What a great shot Alex. The Pawnee Buttes are a Colorado icon and probably have been seen by most Coloradans in picture books if not in person. The buttes are the plains icons of the state, just as Longs Peak is the iconic figure of the Front Range and the Maroon Bells are of the heart of the Colorado Rockies.
The buttes are not made of rock, but of a fine clay- and chalk-like substance that crumbles easily under any direct pressure, which is to say they are made out of dirt. They stand sentinel in the heart of the eastern portion of the Pawnee National Grassland in Weld County, Colorado. The nearest cities are Greeley and Fort Collins to the west, Fort Morgan to the south, Sterling to the east, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, to the north. The grasslands are a patchwork of federally owned and managed grassland, private ranches, and land owned by the state. Barb
Thanks for all the additional info Barb! It’s a wonder they’re still standing at all as they do feel like completely soft dirt. All the washes and ravines around them are evidence of the soft land and are always changing with every storm.
Comments
Wow, you’ve got a lovely long shot here!! From the plants to the rainbow, it’s just magnificent in color and light.
Colorado……..but of course. Great capture…..love the rainbow. Di
Thank you both for your kind words. This is a fantastic place to go for solitude and to really get a feel for the open plains.
Wonderful shot,…
What a great shot Alex. The Pawnee Buttes are a Colorado icon and probably have been seen by most Coloradans in picture books if not in person. The buttes are the plains icons of the state, just as Longs Peak is the iconic figure of the Front Range and the Maroon Bells are of the heart of the Colorado Rockies.
The buttes are not made of rock, but of a fine clay- and chalk-like substance that crumbles easily under any direct pressure, which is to say they are made out of dirt. They stand sentinel in the heart of the eastern portion of the Pawnee National Grassland in Weld County, Colorado. The nearest cities are Greeley and Fort Collins to the west, Fort Morgan to the south, Sterling to the east, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, to the north. The grasslands are a patchwork of federally owned and managed grassland, private ranches, and land owned by the state.
Barb
Thanks for all the additional info Barb! It’s a wonder they’re still standing at all as they do feel like completely soft dirt. All the washes and ravines around them are evidence of the soft land and are always changing with every storm.
– Alex Burke
Oops! Didn’t mention … Instant Fav!
Barb
Barb, Kay, Teresa and Scott
Thank you very much for featuring my photo!
– Alex Burke
Very, very pretty!
Thank you!
– Alex Burke
Great photo Alex, an instant fav. Congratulations on your feature.
Thank you, I’m glad to be featured!
– Alex Burke
Great feature shot,…