The only complaint I would have about the tour was it didn’t specify that the majority of the tracks are on the other side of the river. By this time the clouds have burned off and it is a lovely sunny day! Clear blue skies and need for some extra sunblock! There are two types of tracks laid down into the rock next to the Purgatory river–Allosaurus and Brontosaurs! If you want to see the Brontosaurs tracks, be sure to bring river shoes or tennies as you will have to cross the river to see them. Then….the Dinosaur Tracks! This is the largest dinosaur track site in North American and it is very impressive! There is a nice vault toilet here, and we have 1 and 1/2 hours to explore the area, and also have lunch. There are also some old Indian grain grinding impressions in some of the rocks near the road. Our next stop is at a Hole-in-the-Wall type of rock. (You may also hike to some from the Vogel canyon trailhead.-check your map for this area) I will refer to them as petroglyphs, and there are many examples of them throughout the canyon. Our first stop is at some old Indian “pictogrifs”–don’t shoot me, I’m just the translator! This is what our USFS intern called the rock art–since the Indian’s “picked” the images into them with another stone. Pinion Canyon is very beautiful and with all the snow this area had during the past winter, the wildflowers are amazing! All the prickly pear and beavertail cactus are blooming in fuscia, orange and yellow! There are also some vibrant dark purple cactus that I’ve never seen before! I think the spring flowers here may actually rival the mountain flowers, without the Columbines of course! We feel pretty lucky to have gotten into see this area, as access may be done away with in the future.ĭropping down into the canyon with the large rocks that have tumbled onto crazy perches almost makes it look like some places in Utah we’ve been. This includes many family farms and ranches on the southeastern plains all the way to Kansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. This area is currently embroiled in a big hot button issue with the Army’s announcement they will be adding 480,000 acres to their current proving grounds. We have our lunches packed and lots of water! Also many cameras and extra clothing just in case….this is Colorado after all! If you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes! Our day begins with some fast moving low clouds and it looks like rain could be possible. They are the keepers of the keys and unlock the two gates crossing over the Army proving grounds to allow us access via a two track road.Īll participants do have to provide their own high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle, and should plan for an 8 hour day. The 4×4 access is limited to Saturdays during May, June, September, and October and are led (in our case) by a part-time intern, and a volunteer. You’ll never know it’s here until you come.The track site is open to hikers and mountain bikers year round by means of another trail head at Withers Canyon. I lived for the canyons, I love this.Ĭomanche National Grassland. Here we connect with the secret marvels of nature and history right in our backyard. We try to pick it up and keep this as nice as it was when we found it. This is an area that can be damaged so easily. Going up along the cliff sides you can find a lot of pictographs and just old cave paintings that have been here since who knows when. Where prehistoric sea beds defined an area from just south of La Junta all the way to the Southeastern Colorado border, where the remains of abandoned homesteads testify to the crippling drought of the Dust Bowl era, and where public efforts have transformed the land again into a place of conservation and recreation. This is where I spent most of my childhood growing up, just hiking, swimming, just everything. Part museum, part playground, all built by nature, preserved by those who love it. Over a thousand dinosaur tracks, 40 miles of wagon ruts and pioneer homesteads from the Santa Fe Trail. A land of natural wonders brimming with tales from the past. Canyons, rivers and prairie, abundant with life.
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