Somewhere in those layers of shale and sandstone were some pretty amazing bog plants at one time. I never really understand these geologic cuts, I guess because I can't conceive of layers of rock that were once flat on the ground being tilted on their side. Yeah, I know, uplift and mountain building and all that, but I think interpretive signs were meant for people like me who can't visualize it otherwise. And how about these fossilized ripples in the sand that were once the beach for an ancient sea that stretched from Colorado to Missouri?
This site is on the hogback ridge west of Denver, which would have been the edge of the seaway. You can walk right up to some dinosaur tracks along here too. I love the tenacity of plants that insist on growing in cracks in the rock face. These are asters and sages. They remind me of the volunteers that spring up in the cracks in my driveway, though that's usually a malva plant that doesn't want to stay in its crowded bed.
This photo is a shot of the surrounding scenery today, lots of red sandstone which also is what the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre is carved out of, which is just around the bend. It's a favorite venue for every band that ever played there, but back in the day the Brontosaurus made the area rock.