As always, I got lost in taking pictures at the Calhan Paint Mines and my hiking partner passed me by.
So did another hiker.
As I came around the bend I heard my hiking partner laughing with this gentleman hiker.
She had thought I was right behind her and had pointed to a rock exclaiming, “Doesn’t that look like a Butt?”
When a male voice agreed with her, she was a bit surprised and they were both having a good laugh when I caught up to them.
What do you see in the photos above?
Looking around I saw a few formations that brought to mind other anatomical thoughts. But(t) I didn’t burst out exclaiming or pointing to them until the gentleman hiker had gone back down the path.
What had caught my eye was some formations that looked rather cave-like.
And a trail that I had taken a short detour down that only went a few feet and ended in a crumbling path to a dark cave.
These cave-like areas made me wonder if creatures had ever lived in them, or if Indians might have sheltered there from the heat.
Farther down the trail this fun long necked and smiling fat rock creatures had a joyful look to them.
I could imagine them dancing into the night under starry skies when no one else was around. And laughter seemed to ring out along this trail as I saw smiling rocky faces enjoying the bright blue sky and sunshine that had burned away the grey clouds that had covered the park earlier this day.
The deep blue sky accentuated some of the rock formations in a way that just stopped me in my tracks as I rounded another bend.
My eyes followed the white path up and up through the multicolored formation ending with the gold against that deep blue sky.
Breathtaking!
And nearby were three forms that were either singing or chanting prayers to the sky above.
I joined in the chorus with my “oh’s” and “ah’s” that slipped out as I walked along this trail.
I just kept taking detours and losing my hiking partner.
Luckily she enjoys just standing still or sitting on benches and enjoying looking at the natural wonders on the trails I take her on.
The last trail I ventured down took me near a series of “Salt Pillars”
The variations of colors in the ground below them and at their peaks just fascinated me at how these formations came to be.
I stood in contemplation for quite a few minutes in this area that felt very sacred.
I really was not ready to leave.
But I knew we still had quite a hike to get back to the car, so headed back down this trail, back to the main one.
Plus it was getting late and we were both pretty hungry. Since we had planned on having lunch after this hike, we both had minimal food with us and we stopped to enjoy the last energy bars before we headed up the hill that would lead back to the parking lot. I hadn’t anticipated spending more than four hours here, and didn’t realize we had until we did get back to the car.
I could keep posting photos of these magnificent formations, but my last post will be of the plants and views of the prairie that also captured our appreciation.
And as we crested the hill, the wind was so very strong you could literally lean into it and be supported.
I don’t know how people live out here, that wind was brutal.
We were both very glad we could see the parking lot and hiked as fast as possible to get back to the shelter of the car.