areas are trailheads, and there is additional parking on the west side for a scenic overlook. The overlook does not attach to any trails.
Through several loops, there are up to 4 miles of trails replete with views of the formations and interpretive signs to help understand the area. When we were there, the weather was relatively overcast, which gave the formations a beautiful monochromatic look, which can be seen in the photos.
We hiked 2 of the trails and spent a total of about two hours exploring the area. There were no crowds, though this may have more to do with the weather during our visit than the popularity.
My only (minor) complaint is that the rules about not cavorting around on the formations were neither followed nor enforced, so there is damage to the site. That said, the formations are still beautiful.
Leave No Trace
