Sandstone Ranch Geology Tours: Morning Session

Walk through geologic time and see the oldest sequence of rocks in Douglas County on a guided tour of Sandstone Ranch. The ranch reveals the geologic history of Colorado's Front Range in rocks ranging from more than a billion years old to recent sediments, with red sandstone monoliths separated by broad green pastures. From the Ranch Overlook you can see Precambrian granite forming the mountains to the west, Mesozoic sediments at Perry Park and Tertiary-aged volcanics on Dawson Butte, and Gove Canyon is one of only two Front Range locations where Lower Paleozoic rocks are preserved and accessible — you can see and touch the Great Unconformity. This trip visits the ranch's west side, which is closed to the public and reachable only on a guided tour. This is the morning tour, 9am to noon. An identical session runs from 1 to 4pm the same day; pick one when you register. Plan to hike up to 2 miles on natural surface terrain with a moderate incline, and use the North entrance next to Perry Park. Free, with a $10 per person donation suggested.