scenic drives Archives : Tranquil Trekker

Dinosaur National Monument: the Colorado Side

In this post, I discuss the Colorado side of Dinosaur National Monument.

In this post, I reviewed the Trekkers’ visit to the Utah side of Dinosaur National Monument. In this post, I’ll be discussing the Colorado side (as the park spans both states).

Scenic Drives on the Colorado Side of Dinosaur National Monument

One of the main things we enjoyed on the Colorado side of the monument was the scenic drives. There are several found throughout this portion of the park, though all but Harper’s Corner Road are suggested for high-clearance vehicles only.

As I mentioned in Part 1, under good conditions most of these roads are great to drive (honestly several of them were less bumpy than some of the paved, county roads we drove on). I would have felt comfortable taking any vehicle with a higher wheelbase on these (such as an Outback), and we saw several SUVs.

I cannot stress enough though, that we were there in the most ideal weather possible. According to the park, several of the roads are completely impassable when wet. This seemed likely as we crossed many dry stream beds that could easily fill with stormwater runoff. It also makes sense that the powdery dirt that covers the surface of many of these routes could quickly turn into slippery ooze when wet. Many of the roads also only have one way in or out, so, if you reach the end, and then a rainstorm comes…you may not be able to get back out again. Several also lead through low-lying canyons which are likely to flood quickly in a heavy rain event. So please, be wary before attempting these roads if any bad weather conditions are present or expected.

Click here for the NPS website for the park which will have up-to-date info on current road conditions.

Harper’s Corner Road

This is the main road through the Colorado section of Dinosaur National Monument. You access it near Dinosaur, Colorado. This is also one of the only paved roads in the park. At the end of it is the Harper’s Corner Trail which offers INCREDIBLE views.

Hiking on Harper’s Corner Trail

This trail is beautiful! At times you are hiking on an almost knife-edge of rock, with the Green River winding along beside you on one side, and the Yampa River on the other. Did I mention you are up to 2500 feet ABOVE these waterways throughout the hike? 😮 It got my acrophobic-heart pumping a bit! (It really wasn’t too bad. I only felt nervous in one spot where you get a healthy view of a chute, down a cliffside. 😋)

I would rate this trail as “easy”. It’s about three miles in total length (out and back) and it doesn’t have much elevation gain. Just about anyone wearing tennis shoes should be able to handle it (though I should note the park is at an altitude of over 5000 feet, so “flatlanders” may want to take it slow. 😉) At the end of the trek you are treated to an AMAZING view down the canyon, and of Steamboat Rock from above, behind which the Yampa and Green Rivers meet.

A narrow river valley in a desert landscape as seen from above. Short trees are in the foreground while a thin, green river can be seen far below. — One of the incredible lookout points from the Harper’s Corner Trail. That’s the Green River far below, you can maybe see how it got its name.

Looking out over a desert, badlands landscape from above. Short trees are in the foreground with a large, rock formation in the background. — Steamboat Rock, from above…

Echo Park Road

This route takes you from Harper’s Corner Road, east, to Echo Park and its campground. This area is called a “park”, like several other locations in Colorado. It is really just a flat, meadow-like area. It was cool! (Hint, it’s called “Echo Park” for a reason, I encourage you to experiment with this 😁.)

This route traverses the lower “benches” of land that can be seen from above when traversing the Harper’s Corner trail. They are called this as they are wide sections of terrain. They literally look like benches, or steps, that rim the lower, river canyons.

The road winds through an incredible canyon where sheer rock towers over you on both sides. From here you can see Steamboat Rock from the bottom, where it’s much more impressive.

There is a short hike along the river’s edge that is around two miles long (out-and-back). It takes you to the confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers. There is also a place on this road called Whispering Cave. It appeared fairly unassuming, at first, as it’s just a vertical slit in the rock wall of the canyon, that you can stand in. This was until we figured out its secret (and how it got its name). If people stand at either end of this long slit and whisper REALLY quietly…you can hear each other VERY well (thanks to the unique acoustics of the rock structure). And it’s far more effective than if you try the same thing outside (we checked! 😉)

Click here for a short video of the drive!

Yampa Bench Road

This route takes you from Echo Park Road, east, all the way to US 40 in Elk Springs (though there are a few places you can bug out before you get that far, dependent on road conditions). This was the most difficult route we encountered. The drive was beautiful though, with yellow grassland and scrub brush spread before you, all the way to the rock walls that rise above you on two sides.

Even this road wasn’t bad at this time of year, though I could see it being difficult if it was wet. It was the steepest drive we took and it had the sharpest turns. This was also the longest route we attempted, by far. It was fun, but we covered less than half of it (around 20 miles) and that took almost two hours. This did appear to be the most difficult part of the trek. According to the map, the rest of it looked flatter and easier (and some parts may have been roughly paved). We did finally escape, through a blessed hole in the rock wall called Thanksgiving Gorge (I think I know why they give it that name!) just as daylight was waning. We were rewarded with a herd of elk…and LOTS of cows! 😋

Beautiful Canyons in the Colorado section of Dinosaur National Monument

Flaming Gorge Reservoir

On Sunday we took US 191 north of Vernal, Utah, to the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. It was named for its vibrant, red cliffs that were cut by the Green River. The gorge spans both northeastern Utah, and southeastern Wyoming, just to the north. It is absolutely beautiful, and the dam that created the reservoir is pretty stunning, as well.

Gates of Lodore

From the dam, we then continued north on Route 191, just across the Wyoming line, and picked up Brown’s Park Road. This we took east, back into Colorado. From here we followed signs to the Gates of Lodore, another INCREDIBLE canyon that was cut by the Green River. It sits on the northern tip of the monument. This route was a mixture of well-graded dirt and rough pavement, though any passenger car should be able to handle it, at least in good weather.

I was pronouncing this location like “Gates of Mordor”, from Lord of the Rings, but was quickly corrected by a local. Apparently, it’s supposed to sound more like “Gates of la-DOOR”. 😂

There’s an easy, and fairly short, hiking trail that leads to the mouth of the canyon, from the parking area. Due to its sheer, rock walls, there is no access through this rocky cleft, except by watercraft on the river itself.

A river winds through a desert canyon. Tree-covered, steep, rocky walls line both sides of the canyon. — Gates of Ladore!

Crouse Canyon/Brown’s Park Scenic Backway

We returned back to Vernal by way of the Crouse Canyon/Brown’s Park Scenic Backway. This is another route that cuts through a beautiful canyon, and then a meadowy area.

This road was one of the rougher routes we traveled on and was basically only one lane wide. This was unexpected as it was listed as a scenic drive in one of the local tour brochures, and wasn’t suggested to be high-clearance. Our truck handled it easily but had we known how rough it would be we would have aired the tires down, just for a smoother ride. In good conditions, any SUV with a higher wheelbase should be able to handle it (we passed a CRV or two) but I wouldn’t suggest attempting it in a typical passenger car (just because there were some rocks and ruts that had to be navigated). An Outback probably could have managed it, but we would have been extra cautious.

The drive was BEAUTIFUL though, with the yellow and orange leaf colors set against the red rock of the canyon walls, which contrasted with the blue of the sky above. Click here for a short video of it!

We returned home via US 40 east, through Craig, Steamboat Springs, and Rabbit Ears Pass. This is the one portion of northern Colorado we hadn’t been to yet.

Related posts: Conquer Lengthy Trails in Small Portions; The Best Hidden Gems of Northern Colorado

From there we took Route 14 north to Walden, then headed north to Laramie, Wyoming, and back to the Black Hills. FYI, this is a great way to avoid the traffic in the Denver area, and much of I-25, if you’re heading north from northern Colorado! It offers some great views too!

You won’t find a better time to visit this park than Fall. Tree colors are bright, crowds are light and temperatures are cool. So the next time you’re looking for a good autumn vacation spot, think of the out-of-the-way Dinosaur National Monument!

Have you visited this incredible place? Tell me about your favorite parts of it in the comments!

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Going to the Sun Road at Glacier National Park

In this post, I review Going to the Sun Road at Glacier National Park.

Author’s Note: Since we visited Glacier in 2016, the Park Service has implemented a complex, ticket system for visiting the park in the summer. To be honest, I can’t make much sense of it as it involves multiple tickets being required to enjoy various activities around the park. For more information on this system, visit the park website and/or contact the park office.

While on our visit to Glacier National Park, we drove the famed Going to the Sun Road. We also learned some tips to keep in mind when traversing rural Montana.

Montana

If you’ve never been there, Montana is a HUGE state. It takes 8+ hours to cross it when traveling 80 mph (the posted speed limit) and that’s on the Interstate! It’s absolutely beautiful though! I never realized how many mountains crisscross their way through the rolling prairies of that state.
Montana DOT could do with some better signage. Several times we had to turn around and retrace our steps to find the correct turn–either due to a complete lack of, or unclear, signage. Frequently there would be large signs pointing the way when coming from one direction; and little to no signage when coming from the other.

It was also, often difficult to decipher which “turn ahead” was the right one–one time it would be the turn DIRECTLY after the sign, while others it would be three turns later after passing numerous side streets. 😛

Information on local services was also lacking. We limped the car into Missoula the first night, as we failed to realize how far the distance would be on the interstate between reliable gas opportunities–fortunately, gravity was on our side as a steep grade downhill ushers you into town and the CRV gets good gas mileage!

At least South Dakota provides some warning in these situations with billboards containing messages such as “gas now or gas can later”.

Montana also has a habit of closing rest stops with little or no warning which is especially problematic when each rest stop can be more than 50 miles apart!

Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park is absolutely BEAU-tiful, as is the surrounding area! It wasn’t nearly as crowded with visitors as Yellowstone–though as we learned later, being there at the end of June put us at just the beginning of the very short, summer season. Several hiking trails in the higher elevations were still closed due to snow hazards (and this is normal!)

Part of the reason it isn’t nearly as crowded as other national parks is that it is, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere. West Glacier (the western terminus) is almost 140 miles from I-90. It took us over three hours to drive that distance on winding, mountain roads, sometimes traveling 15 mph lower than the posted speed limit while following large RVs. Likewise, the other side of the park, St. Mary (the eastern terminus) is almost 90 miles from I-15.

We didn’t camp on this trip. However, if you’re looking for some great info on camping at Glacier National Park, click here!

The scenery found on all of these drives is incredible though. I actually recommend arriving at the park from the east side (driving up through the prairie) as you’ll have a commanding view of the Rockies for a much larger portion of the drive. If you come into the park from the west, the overall drive is prettier–complete with mountain lakes and twisting curves–but the mountain views are largely obscured by trees and other, smaller hills.

Large tree-covered mountainsides with bits of snow on their rocky tops, all under a clear blue sky. A river runs through the valley below. — Isn’t this gorgeous?!

Limited Services in Northwest Montana

We were also surprised at the limited access to everyday services of this high-tourist area. Both West Glacier and St. Mary’s appeared to be reasonably sized towns based on the map (and their proximity to the park)–and they are decently-sized as towns in Northwest Montana are concerned–but they lack many basic services.

I personally required some OTC medication thanks to the side effects of antibiotics, and we had to travel an hour out of our way to finally locate a pharmacy to acquire it (a feat that would have been accomplished in about five minutes in most other rural parts of the country). So something that should have been nothing more than a temporary annoyance ended up causing a real hindrance to the enjoyment of the trip.

Having never been to the area before, my early online research made St. Mary appear to be far more commercialized than West Glacier; the map indicated this as well…it wasn’t. St. Mary consisted mainly of one gas station/small supermarket/restaurant/gift shop and a smattering of campgrounds and roadside cafes.

We returned to this area several years later. Below are the posts relating to that trip!:

Ghost Towns in Southwestern Montana
6 Don’t Miss Places for your Western Montana Road Trip

West Glacier at least had two separate gas stations and several restaurants/shops within walking–or a short driving–distance. I don’t say these things to complain, you are in the wilderness after all, but more as a caution for preparedness.

Going to the Sun Road

Glacier National Park consists largely of the east and west termini, and a road connecting the two, through the mountain passes (Going to the Sun Road) that’s only open about four months of the year. The rest of the year it’s buried under up to 30 feet of snow (near Logan Pass) and is frequently plagued by avalanches.

While the two towns are only 50 miles apart it can easily take three hours or more to cross the divide (due to other drivers, the slow speed limit forced by sharp turns and steep inclines, and frequent stops at the many lookouts along the way.)

It’s an absolutely awe-inspiring view though, and I highly recommend taking your time to fully enjoy your surroundings…and possibly stop for a picnic lunch!

Stop at the turnouts and enjoy the roar of the water filtering up through the canyon, as well as the smell of the sweet, clear mountain breezes. Notice the contrasts in color of the deep grey or brown/red rock and the blindingly white snowfields of the higher elevations, that all stand out against the vibrant green foliage of the lower altitudes. To top it off the dome of the sapphire blue sky crowns it all (this area is called the Crown of the Continent!)

A green meadow with a snow field in the foreground. Large, rocky mountains in the background. — The view from Logan Pass

While not as crowded as other parks we’ve been to, there were still plenty of visitors milling about. Be sure to be watchful for people (and wildlife) that may appear before you around a sharp turn with little or no warning. There are also many road bikers who must be carefully passed in addition to negotiating the sharp curves.

For someone who is afraid of heights, the trip can be quite anxiety-provoking, especially if traveling west to east (on the outside lane) and if you’re the passenger. Frequently along the route, the only thing separating you from precipitous drops of 1000 feet or more is a low stone wall! (This also reminded us of Route 550 in Colorado, the Million Dollar Highway!)

I also recommend traveling the road several times, at different times of day, as the light changes the views greatly. The second time we drove the road was in the evening with the sun at a lower angle, and not only were the colors more vibrant, but subtler details (such as smaller waterfalls) stood out in greater contrast. I mentioned earlier that we unintentionally arrived early in the busy season. While this assisted us in beating the crowds, it also had the unintended effect of potentially providing more beautiful views. We were told by locals that it had been unusually rainy as of late and this, along with late-season snow/glacier melt, contributed to some incredible waterfalls cascading down the steep mountain walls into the canyon. As the season wanes these falls tend to dry up and become merely trickles.

Related posts: 5 Things you Don’t Want to Miss at Glacier National Park; Swiftcurrent Trail at Glacier National Park and 5 Other “Don’t Miss” Sites!; Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park; Glacier National Park: Hiking the Apgar Lookout Trail

Are the glaciers melting in Glacier National Park?

Many scientists believe the park will be completely glacier-free within the next 50 years due to warming temperatures. I hope they are wrong about this as it will have profound effects on the various ecosystems that comprise the park.

You’ll notice as you traverse the road that these systems vary from arid, high plains on the eastern side…to alpine tundra at Logan Pass…to the temperate rainforest at the lower elevations on the western side of the park. Many of the lakes are fed by glacial springs and/or snowmelt from the long winters. If these glaciers dry up and/or less snow accumulates in the winter months to feed the lakes, it’s possible they may dry up (or their water levels will significantly lessen) as well. This will hinder the survivability of the vast array of flora and fauna that make up these ecosystems.

There is already evidence that the warmer temperatures are causing an increase in foliage and subsequent treeline which impedes on the tundra. Many alpine plants grow only in tundra regions and could become endangered/extinct if these consequences are borne out to their fullest extent. This could have far-reaching effects that can’t even be fully calculated at this time.

Below is a picture from the Going to the Sun Road. This was taken near Logan Pass, the highest point on the road, at around 9,000 feet. Notice the narrow brick wall at the bottom separating the car from the dropoff!

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This is one of the most beautiful drives I have ever enjoyed. Everyone should have Glacier National Park on their Bucket List!

Have you ridden on the Going to the Sun Road? How was your experience? Tell me about it in the comments!

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11 “Don’t Miss” Sites in Colorado

Our adventures in Colorado on our 2017 road trip.

We spent the second week of our 2017 Road Trip enjoying 11 Don’t Miss Sites in Colorado. That state is, by far, one of my favorite locations in the entire country to visit (and we’ve seen the 48 Continental US States!) Its beauty is indescribable and pictures don’t truly do it justice.

The following is a rundown of the highlights of our tour around the state. Thanks again to Mr. Trekker for some of the pictures!

Trinidad, Colorado

Trinidad is an old-school, Western town in far Southwestern Colorado, only about 15 miles from the New Mexico border. It’s a cute little community that’s been well-maintained and has seen some modern updates in recent years.

I’m still adjusting to the whole “pot legalization thing” in Colorado. 😂 It’s not my fault, I was a DARE child of the ’90s, I grew up being taught that it was bad (of course this was by the same people who also taught us that Pluto was a planet–and people wonder why I have a skeptical nature!) Then there’s the issue where it’s legal in the state but not in National Parks within that state because that’s Federal land and it’s still illegal Federally. Like every good Libertarian, I’m willing to tolerate it but *sigh*, does this make anyone else’s brain hurt?

The next day, we headed West from Trinidad on Route 160, bound for Mesa Verde National Park! 12 years ago we visited the park and parts of Western Colorado on our very first road trip, so it was cool going back. Some of it we remembered, but it had been so long that there was plenty that we were seeing again “for the first time”.

Related Posts: 10 “Don’t Miss” Places for your Great Plains Road Trip; Lessons Learned on a Road Trip; 5 “Don’t Miss” Places for Your New Mexico Road Trip

Having just recently survived a bout with an aggressive flu, I was still not my best self at this point, though, as we were entering some beautiful country we wanted to do a little sightseeing. The first pass we arrived at (and the first overlook) we stopped to take some pictures. I stepped out of the car, took one step on the unsteady gravel in my flip-flops, and skidded to my knees. The fall left a lovely road rash in its wake (because this trip just hadn’t been adventurous enough!)

At first, I figured it was nothing, till I looked down and saw red rivulets running down my leg *sigh*. So, back to the car, we went, with Mr. Trekker coming at me with the first aid kit. Unfortunately, it only had alcohol swabs in it and we were FAR from any modern bathroom with water and soap. Needless to say, Mr. Trekker was NOT my favorite person that day! But, kudos to him, he bandaged me up well (albeit painfully) and I now only have a minor scar to show for my misfortune. 😝

Mesa Verde National Park:

This unique park showcases cliff dwellings from the civilizations who lived there thousands of years ago. Some you can view from overlooks, and some you can actually tour (self-guided and ranger-led). They’ve also got a great campground with spectacular star-gazing opportunities.

Our first trip to the park was one of my first camping experiences out West where there’s far less light pollution. I remember being astounded at the light show the night sky put on (and that’s coming from a girl who grew up on an Indiana farm). It was on my first visit to this park that I fell in love with Colorado and “the West”. I didn’t know then that in six years I’d become a “Westerner” myself!

Unlike many of the national parks (such as Rocky), the campgrounds have modern bathrooms—read, flush toilets, and showers. I’d recommend at minimum a 2-day stay to really get the most out of the park.

Rocky ruins of an ancient residence sit in a slot in the cliff wall. Tree-covered rocky slopes are above and below the ruins. — Cliff dwelling

Dry canyon with sage brush and trees covering the canyon walls — Navajo Canyon

Route 550, the Million Dollar Highway:

On our first trip to this area, we stumbled upon this highway accidentally, completely unprepared for what we were about to experience (it was just the most accessible option to get us where we wanted to go). The second time around we knew what we were in for…and were still awed.

Route 550, in western Colorado, runs north to south between Grand Junction and Durango. It is called the Million Dollar Highway because it is so beautiful it offers million-dollar views as it traverses many mountain passes.

If you’ve never traveled this route, I STRONGLY recommend it, though I’d suggest navigating the road from south to north starting in Durango. This ensures your car is on the inside of the sharp turns the majority of the time. If you’re coming from the north you will find yourself frequently perched along cliff edges with nothing between you and the gaping maw of the canyon below than some thin oxygen (there are no guardrails the majority of the drive as the snowplow drivers need space to push the snow off the cliffs in the winter months).

If you can handle the drop-offs, this drive is a must! This area is referred to as the “Switzerland of America” because its incredible mountain vistas rival those found in the immensely beautiful, European country.

I can testify the views here rival those we saw in Glacier National Park on the Going to the Sun Road (though these are more accessible, depending on your location). Also, this road is open all year, weather permitting.

The most popular portion of the drive (between Durango and Ouray) is less than 70 miles in length, but plan for it to take several hours (that was our big mistake the first go-around). It’s a slow drive, in some areas the suggested speed limit on the curves is only 10 – 15 mph (and trust me, they aren’t joking). It can be slower if you find yourself traveling behind larger, slower-moving vehicles.

The most intense (and most beautiful) portion of the route runs the 25 miles between Silverton and Ouray. Stops are frequently caused by construction in the summer months as workers are constantly fighting the ongoing battle with natural erosion. Rockslides are also common (as well as avalanches in the winter).

This drive can be frightening for us acrophobes with its steep drop offs but the immensely beautiful views are worth it! There’s plenty of skiing, 4×4 trails, hiking, camping, rafting, and a slew of other activities available in this corner of Colorado, so be sure to put it on your “must-see” list.

Telluride, Colorado:

Telluride was about what I would expect from a ski town (the Trekkers are uncoordinated and therefore not downhill skiers). It was lovely, though we were a little early for the summer season so the upper roads weren’t clear of snow or open yet. We walked down the road to view a staple of the town, Bridal Veil Falls. The road up to it was open for hiking, but as I still wasn’t at my best we decided to skip that option this trip. Instead, we opted for lunch at Brown Dog Pizza, a local joint where I can honestly say I had the best cheese calzone I have ever eaten, hands down.

The ricotta cheese seemed as though it had been whipped into an airy froth. I’m no food connoisseur, but it was incredible.

Peering through a frame of spring-green trees, a tall waterfall cascades over a cliff with snow and tree-covered mountains in the background. — Bridal Veil Falls

Ouray, Colorado (pronounced U-Ray):

The drive into town from the south is one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. THIS I remembered from 12 years ago. You descend from the harrowing Million Dollar Highway and this small oasis of civilization opens up before you in the valley, beckoning you down from the peaks. (If you’ve seen the show “The Ranch” on Netflix, this town is the one used in the opening credits).

Ridgeway State Park:

Ridgeway State Park has one of my favorite campgrounds we visited on the entire trip (part of the reason we spent three days there!) It’s located just north of Ridgeway on Route 550 (north of Ouray, so out of the peaks). They have a lovely, shaded, tent-camping area that’s back off the road, complete with level, graded tent sites, modern restrooms (and showers!), all surrounded by cedar trees.

This brings me to another point. Apparently, it’s perfectly legal to smoke pot in Colorado State Parks, but don’t you dare hang a hammock from a cedar tree! I’m sure there is a good reason for this due to the risk of damage to the trees, and I’m all about protecting nature, but this just seemed to be a bit of a misalignment of priorities to me! 😝

The park surrounds a picturesque reservoir set against a backdrop of snow-capped Rockies to the east. Its location makes it an ideal base camp for numerous day trips and activities.

Sunset. Dark silhouettes of trees in the foreground with a lake and dark silhouettes of mountains in the background. — Ridgeway State Park

Green trees and a lake in the foreground, tree-covered mountains behind with snow-topped, rocky mountains in the background — It was so strange to look to the east and see the Rockies

True Grit Film Sites

The park also happens to be near the filming location of the original western, True Grit (the one from 1969 with John Wayne, not the new version). If you’re a good enough detective there are numerous filming sites you can locate in this area (though please be aware, many of these areas are located on private land and you are trespassing if you travel on them without the owner’s permission. Please be respectful of private property!) Click here for some help finding the sites!

We were able to view Mattie Ross’ Ranch, Courthouse Mountain, Chimney Peak, and the meadow where the shootout scene was filmed, without difficulty. The last three can be found off of Route 8 (to reach this travel east from Route 550). You’ll reach The Meadow about ½ mile before the summit of Owl Creek Pass. Courthouse Mountain and Chimney Peak are visible from The Meadow and Sleeping Rock is located at the summit of the pass.

Two large rocks sit leaning on each other amongst trees in the forest. — Sleeping Rock (the rock Mattie Ross slept on in the 1969 version of True Grit)

Green meadow surrounded by trees with early, spring-green leaves. A tall, chimney-like mountain and a box-like mountain sit side-by-side in the background. — Courthouse Mountain and Chimney Peak

Mattie Ross’ Ranch is located off of Last Dollar Road which is found off of Highway 62 (the road from Ridgeway to Telluride).

Several ranch buildings (barns, an old house) sit in a field behind fences. A grassy hill rises in the background. — Mattie Ross’ ranch

Green meadow surrounded by trees with early, spring-green leaves. — Deb’s Meadow (where the final shootout scene was filmed)

Grand Mesa National Forest:

Grand Mesa National Forest is another “must-see” location in the mountains east of Grand Junction. It’s primarily used for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter months. It’s got some great campground/fishing/hiking opportunities as well, but we were, unfortunately, too early in the season to really take advantage of these options. The hiking trails weren’t yet open as there were still feet of snow drifted on them in some places. Click here for more info on our return trip to Grand Mesa!

During the peak of summer, this would be a prime place to escape the heat though, the day we were there it was near 90 in the closest town on the valley floor and it was in the ’40s, and raining/snowing large glops on us at the summit.

A snowy field with gray, cloudy skies — Snow on the summit, this was June 6th ya’ll!

Rifle/Rifle Falls, Colorado:

We spent our final hotel stay of the trip in the small town of Rifle, Colorado. This is an adorable, little town with an awesome state park!

Rifle Falls State Park was absolutely beautiful. It was the only place I’ve ever been where you can traverse walkways that stick out over the TOP of the falls! The caves at the bottom were picturesque as well (and provided a cool respite from the summer heat).

Three small, short waterfalls cascade over rocks covered by trees into a pool of water surrounded by green grass — Rifle Falls

A side view of a waterfalls cascading over rocks covered in trees. A smaller falls is in the background — A different view of the falls

State Forest State Park:

$20/night for a campsite; going several days with no indoor plumbing (or showering); a DISGUSTING pit toilet (seriously, it was an upside-down pail sitting over a stinky hole in the ground); BUT…eating dinner while a cow moose and two calves eat theirs, in a field, a few thousand yards away with the Rockies as a backdrop…PRICELESS!!!

We spent the last three nights of our trip at State Forest State Park which is renowned for its moose sightings (many were re-introduced here back in the 90s.). The park actually claims to be the “Moose Viewing Capital of the World!”

It definitely offered the best moose sightings we had ever experienced…until our Labor Day camping trip in the Big Horns later that year…you can read about that here!

Tall, snow-peaked, rocky mountains with pine trees and grass in the foreground. — This view reminded us of the Garden Wall at Glacier NP.

A tent on grass, surrounded by trees in the foreground. Rocky, snow-topped mountains glowing a light pink in the sunset in the background — Alpenglow over the Western Rockies (Rocky Mountain National Park and the Never Summer Mountains are basically due east from here, right over those mountains.)

A lake, surrounded by pine trees with a rocky moutain with spots of snow in the background — Ranger Lakes

Green grass field with pine trees in the background. Three large, dark, shapes that appear to be moose are emerging from the trees. Mountains dotted with snow are in the far background — Moose from the campsite

CLOSE ENCOUNTER of the Mountain Lion Kind!!!

The final night of our trip I had a true close encounter (at least I think I did, it was dark and it was over fast!) It was late and we were the only people still up in the half-full campground. Our campsite was perched on a hill backed by the forest and fronted by a lake.

The first night, we spied a moose family skirting the campground using a gully to get to the lake for their evening drink, so we knew it was a popular thoroughfare for the local wildlife. We were waiting for the fire to burn down and out of the corner of my eye, I spotted movement in the empty campsite across the road (maybe 30 yards away and downhill from our site). At first, I thought it was a deer I had seen meandering around earlier that evening…and then I realized the “deer” had a long tail…

Interesting side note, many stories I’ve heard of people spotting mountain lions start with, “I thought it was a deer till I realized it had a long tail…” 😮

…then I thought it was a dog from one of the neighboring campsites, but I was pretty sure he was in the tent with his family…and the creature I spotted didn’t move like a dog…

Its movements were stealthy, fluid, and sleek; beautiful actually. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. It almost glided across the ground. It reminded me of watching a cat jumping onto a high shelf when you’re sure any minute it will send objects flailing into space but instead it glides gracefully around them.

It was visible for only a few seconds, once it saw me it hightailed it out of there (which is exactly what we WANT wild animals to do!), and I wasn’t able to get Mr. Trekker’s attention quickly enough for him to see it. We looked for tracks the next morning and didn’t find any but the ground was very dry and hard so this wasn’t a surprise. I can’t prove it but…I think I saw my first mountain lion that night (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! 😉)

Oregon Trail Ruts, Guernsey, Wyoming:

On the last day of our trek, we stopped for lunch in Guernsey, Wyoming at the Oregon Trail Ruts State Historic Site. There we viewed wagon wheel ruts left forever engraved on the landscape by the pioneers traveling the Oregon Trail.

You could almost hear the lowing of oxen, the clanking of household items, and the creaking of the wagons as they slowly made their way across the prairie. You could almost smell the rank odor of animal and human sweat mixed with the constant cling of dust stirred up by the plodding of the animals’ hooves.

It was humbling to think that we traveled almost 3500 miles on our two-week road trip, crisscrossing across eight states and visiting countless places in our air-conditioned, all-wheel-drive car, with a suspension that gently glides across any bumps in our path (on the paved or graded gravel roads we drove on). Whereas these people traveled thousands of miles in a wagon train, a trip that took MONTHS as they slowly crept their way across the bumpy, muddy, rutted, rock-strewn ground, and lived under constant threat of death by exposure, disease, or attack.

When I got sick we drove five minutes to the local Urgent Care, it took maybe an hour to get seen, then we went to the Walgreens across the street for medicine and I was back in the hotel room on the road to recovery 20 minutes later. Back in the days of the wagon trains the same ailment likely would have meant DAYS of misery as the best of potential outcomes.

Two parallel ruts in the rock, green grass and tree-covered hills in the background — The Oregon Trail Wheel Ruts

A few final pictures from our jaunt around Colorado. If you haven’t been there, I STRONGLY encourage you to put it on your bucket list. You won’t regret it!