As we walked across the prairie, the path started to climb upwards.

The large rock at the top had a big smile on his dinosaur face, and we were soon to discover why.

He had a magnificent view of the largest area of the Paint Mine formations that visitors get to view from above, the walk among below.

Many of the rocks and formations, and just the open prairie area had a very prehistoric look and feel to them.

I could easily imagine dinosaurs roaming here.

The feeling of ancient creatures roaming this area was ever present.

Looking down below this is the sight that greeted us as we walked farther down the path on the other side of the rock.

Below us hidden from view until you are right above them where the prairie opens up to spectacularly colorful formations.

I knew that the next part of our journey would be the highlight of this hike.

And that was why I had taken the route I did.

Standing above and at a distance from these beautiful and so very unique formations is an incredible experience in itself.

Yet what where we would hike next makes the experience of hiking around the formations pale in comparison.

We hiked down this unassuming path that took us deep into a fantasy land.

Here we were surrounded by many different types of very colorful formations that without seeing them, one can’t imagine their existance.

I doubt I could have gotten my hiking partner to leave here if it had been the first part of our hike.

There are numerous short side trails that go off into tangents of different types of formations.

This fat and sassy formation greeted us as we started to hike down a long and winding trail that took us deep into a valley of strange and wonderful formations.

As we rounded each bend wondrous sights were revealed for us to ponder upon how they were created and just enjoy their incredible beauty.

So many different creature forms were evoked in my imagination as I wandered down the trails.

Going up the trail they looked totally different from how they appeared as we traveled back down the same trail.

And the sky became an awesome deep blue that accentuated all the colors in ways the cloudy sky had not.

This is one of the areas of formations we saw from the trail above.

We could see the trail that lead into them and now we were on it.

On the right I see the backs and sides of a few bird like creatures chatting with very formidable prehistoric dinosaur forms.

Then hiking down another trail we found these fun formations.

The ones on the right looked like dinosaurs butting heads from many angles.

Or maybe they were secretly planning a way to escape their sedentary world.

Then near those were rock creatures that seemed to be sharing kisses and about to hug each other.

And as we followed the trail these formations were on there were more rock pillars and that were very colorful and had interesting looks.

I wish I could draw or paint them and give them life beyond their stony visages.

They seemed like they could easily come to life and talk with us or each other or perhaps take a walk in the Park when no humans are around to see.

Every way one turned there was just another formation makes a person so amazed at the diverse beauty on this planet Earth that we get to walk upon.

Every time I hike I am inspired to think of ways I can share its beauty and help to preserve it.