If you've been following along for a while you'll know that I'm a big fan of scavenger hunts, especially when it involves public art. So when I learned about the painted prairie dog sculptures dotted around nearby Superior last year, I knew it was definitely something I needed to check out with the kids.
Like the hearts in San Francisco, and the bears in Boulder's Chautauqua Park, these prairie dog sculptures feature colorful designs by local artists and add a touch of whimsy to the area.
The prairie dogs are all located within the town of Superior and can easily be found in just a few hours, but we spread our search out over quite a few months, finding one or two prairie dogs here and there while out. We've finally found them all, so today I'm sharing them here with you. If you're following along on Instagram you're likely seen a few of them over there already. If you're not following along on Instagram, click here to follow. I'm a little better at staying up to date over there!
So, without further ado, here are all the Superior prairie dogs. I've listed them in the same order they appear on the map, which you can download here.
1. King Pliocene
This prairie dog can be found in a small park behind Superior Town Hall surrounded by historic buildings. He features all sorts of creatures and plants from the Pliocene epoch. This was the time when the Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau were created.
2. Superior Miner
This cute little guy pays homage to the area's mining roots. He was originally holding a pick axe, but it had been stolen/removed by the time we saw him. I keep meaning to check if it has been replaced. This little mining guy faces a large open space with hiking trails, a creek and views over the Front Range. We'll have to take a hike there one day.
3. Lester Tries His Luck
Lester was the first prairie dog we found. He stands by the playground in Founders Park. I wonder if he has managed to catch any butterflies yet? Spring is surely the season for it! The playground here is a fun spot that the kids love to stop at when we head to the nearby Target.
4. Morning in the Mountains
This little guy stands at the entrance of the North Pool and features a sunrise over the mountains. For us, the sun rises over the plains rather than the mountains, but I guess if you're up in the mountains it probably looks something like this - but, you know, on the sky instead of on a prairie dog! It looks like local pools will be open this Summer so we might be seeing more of this guy.
5. Alvin & Theodora!
Alvin & Theodora can be found standing outside the entrance of Superior's South Pool. Judging by their outfits, this must be the fancy pool. Ooh la la! Ok, I'm sure both pools are probably very similar, but these two definitely dressed up a little more for their dip.
6. Inspired Starry Night
This Van Gogh inspired prairie dog was the trickiest one for us to find. Hint... the map isn't exactly accurate. The dots don't necessarily appear on the map quite where they should but most are fairly close. This little guy's dot was a little further off than we expected, however the description of his location is spot on. He stands along a trail by a pond and was surrounded by snow when we visited.
7. Peace Dog
Ok, I think you can probably guess how this guy got his name! Most of the prairie dog sculptures can be found in public parks or outside of public amenities, but this peaceful dude stands on the corner of a residential street.
This pretty prairie dog features wildflowers native to Colorado. Aren't they beautiful flowers? He is perfectly placed at the entrance to Wildflower Park. I'll be sharing more about this fun park soon as it has such an amazing playground - which we only know about thanks to our hunt for the prairie dog sculptures. I love it when one fun thing leads to another one!
Ok, so I don't actually know what the name of this one refers to, but it's one of my favorites thanks to its colorful patterns. Isn't it fun with all those colors and geometric patterns. This one is Lola's favorite too. We found this colorful guy standing in the middle of a park surrounded by houses. Superior has a lot of open space park areas between streets.
10. Shopping Day
This prairie dog is all dress up for a day of shopping. She's even wearing make up! That make up actually creeped he girls out a little. I guess we don't usually see prairie dogs in lipstick! We found this lovely lady by a sports complex and medical center. Not really the spot for shopping, but it's a relatively new development, so maybe shops are going in at some point. Check out that mountain view to the left of Lola!
Aren't these prairie dog sculptures fun? If you're in the Boulder area you should really go check them out. They're all within a fairly small area and there are plenty of fun parks to check out while your hunting for prairie dogs. You just might even spot some real prairie dogs too! They're out and about again now that the weather is warming up.
To learn more about the Superior Prairie Dogs and to download the map, visit https://artinsuperior.com/very-prairie-dog-pop-up/
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