C G S R O C K T A L K V o l . 9 , N o . 1 1

C O L O R A D O G E O L O G I C A L S U R V E YVolume 9, Number 1Spr ing 2006

I N T H I S I S S U E :

Fossil and Dinosaur Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Minerals, Mine Tours, and Mining-Related Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

POGI Location Map by Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

General and Scenic Geology Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Cave Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Geology Seminars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Undeveloped POGIs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Colorado’s Magnificent POGIsPOGI—that’s what we get as an acronym for one of our favorite phrases:Points of Geological Interest.

In this special issue of RockTalk, we high-light POGIs where there are guided activ-ities in the form of interpretivepresentations, hikes, or tours; self-guidinghikes or drives; museum exhibits; roadsidedisplays; or educational seminars wheregeology is a primary topic of interest.

Given this broad definition, there aredozens of guided, POGI-related activitiesfor your enjoyment in Colorado. Most areavailable in the summer, coincident withthe tourist season. However, once you’veexperienced a guided activity in theseareas, it is easy to return to enjoy theseareas during different seasons. A little bitof instruction can go a long way!

We’ve divided our POGIs into a num-ber of categories including fossil anddinosaur activities (F); minerals, minetours, and mining-related activities (M);more general and scenic geology activi-ties in Colorado’s federal lands, stateparks, and county and municipal parks(G); cave tours (C); and formal and infor-mal geology seminars.

At the center of this newsletter is a mapof the state showing all of these locations,by category.

Our aim is to provide you with a basicdescription of cool geology-related activ-ities at each area, along with contact phonenumbers and web sites. We have notincluded the costs (some have fees whileother events are free) or gear that is neededfor these activities. For more informationabout any of these POGI areas, please con-tact the sponsors directly.

Of course, there are thousands of unde-veloped Points of Geological Interestacross Colorado where no guided activi-ties exist. While we won’t attempt to listthese, there are some good general guide-books for sale that cover many parts ofthe state. We’ve listed some of these foryou. Happy exploring!

Jill Carlson and Dave NoePOGI Compilers and Authors

Coming Soon—More POGIs on CGSWeb PageColorado has more great POGIsthan we could fit into this printedversion of RockTalk, so look for anexpanded version coming soonto the CGS web site, at <geosurvey.state.co.us>, under “Geoac-tivities.” The web page will con-tain a map with links to the sitesreferenced in this RockTalk, plusseveral other POGIs that are notlisted here, with expandeddescriptions, GPS coordinates,and photos.

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From the Plateaus in the west, to the flanksof the Rocky Mountains, to the wideexpanses of the Great Plains, Colorado isdinosaur country. During the past twodecades, the fossil and dinosaur-themedactivity areas in the state have exploded,both in number and in the range of activ-ities offered. The choices range from muse-ums, to dinomation exhibits, to guidedinterpretive trails, to quarry visits and par-ticipation. These activities appeal todinosaur lovers of all ages and abilities.

Trail Through Time—POGI #F1, Rab-bit Valley, near Fruita. This 1.5-mile, self-guided trail includes the seasonally activeMygatt–Moore dinosaur quarry (type local-ity of both Mymoorapelta, the first Jurassicankylosaur found in North America, andthe palaeoniscoid fish Morrolepis), in situCamarasaurus and Diplodocus vertebrae,and other geological highlights. Duringthe summer, hikers may observe paleon-tologists at work in the quarry. Adminis-tered by the Bureau of Land Managementand the Museum of Western Colorado.Located immediately north of the RabbitValley exit off of I-70, about 2 miles eastof the Colorado state line. A brochure thatexplains the stops is available and may bedownloaded from the BLM web site. Infor-mation: (970) 244-3000 or <co.blm.gov/mcnca/ttt.htm>

Museum of Western Colorado/Dinosaur Journey—POGI #F2, Fruita. Thismuseum provides an overview of thediverse paleontology of the RabbitValley–Fruita–Grand Junction area, withhands-on, interactive exhibits aboutdinosaur excavations, realistic and scien-tifically accurate robotic dinosaurs, and aworking paleontology laboratory wherefossils excavated from local quarries areprepared for study and display. Informa-tion: (970) 858-7282 or <dinosaurjourney.org>

Dinosaur Hill Interpretive Trail—POGI#F3, near Fruita. This one-mile, self-guidedtrail loops past 10 points of geological andpaleontological interest, including anApatosaurus site excavated in 1901 byElmer Riggs. The Apatosaurus skeleton ison display at the Field Museum in Chicagoin a new exhibit called “Evolving Planet.”Located about 1.5 miles south of Fruita onHwy 340. Information: same as forDinosaur Journey (above)

Fruita Paleo Area Trail—POGI #F4, nearFruita. A loop trail through the 360-acreFruita Paleo Area features interpretive signsdescribing the landscape as it existed 150million years ago and the dinosaurs andother Jurassic vertebrates that roamedthere. This world-class fossil site containsa prolific record of Jurassic microverte-brates exposed in deeply dissected Morri-son badlands. Administered by BLM andthe Museum of Western Colorado. Infor-mation: (970) 244-3000

Riggs Hill Trail—POGI #F5, near GrandJunction. A 3⁄4-mile long, self-guided trailin the Redlands area, featuring eight pointsof interest. The type specimen for Bra-chiosaurus was excavated here by ElmerRiggs in 1900 (a cast replica of this Bra-chiosaurus altithorax is on display atChicago’s O’Hare airport), and in 1937 LeeEdward Holt uncovered partial skeletonsof Stegosaurus, Allosaurus and possiblyanother Brachiosaurus. Information: sameas for Dinosaur Journey (above)

Dinosaur National Monument—POGI#F6, near Jensen, Utah and Dinosaur, Colo-rado—(see Feature Box 1)

Ryan Geology Museum—POGI #F7,Alamosa. The Adams State College geol-ogy department maintains an exceptionalcollection of over 2,000 mineral and 3,000fossil specimens from all over the worldat its Ryan Geology Museum. Information:(719) 587-7921 or <faculty.adams.edu/~rgbenson/>

Dinosaur Depot Museum—POGI #F8,Cañon City. This is a great place to beginexploring the rich fossil heritage of theCañon City area. On display is a full-sizereplica of one of the three Stegosaurus skele-tons found at the Garden Park Fossil Area.Information: (719) 269-7150 or <www.dinosaurdepot.com>

Garden Park Fossil Area—POGI #F9,near Cañon City. The Garden Park FossilArea has been an important site for lateJurassic vertebrate paleontology since the1870s. At least six new dinosaur generahave been discovered here, along with theonly skull of Brachiosaurus from the Mor-rison Formation, three Stegosaurus stenopsskeletons, and a clutch of dinosaur eggs.Self-guided tour brochures are available atthe Dinosaur Depot Museum. Informa-tion: see Dinosaur Depot Museum (above)

FOSSIL AND DINOSAUR ACTIV IT IES

CGS geologist Matt Sares points out Camarasaurus vertebrae in an outcrop along the Trail ThroughTime. Photo by Vince Matthews, CGS.

POGI Internet Link Information: The web page listings are presented in ashorthand form that should work when typed into any Internet browser’saddress box. We’ve included “www.” prefixes and capital letters only wherethey are necessary for calling up the page.

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Dinosaur National Monument containsa wild landscape of mesas, hogbacks, andriver gorges astride the Colorado andUtah border. The Colorado section of theMonument preserves scenic canyonscarved by the Green and Yampa Rivers,and huge, well-displayed folds (mono-clines). Beautiful exposures of thick,ancient sand dune deposits can be seenat Echo Park.

The world-famous Douglas Quarry Vis-itor Center, which sits on the Utah sideof DNM, preserves 1,400 dinosaur bonesleft in place as they were deposited 145million years ago. More than half of allthe different kinds of dinosaurs that livedin North America in the late JurassicPeriod are found in this quarry. Besidesthe huge plant-eating sauropods,Apatosaurus, Camarasaurus, Barosaurusand Diplodocus, which compose three-quarters of all of the fossils in theexposed quarry wall, the dinosaurs ofthe quarry include other plant eatersranging from large to small, and a fewmeat eaters as well.

This centerpiece visitor center alsohouses exhibits about the bones andtheir burial and preservation, a prepara-tion laboratory, research facilities, and abookstore operated by the Intermoun-tain Natural History Association (open

during the summer) that specializes indinosaur and natural history books. Asecond visitor center near Dinosaur,Colorado, features an orientation movieand a bookstore.

Activities include guided ranger-ledwalks, evening talks, self-guiding naturetrails, and two guided auto tours—“Tourof the Tilted Rocks” and “JourneyThrough Time.” Information: (970) 374-3000 or <nps.gov/dino>

FEATURE BOX 1: D inosaur Nat iona l Monument

There’s more to Dinosaur NM than the quarry! Steamboat Rock dominates the geology at Echo Park. National Park Service photo.

Photo of the famous quarry wall at Dinosaur NM. Yes, it’s located just over the Utah border, butthat’s close enough for us! National Park Service photo.

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Skyline Drive Trackway Site—POGI#F10, near Cañon City. At the Skyline DriveTrackway Site, you can see a series of Cre-taceous Ankylosaur tracks made by a groupof dinosaurs walking side-by-side throughmud. The tracks were discovered in 1999.Interpretive signs are posted, and a self-guided tour brochure is available at theDinosaur Depot. Skyline Drive is a one-wayroad that is narrow and has precipitousdrop-offs and tremendous views—this isnot a POGI for the faint of heart! Informa-tion: see Dinosaur Depot Museum (above)

Florissant Fossil Beds National Mon-ument—POGI #F11, near Woodland Park.A wonderful surprise in Colorado, FFBNMcontains in-place, petrified, giant sequoiastumps, petrified logs, and a host of fos-silized, delicate impressions of plants, fish,birds, mammals, mollusks, and insects thathave been quarried from volcanic and lakesediments that once filled the valley. Upto 1,700 different species have beendescribed. The visitor center houses anextensive collection of the fossils anddescribes the geologic events that led totheir preservation. The giant trees areaccessed by the 1.4-mile-long, PetrifiedForest self-guided nature trail. Ranger-ledwalks, seminars, and discovery programsare offered. The FFBNM web site containsan online virtual museum that presents awealth of visual information about thearea’s geology and fossils. Information:(719) 748-3253 or <nps.gov/flfo>

Florissant Fossil Quarry—POGI #F12,near Woodland Park. Although specimencollecting is prohibited in Florissant Fos-sil Beds National Monument, there is a pri-vate quarry just to the north that doesallow collecting for a fee. On-site collect-ing is offered for groups, schools, and indi-viduals. The quarry has regular summerhours, or may be visited by appointment.Information: (719) 748-1002, or e-mail theowners at florissantfossils@earthlink.net

Morrison Natural History Museum—POGI #F13, near Morrison. The MorrisonNatural History Museum tells the story ofJefferson County’s paleontological her-itage. Explore the museum’s hands-onexhibits with a personal guide. On perma-nent exhibit are Morrison-area dinosaurdiscoveries from 1877 to the present day.New displays discuss Front Range dinosaurhabitats and ecosystems. The museum isalso conducting a study of the life andlandscape of the Jurassic Morrison Forma-tion. Recent excavations in nearby quar-

ries have revealed several important fossilfinds, yet to be announced. Inquire aboutopportunities to explore and study withresearchers at dig sites, on field trips, or inclasses. Information: (303) 697-1873 or<morrisonmuseum.org>

Dinosaur Ridge—POGI #F14, near Mor-rison. The Dinosaur Ridge area is one ofthe world’s most famous dinosaur locali-ties. Some of the best-known dinosaurswere first discovered here in 1877, includ-ing Apatosaurus; Diplodocus; Allosaurus; andStegosaurus, the Colorado State Fossil.Dinosaur Ridge offers a visitor center aswell as guided and self-guided tours of thetracks, fossils and geology. Dinosaur Dis-covery Days are held one day each monthduring summer, when the road overDinosaur Ridge is closed to traffic andguides are available to answer questionsand give demonstrations. An extensive setof educational programs is available. ADinosaur Ridge brochure is available atCGS. Information: (303) 697-3466 or<dinoridge.org>

Triceratops Trail at Parfet PrehistoricPreserve—POGI #F15, near Golden. This1⁄2-mile hiking trail through a reclaimedclay pit leads you on a walk through 68million years of Colorado’s pre-history.Along the Triceratops Trail, you can seefootprints, trace fossils and other impres-sions left in an ancient swamp bydinosaurs, birds, mammals, beetles andplants. After you hike the trail, you maywant to visit the paleontological exhibitat the Fossil Trace Golf Club clubhouse.An informative brochure is available at thetrailhead, at Dinosaur Ridge visitor cen-ter, and at CGS. Information: see DinosaurRidge (above)

University of Colorado Museum—POGI #F16, Boulder. The CU Museum’sDinosaur/Fossil Hall features triceratops,saber-toothed cats, and a wide variety ofdinosaur, reptile and mammal fossils. Someof these specimens are part of an excep-tional collection of Tertiary vertebrate fos-sils from the Laramide basins of the RockyMountains. Information: (303) 492-6892or <cumuseum.colorado.edu>

Broomfield Walk Through Time—POGI#F17, Broomfield. Students and teachers atBroomfield Heights Middle School, withassistance from the Geological Society ofAmerica, have created a marvelous self-guided walk in an open field to the west ofthe school. A scale model of geologic time,this 600-foot long, loop path represents themost recent 600 million years of earth’s his-tory using rock samples, drawings and inter-pretive signs. The walk features a series ofstations, each of which includes a student-illustrated exhibit sign that describes thegeologic scene, creatures that inhabited thearea, and the geology of a large, adjacentboulder of a representative local rock for-mation for that period of geologic history.At certain times of the year, student-ledtours may be available. Information: (303)466-2387 or <schools.bvsd.org/broomfieldheights/wtt/dev/>

Dinosaur Tracks Museum—POGI #F18,Denver. Located on the University of Colo-rado at Denver campus, this gem of amuseum is home to the world’s largest col-lection of fossil footprints and traces. Spec-imens from a wide range of geologic timeperiods and geographic locations are dis-played here, but the emphasis is ondinosaur tracks from the American south-west. Museum hours are limited, so call

A guided tour being led at Dinosaur Ridge. Thedrawing is a depiction of the adult and juvenileduckbill dinosaurs that are thought to have madethe tracks behind the tour guide. Photo by VinceMatthews, CGS.

An exhibit station along Broomfield HeightsMiddle School’s excellent “Walk Through Time.”Photo by Dave Noe, CGS.

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before you go. Special tours may bearranged. Information: (303) 556-5261 or<www.dinosaurtracking.org>

Colorado Convention Center—POGI#F19, Denver. The newly renovated Cen-ter contains an exhibit, “Ancient Colo-rados,” in its grand hallway. Commissionedby the City of Denver in partnership withthe Denver Museum of Nature and Science,there are ten large murals that depict scenesfrom Colorado’s prehistoric past during dif-ferent geological ages. Each painting has acompanion display that shows photo-graphs of the outcrops today, plus fossilevidence that was used to create the scene.A brochure is available at the Center’s infor-mation kiosk. Information: (303) 892-1505or <denver.org>

Denver Museum of Nature and Sci-ence—POGI #F20, Denver—(see FeatureBox 2)

Comanche National Grassland—POGI#F21, near La Junta. The largest docu-mented dinosaur tracksite in North Amer-ica, this remote 1⁄4-mile stretch along thebanks of the Purgatoire River in southeast-ern Colorado contains over 1,300 visibletracks in 100 separate trackways. Access tothe Purgatoire Valley Dinosaur TracksiteArea is extremely limited. The Forest Serv-ice offers guided auto tours into the Pick-etwire Canyonlands. Reservations for theguided auto tours must be made monthsin advance due to the tour’s popularity.Information: (719) 384-2181 or <www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/coma/palo/auto_tour_general_info>

A few of the 1,300 dinosaur tracks in the Pick-etwire Canyonlands at Comanche NationalGrasslands. Photo by John Keller, CGS.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Sci-ence has several permanent exhibitionsand ongoing projects of great interest toboth amateur and professional geologists.The museum hosts traveling exhibitions,as well; please consult the DMNS web pagefor current and upcoming special events.■ Prehistoric Journey, on Level 3, takes

visitors through 3.5 billion years ofgeologic time, from ancient seas wherelife began, past the fascinating lifeforms that evolved during the “Cam-brian explosion,” directly into a rag-ing battle between Allosaurus andStegosaurus with an 80-foot longDiplodocus towering overhead, andcontinuing with the rise of mammalsand the dawn of humans.

■ Gems & Minerals, in the Coors Min-eral Hall on Level 1, illustrates themining history that Colorado wasfounded on, and contains beautifulrhodochrosite specimens from theSweet Home Mine, an eight-poundnugget of crystallized gold found inBreckenridge, and samples of Colo-rado’s other important gems, minerals and metals.

■ Ancient Denvers, on Level 3, is an exhibit of the original, large-scale land-scape paintings and images from the book, Ancient Denvers, illustrating howsubsurface rock layers and outcrops provide evidence of Denver’s geologicallyand climatologically diverse past.

■ Space Odyssey, on Level 1, reminds us that interesting geology isn’t foundonly on Earth. Explore canyons, craters, dunes and channels on Mars, createa star, compare it to images of real stars, and watch it cycle from birth to death,and learn about the tools and experiments that allow planetary scientists andcosmologists to study their remote field sites.

Information: (303) 322-7009 or <dmns.org>

FEATURE BOX 2: Denver Museum of Nature and Sc ience

State Geologist Vince Matthews and hisgranddaughter tour the Coors Mineral Hall atthe Denver Museum of Nature and Science.Photo by Glenn Graham.

Digging DeeperWant to get your hands dirty on a real dinosaur dig? There are several museums andcompanies that allow individuals to participate in fossil digs in Colorado. Here are three:■ Dinosaur Journey/Museum of Western Colorado offers one-day dinosaur digs at

the Mygatt–Moore Quarry and five-day geology–paleontology–rafting expeditionsin western Colorado. Information: (970) 242-0971 or <dinodigs.org>

■ The private company Jurassic Tours offers guided tours and dinosaur digs at theSplit Rock Dinosaur Area and Cactus Park Hups/Lowell Quarry. Information: (970)872-3959 or <jurassictours.com>

■ The Morrison Natural History Museum offers opportunities to explore and studywith researchers at dig sites, on field trips, or in classes. Information: (303) 697-1873or <morrisonmuseum.org>Other useful online resources for learning about Colorado dinosaur localities include

the following:Dinosaur Diamond National Scenic Parkway, in Colorado and Utah: <dinosaur

diamond.org>Dino Russ’ Lair, a personal web site: <dinoruss.com> ●

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Colorado has a rich history of gold, silver,industrial metals, gemstone and coal min-ing. Most of the state’s mines have beenclosed and are not safe to explore, but afew have been reincarnated as touristmines. The Colorado Division of Miner-als and Geology (DMG) inspects the touristmines listed here for safety. Many of thesemines are located in the “Colorado Min-eral Belt” that extends from the foothillsof Boulder County southwest across thestate to the San Juan and La Plata Moun-tains. Occasional tours are offered at a fewof Colorado’s working mines. The work-ing mines are inspected for safety by DMG,as well, but only supervised visits shouldbe made to these mines. Numerous muse-ums throughout the state preserve min-ing equipment, tools and everyday artifactsfrom the gold and silver mining glory yearsof 1859 through the early 1900s. Othershost interesting collections of local min-erals. These POGIs may entice you to jour-ney back in time and experience what itwas like to work in an underground mineand live during Colorado’s mining boom!

Mine ToursOld Hundred Gold Mine—POGI #M1,near Silverton. Mined sporadically andunprofitably from 1907 until 1972, thismine can be explored on a tour that takesvisitors 1⁄3 mile into Galena Mountain ona mine tram and includes demonstrationsof mining methods using authentic min-ing equipment. Information: (970) 387-5444 or <minetour.com>

Bachelor–Syracuse Mine—POGI #M2,near Ouray. This gold and silver mine wasworked from 1884 until the silver crash ofthe early 1980s. The mine tour takes you3,350 feet into the side of Gold Hill on a“trammer” to see ore veins, mining equip-ment, and mine workings such as stopes,declines, crosscuts, run-a-rounds and drifts.Information: (970) 325-0220 or <bachelorsyracuse.com>

Hard Tack Mine—POGI #M3, Lake City.This 100-year-old mine tunnel was sup-posed to be an underground transport tun-nel for nearby Hidden Treasure Mine, butthe tunnel was never completed. Part ofthe Hinsdale County Galena Mining Dis-trict, the Hidden Treasure Mine and theTreasureville mining camp were active inthe production of silver ore from the 1890s

until 1930. Information: (970) 944-2506or <hardtackmine.com>

Colorado Yule Marble Quarry—POGI#M4, Marble. The Colorado Yule MarbleQuarry produces one of the finest whitemarbles in the world. It operated from1905 to 1941, and is the source of the stoneused for the exterior of the Lincoln Memo-rial and the Tomb of the Unknowns inWashington, D.C. Yule Marble wasdeclared the Colorado State Rock in 2004.The quarry re-opened in 1990, but tours

into the quarry are not currently offered.A short trail from the parking lot at thebase of the quarry (four miles south oftown along a very poor, dangerous road)takes you past lots of beautiful white mar-ble blocks that have been cast out of thequarry, and offers a view into the quarryitself. The Marble Historical Society hasprepared a self-guided walking tour of theTown of Marble that includes the site ofthe marble-finishing mill, once the largestin the world. The CGS has a slide show

MINERALS, MINE TOURS, AND MINING-RELATED ACT IV IT IES

The San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado are mining country. Painting by Larry Scott.

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about Yule Marble on our web page (geosurvey.state.co.us/general_info/YuleMar-ble_files/frame.htm). Information: <marblecolorado.org> or the Marble Historical Soci-ety Museum, 412 Main Street, open 2–4PM, summer weekends only

Compromise Mine/Smuggler Mine—POGI #M5, Aspen. The Compromise Mineis located on the front side of Aspen Moun-tain; a 4WD vehicle takes visitors up tothe mine. On the tour, visitors ride 2,000feet underground in tour cars behind anelectric mine locomotive, through someof the largest open underground cham-bers in the world. The Smuggler Mine,listed on the National Historic Register, isa walking tour that takes visitors 1,200 feetinto Smuggler Mountain and visits twolevels of the mine workings. The world’slargest silver nugget was found at theSmuggler Mine in 1894. Information: (970)925-2049

Lost Mine—POGI #M6, near Salida. TheLost Mine operated during World War Iand produced only about 80 tons of man-ganese and tungsten ore before the warended and prices plummeted for these steelalloy components. The mine consists ofthe original discovery cut and about 150feet of underground mine workings. TheLost Mine Tour takes visitors on a ruggedbackcountry road past geologic faults andfolds, an old travertine quarry, and anabandoned lime kiln operation on the wayto the Lost Mine. Information: (719) 539-7786 or <salida.com/lostmine/>

Climax Mine—POGI #M7, nearLeadville. Although currently idle, the Cli-max Mine is the world’s largest molybde-num mine; it is slated to be reopened in2009 when the Henderson Mine ore bodyis exhausted. The underground workingsare not visible from the road, but travel-ers can see the extensive tailings pondswhere waste rock is deposited, and glimpsesome of the open pit mine workings. Thedisturbed land is in the process of beingreclaimed using bio-solid waste fromnearby communities. Travelers along StateHighway 91, south of I-70 between Cop-per Mountain and Leadville, can tune their

car radios to a special AM-band station heara narrative about the mine, and interpre-tive signs near the parking lot describe thegeology of the huge molybdenum orebody. Information: AM radio 700, localtransmitter

Carbonate Mine—POGI #M8, nearBreckenridge. The Carbonate Mine wasfirst opened in the summer of 1896 andremained in production until the late1950s. The principal ores were limonite,a gold-bearing, mustard-colored ore; andgalena, a purplish ore containing gold andsilver. Some of the passageways areencrusted with astounding ice crystals.With a constant temperature of 28°F,warm, water-resistant clothing is a must!Summer tours are offered by appointment.If that’s not enough, wintertime visitorsmay arrange to stay overnight in the rus-tic mill building, at 12,000 feet elevation,a unique opportunity to live like the min-ers of old. The mine itself is buried by snowand is not accessible during the off-seasonmonths. Information: (720) 226-0702 or<carbonatemine.com>

Country Boy Mine—POGI #M9, nearBreckenridge. Founded in 1887, the Coun-try Boy Mine first produced gold and sil-ver, then high-grade lead and zinc for usein World Wars I and II. The tour takes vis-itors 1,000 feet into the mine workings.Information: (970) 453-4405 or <www.countryboymine.com>

Washington Mine/Lomax PlacerGulch—POGI #M10, near Breckenridge.The Washington Mine was opened in the1880s as a hardrock gold and silver mine.On the Washington Mine tour, the Sum-mit Historical Society takes visitorsthrough several typical mine “headworks”buildings including the original shaft-house, a typical prospector’s cabin, thehoist- and steam-generation equipment,and the tramway to the tipple where orewas sorted and loaded into wagons. Onthe Lomax Placer Gulch tour, visitors canpan for gold, learn how mining-townchemists assayed the ore content, andwatch a slide show to learn how hydraulicmining changed the landscape. Informa-tion: (970) 453-9022 or <summithistorical.org/Tours.html>

Henderson Mine—POGI #M11, nearEmpire. In operation since 1976, the Hen-derson Mine has produced more than 160million tons of ore and 770 million poundsof molybdenum. The ore is mined under-ground using a method known as “panel

That’s not snow. Large, white blocks of cast-off marble greet visitors near the Yule quarry site abovethe town of Marble. Photo by Jill Carlson, CGS.

POGI Hint: “Baby, It’s Cold in the Mine!” Many of Colorado’s undergroundmines can be cool and/or wet. Enhance your own comfort by bringingappropriate footwear and a jacket. Contact the mine before you go; theywill be able to tell you how to dress for their particular tour.

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caving,” and is transported to the Hender-son Mill via the world’s longest conveyor,a fifteen-mile elevated belt that passesunderneath the Continental Dividethrough an old train tunnel. Most of themined areas have been covered with shot-crete, so geologic exposures are limited.Regular tours are not offered, but tours aresometimes offered during special eventssuch as Clear Creek County Mining Days.Information: (303) 567-4660 or <clearcreekcounty.org>

Lebanon Silver Mine/GeorgetownLoop Historic Mining and RailroadPark—POGI #M12, near Georgetown. TheGeorgetown Loop Historic Mining & Rail-road Park comprises two mines from the1860s, four reconstructed mine buildings,an 1871 mill building, and several narrowgauge railroad structures. The Lebanon Sil-ver Mine can be accessed only from a stopon the Georgetown Loop Railroad. Themine was developed in 1871 and operateduntil the 1880s. A walking tour of themine, led by Colorado Historical Societyguides, takes visitors through the mine,the mine manager’s office, the miners’change room, the blacksmith shop andthe tool shed. Information: (888) 456-6777or <georgetownlooprr.com>

Argo Gold Mine, Mill, and Museum—POGI #M13, Idaho Springs. The Argo Tun-nel dewatered and transported ore fromnumerous mines in Seaton Mountain, partof the major Central City–Idaho SpringsDistrict, to the Argo Mill. In 1894, whenit was built, it was the longest tunnel in

the world. The mill operated from 1913until 1943, and is now a museum. Toursof the mine and mill are available yearround. Information: (303) 567-2421 or<historicargotours.com>

Edgar Experimental Mine—POGI#M14, Idaho Springs. In the 1870s, theEdgar Mine produced high-grade silver,gold, lead and copper. Today, the EdgarExperimental Mine is operated by the Min-ing Engineering Department of the Colo-rado School of Mines, and is used as anunderground laboratory and classroom fortopics such as underground mine survey-ing, geologic mapping, rock fragmenta-tion and blasting, mine ventilation fieldstudies, rock mechanics and instrumenta-tion, and mine safety. The mine tour takesvisitors through more than one-half mileof underground workings, representingover 100 years of mining. Students andstaff conduct guided one-hour mine toursfor the general public throughout the year.The tour features lighted displays ofdrilling, blasting, and mucking equipment,and topics of discussion include miningpractice, mining economics, and the roleof the mining industry in modern society.Special tours may be arranged. Informa-tion: (303) 567-2911 or <mines.edu/academic/mining/edgar.html>

Phoenix Mine—POGI #M15, nearIdaho Springs. This is a working gold minein Clear Creek County’s Trail Creek Min-ing District. The Phoenix Vein was discov-ered in 1871, and miners are currentlyworking the Resurrection Vein. Tons of ore

are still pushed along underground nar-row-gauge rails in small ore cars, and themine has its own mill. Information: (303)567-0422 or <www.phoenixmine.com>

Hidee Gold Mine—POGI #M16, nearCentral City. The Hidee Mine is located inthe rich Virginia Canyon–Glory Hole min-ing area, and has been worked intermit-tently from 1896 until the present time.Gold, silver and copper are found here.The mine tour takes visitors into an aditdriven 600 feet into the mountainside,and visitors are allowed to try hard rockmining using a hammer and chisel to carveout a gold specimen from the main orevein. Information: (303) 989-2861 or<cccmma.com/hidee/hidee.htm>

Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine—POGI#M17, near Cripple Creek. Mollie Kath-leen Gortner discovered an outcrop ofquartz containing wire gold in 1891, fileda gold claim in her own name and, withher husband and son, hand steeled themine’s initial 250-foot deep mine shaft.The mine operated almost continuouslyuntil 1961, when it closed as a result ofthe closure of the Carlton Mill. This is theonly mine tour that takes visitors down a1,000-foot vertical mine shaft, via a man-skip elevator. Once underground, visitorstravel in a miners’ train car pulled by anair-powered Tram-Air locomotive. Infor-mation: (719) 689-2466 or <goldminetours.com>

Mining Museums and MillsTelluride Historical Museum—POGI#M18, Telluride. Telluride was originallya rowdy mining camp called Columbia,and incorporated as the Town of Telluridein 1878. It was a prosperous gold and sil-ver mining town from the arrival of therailroad in 1890 until the crash of the sil-ver market in 1893 and World War I. Thenewly restored Telluride Historical Museumhas permanent exhibits illustrating Tel-luride’s colorful mining history, and thetown’s evolution from “Mining Camp toCommunity.” Information: (970) 728-3344or <telluridemuseum.com>

Silverton Mining Heritage Museum—POGI #M19, Silverton. The San JuanCounty Colorado Historical Society hasamassed an extensive collection of earlymining and surveying equipment, localmineral specimens, and other mining-eraartifacts. Information: summer (970) 387-5838, winter (970) 387-5609, or <silvertonhistoricalsociety.org>

These miners had to “rough it” to see Colorado in 1875. Today, it’s easy to tour any of the state’smany tourist mines in relative comfort. Photo by W. H. Jackson, U.S. Geological Survey collection.

C G S R O C K T A L K V o l . 9 , N o . 1 9

Mayflower Gold Mill—POGI #M20,near Silverton. Former miners demonstratethe Mayflower Mill’s original equipment,which remains unchanged since opera-tions ceased in 1991 after processingalmost a billion tons of rock and produc-ing nearly 2 million ounces of gold and30 million ounces of silver. Information:(970) 387-0294 or <silvertonhistoricalsociety.org>

Ouray County Historical SocietyMuseum—POGI #M21, Ouray. The OurayCounty Historical Society Museum islocated in the historic St. Joseph’s Miners’Hospital, and contains mining and min-eral exhibits, as well as artifacts fromOuray’s ranching and railroading history.The museum also houses the W. RossMoore Mining History Library of the Amer-ican West. Information: (970) 325-4576 or<ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org>

Creede Underground MiningMuseum—POGI #M22, Creede. Thismuseum is located completely under-ground. Displays of mine features and min-ing techniques, including an explorationdrift, a winze, a hoist, and shrink stopemining, along with real mining equip-ment, illustrate the history of the silverboom in Creede from 1889 to 1985 anddemonstrate how silver mines operated.Information: (719) 658-0811 or <museumtrail.org/CreedeUndergroundMiningMuseum.asp>

Ryan Geology Museum—(see descrip-tion under “Fossils and Dinosaur Activities”)

National Mining Hall of Fame andMuseum—POGI #M23, Leadville. Locatedin a 70,000-square-foot school built dur-ing the 19th century silver boom, thismuseum offers twelve exhibit rooms por-traying the history of mining from theBronze Age through the present. There isalso a replicated underground hardrockmine to explore, complete with drills, orecars, mine-gauge track, and chutes. Infor-mation: (719) 486-1229 or <mininghalloffame.org>

Matchless Mine and Museum—POGI#M24, near Leadville. Once a very produc-tive silver mine, the Matchless is morefamous for its role in the checkered livesof Horace and Baby Doe Tabor. The mineand museum now consist of the cabinwhere Baby Doe lived and died in poverty,and surface structures such as the gallowsand shaft house. Information: (719) 486-4918 or <matchlessmine.com>

Nederland Historical Society andMuseum—POGI #M25, Nederland. TheOld Stone Garage in Nederland houses anold mine and mill replica, and illustrates,through mining artifacts, equipment andmemorabilia, the story of the miningindustry in Nederland and Boulder andGilpin counties from 1859 to the present.Information: (303) 258-0567 or <nederlandmuseums.org>

Gilpin County Historical SocietyMuseum—POGI #M26, Central City. Min-ing-related exhibits at the Gilpin HistoryMuseum include a model of the Iron CityMill near Black Hawk and a mineral col-lection. Also part of the Gilpin HistoricalSociety is the Coeur d’Alene Mine ShaftHouse, which visitors can explore on a self-guided interpretive tour. Information:(303) 582-5283 or <coloradomuseums.org/gilpin>

Historical Society of Idaho SpringsUnderhill Museum—POGI #M27, IdahoSprings. This is a living museum featuringa collection of mining artifacts in authen-tic living accommodations of the goldmining era. Information: (303) 567-4709or <historicidahosprings.com/facilities.html>

Idaho Springs Heritage Museum andVisitor Center—POGI #M28, IdahoSprings. Exhibits include artifacts that cel-ebrate the 1859 discoveries of placer goldin Clear Creek, and lode gold at Blackhawkand many other Colorado localities that

would later become major mining districts.Other exhibits include mining tools, anore wagon, historic photos and an arrayof mineral specimens. Information: (303)567-4382 or <historicidahosprings.com/facilities.html>

Colorado School of Mines GeologyMuseum—POGI #M29, Golden. The Geol-ogy Museum at the Colorado School ofMines started as a ‘mineral cabinet’ puttogether by Arthur Lakes, the first curatorof collections, in 1874. Today the museumhas approximately 50,000 minerals, fos-sils, gemstones, and artifacts. Exhibitsinclude minerals from Colorado, Colo-rado’s mining heritage and mining arti-facts, a gold and silver display, rough andcut gemstones, mineral properties, earthhistory, special radioactive exhibits, andworld minerals and fossils. School grouptours may be arranged in advance. Themuseum moved into its sparkling newbuilding and spacious exhibit area in 2004.Information: (303) 273-3823 or <mines.edu/academic/geology/museum>

Lafayette Miners Museum—POGI#M30, Lafayette. The Lafayette MinersMuseum is located in a building once occu-pied by coal miners, and now contains awealth of information on Lafayette’s his-tory and its coal mining heritage, alongwith a collection of mining tools andequipment. Information: (303) 665-7030or <cityoflafayette.com/page.asp?navid=802>

Colorado History Museum—POGI#M31, Denver. A large, comprehensivemining exhibit provides an overview ofColorado’s mining history through intri-cate dioramas and includes many piecesof equipment used in exploration, vein,placer and coal mining, assaying, mineblasting, ventilation and dewatering,mucking and loading, including an oper-able rotary dumper. There is a large exhibitdepicting the life of H.A.W. Tabor, “Colo-rado’s first and greatest Silver King.” Themuseum has a library of books, maps,newspaper clippings, manuscripts, jour-nals and photographs that document thehistorical evolution of mining activitiesin Colorado. School group tours may bescheduled in advance, and adult work-shops and family days are offered. Infor-mation: (303) 866-3682 or <coloradohistory.org/hist_sites/CHM/Colorado_History_Museum.htm>

High cliffs form a backdrop for an old miningoperation near Creede. Photo by John Keller, CGS. continues on page 12

1 0 C G S R O C K T A L K V o l . 9 , N o . 1

Dinosaur

Aspen

Montrose

Ouray

Telluride

Silverton

Cortez

Durango

Creede

Alamosa

Walsenburg

Cripple Creek

Castle R

Fort Collins

Boulder

DenverIdahoSprings

Estes Park

Colo

Salida

CañonCity

Gunnison

Leadville

Breckenridge

Steamboat Springs

Glenwood Springs

Grand JunctionG1–2G1–2

G3G3

G6G6 GG1133

GG114–4–1155

G4G4

G7G7

G8G8

G9G9

GG1100

GG1166G17

GG1122

GG11

G5G5

F6F6

F1F1

F7F7

F8–10F8–10

FF111–121–12

FF113–153–15

FF1166

F17F17F18–2F18–20

F21

F2–5F2–5

C1C1

C2C2

M1, 1M1, 199–20–20

M2, 21M2, 21M3M3

M22M22

M23–24M23–24

MM1188

M4M4

M5M5

M6M6

M34M34

MM35

M7M7

M25M25

MM117, 32–337, 32–33

MM1111

MM1122

M29M29

M30M30

M31M31

MM113–3–116,6,26–2826–28

M8–10M8–10

40

34 36

24

50

50

50

285

285

160

160

550

491

285

25

25

70

Points of Geological

The CGS would like to acknowledge Lauren Heerschap and Matt Morgan for help in making this map.

C G S R O C K T A L K V o l . 9 , N o . 1 1 1

Trinidad

Pueblo

Rock

orado Springs

G1–2

G3

G6 G13

G14–15

G4

G7

G8

G9

G10

G166GG1177

G12

GG1111

G5

F6

F1

F7

F8–10

F11–12

F13–15

F16

F1720F18–20

F21F21

F2–5

C1

C2

M1, 19–20

M2, 21M3

M22

M23–24

M18

M4

M5

M6

4M34

M35M35

M7

M25

M17, 32–33

M11

M12

M29

M30

M31

M13–16,26–28

M8–10

34

36

24

50

385

385

160

350

76

N

L e g e n dPOGI Types

Fossils and Dinosaurs

Minerals and Mining

General Geology

Commercial Caves

Cities

Highways

Interest in ColoradoPOGI FEATURE & PAGE NUMBER

F1 Trail Through Time/Rabbit Valley, 2F2 Museum of Western Colorado/Dinosaur Journey, 2F3 Dinosaur Hill Interpretive Trail, 2F4 Fruita Paleo Area Trail, 2F5 Riggs Hill Trail, 2F6 Dinosaur National Monument, 2, 3F7 Ryan Geology Museum/Adams State College, 2F8 Dinosaur Depot Museum, 2F9 Garden Park Fossil Area, 2F10 Skyline Drive Trackway Site, 4F11 Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, 4F12 Florissant Fossil Quarry, 4F13 Morrison Natural History Museum, 4F14 Dinosaur Ridge, 4F15 Triceratops Trail/Parfet Prehistoric Preserve, 4F16 University of Colorado Museum, 4F17 Broomfield Walk Through Time, 4F18 Dinosaur Tracks Museum/CU-Denver, 4F19 Ancient Colorados/Colorado Convention Center, 5F20 Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 5F21 Purgatoire Tracksite/Comanche National Grasslands, 5M1 Old Hundred Gold Mine, 6M2 Bachelor–Syracuse Mine, 6M3 Hard Tack Mine, 6M4 Colorado Yule Marble Quarry, 6M5 Compromise Mine/Smuggler Mine, 7M6 Lost Mine, 7M7 Climax Mine, 7M8 Carbonate Mine, 7M9 Country Boy Mine, 7

M10 Washington Mine/Lomax Placer Gulch, 7M11 Henderson Mine, 7M12 Lebanon Silver Mine, 8M13 Argo Gold Mine, Mill, and Museum, 8M14 Edgar Experimental Mine, 8M15 Phoenix Mine, 8M16 Hidee Gold Mine, 8M17 Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, 8M18 Telluride Historical Museum, 8M19 Silverton Mining Heritage Museum, 8M20 Mayflower Gold Mill, 9M21 Ouray County Historical Society Museum, 9M22 Creede Underground Mining Museum, 9M23 National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, 9M24 Matchless Mine and Museum, 9M25 Nederland Historical Society and Museum, 9M26 Gilpin County Historical Society Museum, 9M27 Historical Society of Idaho Springs Underhill Museum, 9M28 Idaho Springs Heritage Museum and Visitor Center, 9M29 Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum, 9M30 Lafayette Miners Museum, 9M31 Colorado History Museum, 9M32 Cripple Creek District Museum, 12M33 American Eagles Mine Overlook, 12M34 Western Museum of Mining and Industry, 12M35 Walsenburg Mining Museum, 12G1 McInnis Canyons/Parade of Arches Trail, 13G2 Colorado National Monument, 13G3 Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, 13G4 Curecanti National Recreation Area, 13G5 Gunnison National Forest/Slumgullion Earthflow, 14G6 Rocky Mountain National Park, 14, 15G7 Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, 14G8 Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, 15G9 Mueller State Park, 15G10 Roxborough State Park, 16G11 Castlewood Canyon State Park, 16G12 Trinidad Lake State Park, 16G13 Larimer County Parks and Open Lands, 16G14 Boulder County Parks and Open Space, 16G15 City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, 16G16 Garden of the Gods Park, 17G17 Paint Mines Interpretive Park, 17C1 Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, 18C2 Cave of the Winds, 18

1 2 C G S R O C K T A L K V o l . 9 , N o . 1

Denver Museum of Nature and Sci-ence—(see Feature Box 2)

Cripple Creek District Museum—POGI#M32, Cripple Creek. This museum dis-plays mining machinery and memorabiliasuch as maps, ore samples, glass modelsof deep gold mines, and household itemsdating back to the 1890s, when the Crip-ple Creek Mining District was “The World’sGreatest Gold Camp.” Information: (719)689-2634 or <cripple-creek.org>

American Eagles Overlook—POGI#M33, near Victor. A startling mix of oldand new, this self-guiding, outdoor exhibitfeatures restored mining equipment, shopbuildings, and the headframe for the deep-est shaft in the Cripple Creek district. Onemay also look down into the maw of thegigantic open pits of the active CrippleCreek and Victor gold mining operation.There are views to Pikes Peak and othermountain ranges from this high,windswept overlook. A brochure is avail-able. Information: (719) 686-7955 or<co.teller.co.us/parks.htm> or <victorcolorado.com/eagles.htm>

Western Museum of Mining andIndustry—POGI #M34, Colorado Springs.Exhibits and guided tours focus on thetechnology and technological history of

metal mining and metallurgy, as well asthe social history of the American miningwest. Each June, the old stamp mill isstarted up along with many other work-ing exhibits. Information: (719) 488-0880or <wmmi.org>

Walsenburg Mining Museum—POGI#M35, Walsenburg. Housed in the 1896county jail building, the Walsenburg Min-ing Museum has exhibits and oral histo-ries describing the area’s coal miningheritage. Information: (719) 738-1992 ●

The Colorado History Museum has a huge exhibit of historic mining equipment, such as this coal carton rails, headed to a rotary dumper where it might be emptied onto a conveyor or into a railroad hop-per car. Photo by Jill Carlson, CGS.

A visitor enjoys the view of the open pits of the CC&V Cresson Mine from the American Eagles Over-look. Photo by John Keller, CGS.

continued from page 9

Digging DeeperOther useful resources for exploringand learning about Colorado’s min-ing history and localities include thefollowing:

Mining History Association: <mininghistoryassociation.org>

Cripple Creek history page: <cripplecreekhistory.com>

Colorado ghost towns and min-ing camps page: <coloradoghosttowns.com>

Colorado School of Mines specialcollections: <mines.edu/library/speccoll/special.html>

Scenic drives through Colorado’s“Gold Belt” and “Silver Thread”:<coloradobyways.org>

C G S R O C K T A L K V o l . 9 , N o . 1 1 3

Federal LandsColorado has four National Parks and fourNational Monuments that contain soar-ing peaks, yawning canyons, vast seas ofdune sand, and treasure troves of prehis-toric cultures and beasts. Guided activi-ties, roadside and visitor-center interpretivedisplays, self-guiding trails and auto tours,and special programs may be available.(See the expanded descriptions on our website.) The summer months are perhaps thebest time to attend guided walks andcampfire talks.

Dinosaur National Monument—(seedescription under “Fossil and DinosaurActivities”)

McInnis Canyons National Conserva-tion Area—POGI #G1, near Fruita. TheRattlesnake Canyon trail, also known asthe “Parade of Arches,” provides access toa canyon system containing the largestconcentration of natural sandstone archesoutside of Utah’s Arches National Monu-ment. The U.S. Bureau of Land Manage-ment maintains a rough dirt road to thetrailhead. You can get a feel for the geo-logic story using the Rattlesnake Archestrail brochure and the MCNCA brochure.Information: (970) 244-3000 or <co.blm.gov/mcnca/recreationhp.htm>

Colorado National Monument—POGI#G2, near Grand Junction. The highlightof Colorado National Monument is 23-mile-long Rim Rock Drive, which offerspanoramic views and overlooks of sheerslick-rock canyons and farther panoramasof the broad Grand Valley, more than2,000 feet below. The mesa front is an out-standing example of a monoclinal fold,where the mesa-top beds are flat and theflanking beds are bent at highly inclinedangles. Activities include a visitor center,an audiovisual program on the Park’s geol-ogy, summer talks by local geologists, self-guiding tour books, roadside exhibits, andthe Colorado National Monument Asso-ciation (CNMA) Talks and Walks program.Information: (970) 858-3617 or <nps.gov/colm> or <coloradonma.org/walks.htm>

Black Canyon of the GunnisonNational Park—POGI #G3, near Mon-trose. An eye-popping chasm carved intosolid rock by the Gunnison River, the BlackCanyon boasts the highest unbroken cliffwalls (over 2,700 feet high) in Colorado.No other canyon in North America com-

bines the narrow opening span, sheer mar-bled walls of Proterozoic crystalline rock,and startling depths offered by the BlackCanyon of the Gunnison. Activitiesinclude summer walks and campfire talks,self-guiding trail and auto tours, and a vis-itor center with exhibits. Information:(970) 641-2337 or <nps.gov/blca>

Curecanti National Recreation Area—POGI #G4, near Montrose. Curecanti NRA

is an upstream extension of the BlackCanyon of the Gunnison NP and is admin-istered by the NPS. During the summer,the Morrow Point pontoon boat tour, a11⁄2 hour excursion along the upper BlackCanyon, features a guided ranger narra-tive about the scenery and its geologic ori-gins. Information: (970) 641-2337 or<nps.gov/cure>

GENERAL AND SCENIC GEOLOGY ACTIV IT IES

The mysterious and intriguing Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Photo by Dave Noe andJonathan White, CGS.

One of the thirty-five natural arches in the Rattlesnake Canyon area, seen from the “Parade of Arches”trail. Photo by Wallace Hansen.

1 4 C G S R O C K T A L K V o l . 9 , N o . 1

Gunnison National Forest—POGI #G5,near Lake City. The Slumgullion Earthflowis a world-class example of a gigantic earth-flow landslide, which has dammed theLake Fork of the Gunnison River and cre-ated Lake San Cristobal, Colorado’s sec-ond-largest natural lake. Parts of thelandslide are still active today. Interpre-tive signs for this Registered National Land-mark have been placed at scenic pulloutsalong State Highway 149, which crossesthe lower part of the slide. Information:(970) 874-6600 or <www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug/>

Rocky Mountain National Park—POGI#G6, near Estes Park. Spectacular,12–14,000-foot-high peaks and glacier-carved valleys are the primary features ofinterest in Rocky Mountain National Park.There is an extensive summer schedule ofguided hikes and campfire programs, someof which focus on the Park’s geology. Manyof the scenic road pull-offs along TrailRidge Road (closed in winter) have inter-pretive signs. Moraine Park Museum (seeFeature Box 3) has an exciting geologyexhibit. Several trails and roads have self-

guiding interpretive pamphlets or book-lets. Geology-related seminars take placein the Park each year (see description under“Geology Seminars” section of this

newsletter). Information: (970) 586-1206or <nps.gov/romo>

Great Sand Dunes National Park andPreserve—POGI #G7, near Alamosa. Colo-

Colorado’s world-class Slumgullion Earthflow, near Lake City. Photo courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey.

Colorado’s incomparable Great Sand Dunes and the Sangre de Cristo Range, as seen from the air.Photo copyright: Louis J. Mahar, Jr., used with permission.

C G S R O C K T A L K V o l . 9 , N o . 1 1 5

rado’s newest National Park contains over30 square miles of massive dunes that areNorth America’s tallest, at over 750 feethigh. The dunes, and the unique meteor-ological and topographic setting in whichthey formed, are primary topics that arefeatured in the Park’s interpretive pro-grams. Ranger-led walks, talks, and camp-fire programs are offered on most daysfrom May through September, and on alimited or by-request basis during the restof the year. Brochures are available at thevisitor center for free or low cost, includ-ing “Exploring the Dunes,” “Landscape inMotion,” and “Mysterious Waters.” Staytuned for related articles in an upcomingissue of CGS RockTalk. Information: (719)378-6399 or <nps.gov/grsa>

State ParksColorado’s 41 State Parks are administeredby the Colorado Department of NaturalResources, Division of Parks and OutdoorRecreation (DPOR). While most are basedon recreational activities such as boatingand fishing, several also contain points ofgeological interest. The State Parks listedbelow are ones that have geology-relatedexhibits or guided activities. Informationis available at <parks.state.co.us>, or by call-ing each Park directly. Each Park’s web pagemay be accessed from the main web page;browse the “Calendar” button for listingsof upcoming, guided walks and talks. The“Environment” link for each park providesa description of the local geology.

Arkansas Headwaters RecreationArea—POGI #G8, near Salida. The U.S.Bureau of Land Management and Colo-rado State Parks jointly administer thisarea, which consists of a 150-mile stretchof the Arkansas River between Leadvilleand Pueblo. A guided program and aJunior Ranger geology program are offeredat Ruby Mountain campground. A rock-hounding handout list is available at thevisitor center near downtown Salida.AHRA’s naturalist staff trains many of thearea’s commercial boatmen about geol-ogy and natural history. Information:(719) 539-7289

Mueller State Park—POGI #G9, nearWoodland Park. This state park is nestledon the backside of Pikes Peak and contains

“Why are there mountains here? How doesa glacier move? What is a moraine? Howdo people affect the land? The answers arefound in the landscape itself…”

So begins the self-guided tour, “TheMaking of a Landscape,” at Rocky Moun-tain National Park’s Moraine Park Visi-tor Center. The focus is on Moraine Park,a broad, beautiful, mountain valley thatprovides a textbook example of the after-effects of glaciation.

In telling the story of Moraine Park,the exhibit goes deep into geologic time.Colorful paintings and dioramas, work-

ing models, and hands-on specimens areused in a series of displays that discusssuch topics as mountain building, rocktypes and the rock cycle, faults, folds,canyon carving, the erosion cycle, gla-cier movement, the ice ages, ice-agehumans and animals, glaciers and cli-mate, and precious metals.

Kids get a kick out of turning cranksto watch rock models break and bend(faults and folds), mountains rise, andglaciers move down valleys. Two large3-D models depict what Moraine Parkmay have looked like before and during

glaciation. To see the valley after glacia-tion, one only needs to walk a few stepsto the glass-fronted porch, where bent-wood rocking chairs and a scenic viewof the real thing await! The museum isopen seasonally, typically from late Aprilto early October. Information: (970) 586-1206 or <nps.gov/romo/pphtml/facilities.html>

FEATURE BOX 3: Moraine Park Museum, RMNP

A young, future geologist demonstrates how gla-ciers move and create moraines at the MorainePark Museum. Photo by Dave Noe, CGS.

Outdoor display depicting a former glacial valley at the Moraine Park Museum. Photo byDave Noe, CGS.

wonderful exposures of weathered androunded, Pikes Peak Granite. The Wapitiself-guided nature trail has a brochure anda geology stop, and the Outlook Ridge trailhas three scenic overlooks perched on thetop of granite knobs. The visitor center hasinteractive displays that describe theregional geology and minerals. Geologycampfire talks are given on an occasionalbasis, and focus on geology of the region.Information: (719) 687-2366

Roxborough State Park—POGI #G10,near Littleton. The wild, red-rock countryat Roxborough is a geologic wonderland.The Park sponsors a monthly geology walk,and the “Rocks Revealed” summer pro-gram covers some geology related topics.

The visitor center features a geology dis-play, “The Shape of Roxborough.” Theinteractive exhibit includes paintings,hand specimens, and displays about theuplift and erosion that produced the land-scape. Information: (303) 973-3959

Castlewood Canyon State Park—POGI#G11, near Castle Rock. Small but scenic,CCSP offers several geology-related walksand talks every year. School groups mayschedule a special program called “Rockand Roll.” The visitor center contains adisplay about the Castle Rock Conglom-erate, and one about the CastlewoodCanyon dam, which failed spectacularlyin 1933. The park is developing a geologybrochure. Information: (303) 688-5242

Trinidad Lake State Park—POGI #G12,near Trinidad. TLSP contains one of thebest exposures of the famed K/T Bound-ary, where Cretaceous and Tertiary agedrocks are separated by an iridium-rich layerthat represents an asteroid impact and pos-sibly the extinction of many of the Earth’sdinosaur species. There is an interpretivedisplay at the visitor center. The site maybe visited by taking a short hike down intoLong Canyon, and an interpretive signand a self-guiding brochure are available.Summer ranger-led walks are available thatoccasionally focus on geology. Informa-tion: (719) 846-6951

County and Municipal ParksSome local jurisdictions within Coloradohave outstanding interpretive programs.Here are a few that have featured geology-related activities. For more informationabout these guided activities, contact theselocal agencies directly.

Larimer County Parks and OpenLands—POGI #G13, near Loveland andFort Collins. Larimer County has severalcounty parks in areas of geological inter-est, including Carter Lake, Eagle’s Nest,and Devil’s Backbone. Geology walks areled at these areas on occasion, and groupor student tours may be arranged. The fas-cinating and spookily realistic Devils Back-bone, a spine of vertically dipping DakotaSandstone west of Loveland, may be touredusing a self-guiding brochure that describesthe local geology and the related culturalhistory. Information: (970) 679-4570 or<co.larimer.co.us/parks>

Boulder County Parks and OpenSpace—POGI #G14, near Boulder. Boul-der County’s parks have three retired geol-ogists that lead occasional guided walks,with topics including “A Story in theRocks” and “Geology and Landforms.” Apresentation on the County’s geologicstory is offered at the Boulder PublicLibrary about twice a year. Programs forschools and groups may be requested, aswell. Some interpretive signs regardinggeology are in place at Walker Ranch OpenSpace. Information: (303) 678-6214 or<www.co.boulder.co.us/openspace/>

City of Boulder Open Space andMountain Parks—POGI #G15, nearBoulder. The spectacular range-front for-mations of the Flatirons form a backdropfor guided activities in Boulder’s moun-tain parks. Guided public nature hikes,

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A view of Pikes Peak from the granite knobs of Mueller State Park. Photo copyright: John Fielder, usedwith permission.

including geology hikes are led by staffor volunteer naturalists. Group and edu-cational programs may be scheduled, aswell. Information: (303) 441-3440 or<www.ci.boulder.co.us/openspace/>

Garden of the Gods Park—POGI #G16,near Colorado Springs. This municipal parkcontains 480 acres of astounding, red sand-stone fins and spires. The new visitor cen-ter affords great views of the Park and PikesPeak, and has a multimedia presentationand hands-on geology exhibits. Fabulous,lifelike murals depict the region’s ancientlandscapes through the ages. During thesummer, bus tours are available, as well asvarious walks and talks. Group tours, jun-ior ranger and guided outdoor educationprograms, and self-guided “adventurehunts” are offered, as well. Information:(719) 634-6666 or <gardenofgods.com>

Paint Mines Interpretive Park—POGI#G17, near Colorado Springs. This new ElPaso County park features brilliant, pas-tel-colored clay beds capped by hoodoosof white sandstone. Ancient cultures andearly settlers mined the clays from alabyrinth of small canyons. The park isopen dawn to dusk, seven days a week. Ageology and natural history pamphlet isavailable, and several interpretive sites maybe found along the park’s trails. Guidedtours by parks staff are led on occasion ormay be arranged. Information: (719) 520-6387 or <www.elpasoco.com/parks> ●

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Guided tour group approaching Devil’s Backbone, in Larimer County. Photo by Rick Price.

The CGS Minerals and Mineral Fuels Section pays a visit to El Paso County’s colorful Paint MinesInterpretive Park. Photo by Beth Widmann, CGS.

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Colorado has more than 265 catalogued caves. Some containevidence of early human habitation, while others have yieldedsignificant and unusual animal remains. The largest caves aredissolved from limestone, usually Mississippian Leadville Lime-stone, which is thick, pure, and areally extensive. Of these, twohave been developed for visitation and are open to the public.

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park—POGI #C1, near Glen-wood Springs. Cited by USA Today as being one of the top tencaves in the U.S., this commercial cavern offers guided tours,ranging from mild to wild, a gift shop, hilltop restaurant, andother attractions, and is reached via a spectacular, 3,400-foot-long gondola tramway from town. The “Education Center” partof the web page offers lessons on cave geology. Information:(800) 530-1635 or <glenwoodcaverns.com>

Cave of the Winds—POGI #C2, near Manitou Springs. Caveof the Winds has been hosting tours since the 1880s, and remainsa popular tourist destination. The cave is notable for its stalac-tites and stalagmites and its internally blowing breeze. The vis-itor center at the cavern’s mouthprovides a spectacular view ofdipping rock formations inWilliams Canyon and the sky-line of Colorado Springs below.Information: (719) 685-5444 or<caveofthewinds.com> ●

A great way to learn the geology of a placeor region is to attend a seminar talk orenroll in a field seminar sponsored by auniversity, non-profit group, or professionalorganization. Because offerings may changefrom year to year, you should contact thesponsor directly or view their web pages.

Rocky Mountain Nature Association—RMNA sponsors over 50 field-based sem-inars each year, several of which aregeology-related and led by professionalgeologists. Most are based in Rocky Moun-tain National Park, although an increas-ing number are being held in otherNational and State Parks. Information:(970) 586-3262, (800) 748-7002, or<rmna.org>

National Park Service Outreach Edu-cation Programs—Colorado’s NationalParks and Monuments sponsor education

programs for preschoolers, K–12 and col-lege students, and lifelong learners in coop-eration with nearby communities andschool districts. The programs have out-door and indoor components, plus pre-and post-visit classroom activities. Infor-mation: look under “Education Programs”and “For Kids” on each Park’s web page

College and University Seminars—Many of the geoscience departments atColorado’s colleges and universities havegeology displays that may be viewed bythe public. Some may have lectures, walk-ing geology tours, museums, or field sem-inars. Our web page version contains anexpanded write-up of these offerings.

Professional Organization Activities—Colorado is home to different professionalgeology organizations that represent a vari-ety of disciplines, whose purposes range

from broadly scientific to applied practice.Many organizations hold monthly meet-ings (except in summer—geology field sea-son) that feature invited speakers andhour-long talks. In addition, several organ-izations sponsor annual or seasonal fieldtrips. The Four Corners Geological Soci-ety (Durango) <canyonwinds.com/FCGS>,Grand Junction Geological Society<www.mesastate.edu/schools/snsm/geology/clubs.htm>, Colorado Scientific Soci-ety (Denver) <coloscisoc.org>, and RockyMountain Association of Geologists(Denver) <rmag.org> are regional organi-zations that sponsor events that may beof interest to the public. Calendars ofevents for certain Denver-based profes-sional organizations are kept by ColoradoScientific Society on their web site,<coloscisoc.org/news>.

CAVE TOURS

GEOLOGY SEMINARS

A family enjoys the subterranean features of Glenwood Caverns. Photo byNorm Thompson.

Delicate, gravity-defying helectite for-mations in the Silent Splendor sectionof Cave of the Winds. Photo courtesyof Cave of the Winds.

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Of course, there are times when there’sno one around to give you a personalgeology tour, or no convenient interpre-tive sign along the side of the road. For-tunately, many parts of Colorado arecovered by geologic guidebooks. Theserange from specialty field trips that areoften technical in nature (typically issuedby professional organizations, or by gov-ernment agencies such as CGS or USGS)to more broadly focused travel guidesfor laypersons, such as the Roadside Geol-ogy of Colorado book.

The following are some of ourfavorites; those marked with an asterisk(*) are available through the CGS publi-cations department: <dnr.state.co.us/geostore>

Statewide or Multiple LocationsRoadside Geology of Colorado*, by H.

Chronic and F. Williams. Covers manyof the state’s highways and is designedfor those with little or no geologictraining

Hiking Colorado’s Geology*, by R. and L.Hopkins

Geologic Excursions to the Rocky Moun-tains and Beyond*, by Geological Soci-ety of America. CD-ROM containingfield trip guidebooks from the 1996GSA annual meeting. CDs of individ-ual field trips are also availablethrough CGS

GSA Field Guide 1—Colorado and AdjacentAreas, by Geological Society of Amer-ica. Soft-cover book containing fieldtrip guidebooks from the 1999 GSAannual meeting

GSA Field Guide 5—Field Trips in the South-ern Rocky Mountains, USA, by Geolog-ical Society of America. Soft-coverbook containing field trip guidebooksfrom the 2004 GSA annual meeting

Colorado Caves*, by R. Rhinehart andD. Harris

Colorado Gem Trails and Mineral Guide*,by R. Pearl

Gem Trails of Colorado*, by J. MitchellColorado Rockhounding*, by S. VoynikRockhounding Colorado*, by W. and

C. CappeleGems and Minerals of Colorado*, by L. and

D. McKinney

Gold Panning and Placering in Colorado:How and Where*, by B. Parker, Jr.

Messages in Stone*, by V. Matthews andothers. Plan your next geo-trip—youwon’t even need to leave your hometo learn about Colorado’s colorful geol-ogy using this richly illustrated book

Regional or Area SpecificDinosaur’s Restless Rivers and Craggy Canyon

Walls—River Guide, by W. HansenScenic Trips into Colorado Geology—Uncom-

pahgre Plateau*, by D. CollinsThe Western San Juan Mountains—Their

Geology, Ecology, and Human History,by R. Blair and others

Mines, Mountain Roads, and Rocks—Guide-book No. 1*, by G. Moore. Covers theOuray area

Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Depth,by W. Hansen

Aspen High Country—the Geology, byD. Laing and N. Lampiris

Geologic Wonders of South Park, Coloradowith Road Logs*, by D. McGookey

Geologic Guidebook to the Gold Belt Byway*,by T. Henry and others. Covers thePikes Peak–Cripple Creek region

Geology Along Trail Ridge Road—byO. Raup. In Rocky Mountain NationalPark

The Geology of Boulder County with 25 FieldTrips*, by R. Bridge

Dinosaurs in Our Backyard*, by Friends ofDinosaur Ridge. Interactive CD-ROMand audio tour of Dinosaur Ridge–Fos-sil Trace–Red Rocks Park near Denver

A Field Guide to Dinosaur Ridge*, byM. Lockley

Ancient Denvers*, by K. Johnson and R.Raynolds. Contains paintings of whatthe Denver area looked like at differ-ent times during geologic history, andlists the best nearby spots for viewingformations from those ages

Geology Tour of Denver’s Buildings andMonuments*, by J. Murphy

Geology Tour of Denver’s Capitol Hill StoneBuildings*, by J. Murphy

FEATURE BOX 4: Some Great Guidebooks

Great landscapes and geology along the Uncompahgre Plateau scenic loop. A self-guiding mapand tour guide is available from CGS. Photo by Vince Matthews, CGS.

PRESORTED STANDARD

US POSTAGE

PAID DENVER COPERMIT 738Colorado Geological Survey

1313 Sherman Street, Room 715Denver, CO 80203

M#341100040

ROCK TALKis published by theColorado Geological Survey1313 Sherman Street, Room 715, Denver, CO 80203

State of ColoradoBill Owens, Governor

Department of Natural ResourcesRussell George, Executive Director

Colorado Geological SurveyVince Matthews, State Geologist andDivision Director

Back issues and subscriptionscan be obtained FREE by contacting theCGS by mail, fax, phone, or e-mail ordownload them from our Web site.

Phone: (303) 866-4762Fax: (303) 866-2461E-mail: cgspubs@state.co.usWeb site: http://geosurvey.state.co.us

THIS ISSUEAuthors: J. Carlson, D. NoeEditor: V. MatthewsProduction: R. Ciminelli

There are numerous, undeveloped POGIsin Colorado where interpretive materialsand guided activities are not readily avail-able that may well be worth visiting. Agood place to start is the Colorado Nat-ural Areas Program (CNAP), which has

catalogued thirteen areas having outstand-ing geologic resources and six areas hav-ing outstanding paleontological resources.While few of these areas have interpretivematerials (see Rabbit Valley and Fruita pale-ontological areas, Slumgullion Earthflow,

and Roxborough State Park in this issue),you can also visit sites that are relativelyundeveloped. Please contact CNAP toinquire about access to Colorado NaturalAreas. Information: (303) 866-3437 or<parks.state.co.us/cnap/features.html>

Did We Miss Anything?If we’ve left out any of your favorite, guided geology-related activities in Colorado, please let us know!

Building a Better POGI Network—How You Can HelpAt CGS, we fully support the notion that Colorado should have vibrantoutdoor education resources to enhance your visitation of Points of Geo-logical Interest. Many areas in Colorado have outstanding geology, but maynot have fully developed interpretational resources, or any at all. While nosingle agency can make this happen, we can all contribute. Here are somethings you can do to help!

■ Visit the areas listed in this guide

■ Attend the available programs

■ View the available exhibits

■ Ask for geology information

■ Request geology activities

■ Offer suggestions for improvement

■ Volunteer your services

We hope that you will actively support those programs that already pro-vide excellent geology-related activities and resources, and that you willencourage the growth of such activities and resources where they do notcurrently exist!

UNDEVELOPED POGIS