Photo Essay: Roxborough State Park

I have to start off this essay by saying that it is absolutely impossible to truly capture the feeling of walking through Roxborough State Park in photos. While most of my photo essays have a heavy emphasis on wildlife and birds in particular, Roxborough State Park is very much a geologist's paradise.

The park is known for its stunning geological formations, primarily composed of Fountain Formation sandstone and Dakota Formation rock layers. These formations create the park's dramatic red rock scenery and rugged landscape. Wind and water erosion over millions of years shaped the park’s spires, cliffs, and valleys. The striking red color comes from iron oxide in the sandstone.

Fountain formation is a layer of solid rock that was formed during the Pennsylvanian Period, which was about 323 to 299 million years ago. This is the most prominent feature of Roxborough State Park. The formations are composed of coarse, red sandstone and conglomerate. These rocks were deposited by ancient rivers from the ancestral Rocky Mountains. Over time, tectonic uplift and erosion exposed and tilted these layers into their current steep, nearly vertical angles.

Dakota formation was formed during the cretaceous period, approximately 100 million years ago. This formation contains sandstone, shale, and coal layers that were deposited in a coastal and shallow marine environment. This formation represents a time when a vast inland sea covered much of North America, and most commonly caused ridges and hogbacks along the Front Range in Colorado.

Wildlife

Now, when I said that the primary focus here is not the wildlife, that does not mean you won't see quite a few interesting birds you may not see elsewhere in the metro area, as well as the occasional coyotes and mule deer, as well as the even more occasional bobcats, bears and mountain lions.

I have found Roxborough to be a somewhat reliable spot for bluebirds, both mountain and western species, as well as blue corvid varieties: the Woodhouse's scrub jay, Steller's jay, and blue jay. I am not sure why blue birds are so drawn to Roxborough. Perhaps they like the contrast against the red sandstone.

Some non-blue year-round birds include the black-capped chickadee and spotted towhees. Winter visitors tend to be similar to those you will commonly see around the Denver area, such as dark-eyed juncos and red-tailed hawks, and spring can bring around a wide variety, including western tanagers, lazuli buntings, Bullock's orioles and broad-tailed hummingbirds.

Additionally, Roxborough’s unique rock formations sometimes attract golden eagles and even prairie falcons, which nest in the cliffs. If you’re lucky, you might also see a great horned owl roosting in the trees at sunrise or sunset.

Visiting

There are several very easily accessible trails in Roxborough State Park, mostly branching off from outside of the visitor center. Trails range from easy to strenuous, so be sure to consult the map if you are concerned about your proficiency level. Trails can often close due to conditions caused by weather, so be sure to follow the rules of park signage and do not attempt to traverse trails that are closed.

The Fountain Valley Loop is a relatively easy trail and will give you some of the best views of the park with only minor inclines to handle whether you walk clockwise or counterclockwise around the circular path.

Just as a brief warning, almost every time I have gone to Roxborough, there has been a line to enter the park, and if parking lots fill up, they may limit entrance. Also, unlike several other Colorado parks, they do not allow pets within the limits of the park, so no walking your dog here.