Snow Shoeing & Sprague Lake

December 18, 2010

We tried to hike to Sprague Lake last weekend too but without snow shoes it was next to impossible to get to, so we tried again this weekend.  We had a fantastic time!

There is a small shop in Estes Park called The Warming House that rents snow shoes for only $8 per day!  Comes with shoes and poles.  We thought that was a great deal so we tried it out.  The snow shoes were in great condition and worked very well!

These are the snow shoes and poles we rented. We hiked around Sprague Lake and then took the trail from Sprague Lake to Glacier Creek Trail.  Round trip we probably did two miles on the snow shoes.  That may not sound like a lot but it was a work out!



Sprague Lake



This is Sprague Lake, frozen obviously.  I can imagine how beautiful this lake is in the summer time.  It was absolutely beautiful with the snow and the sun glistening off the lake. 

This trail is off of Bear Lake Road.  The trails in this area are almost the only ones accessible this time of year, and even they can be difficult to get to.  Bear Lake was pretty snow and ice covered, but we took the Subaru.

To get to Sprague Lake Trail head enter the park through the Beaver Meadows entrance and take Bear Lake Road just past the park and ride lot.  The next left will take you to the lake.  From that trail head you can walk the .5 miles around the lake or near the picnic area starts another trail that leads to the Glacier Creek Trail, which is what we took.

Glacier Creek Trail

This trail can be as long or as short as you're willing to hike or snow shoe.  I highly recommend this trail for snow shoeing.  I may not have any others to compare it to, but it's not a steep or highly traveled trail so it made for a perfect first time snow shoeing excursion.

It's a beautiful and peaceful trail, although there isn't anything spectacular to see along the way.  We still had a great time and really enjoyed the snow shoes!  We will definitely be doing it again so stay tuned!

Garden of the Gods

November 27, 2010

Since we moved to Colorado I have wanted to visit Garden of the Gods.  It's a beautiful park full of rock formations...  I know, that may not sound so exciting, but it really is a neat place to see!

There are a couple ways to see this attraction.  You can walk through it, bike through it, or drive around it.  We opted to drive around it due to time constraints, but I recommend taking a day to see this and walk through it. 

The road goes around the park so you don't get to see much.  Also, there aren't may pull offs so that makes getting a good picture difficult.  We did find some pull offs and I went a did as much exploring as I could.



I call this Rhino Rock





Even in November it was pretty crowded, but well worth the drive to get there.  It's truly beautiful!  This attraction is FREE too so it's a perfect way to spend the day. 

Garden of the Gods is in Colorado Springs.  Signs are everywhere so you can't miss it.  I think you could spend a few days seeing everything in Colorado Springs, but this is a must see in Colorado!

Fern Falls Trail

October 31, 2010

Today we hiked the Fern Falls Trail.  The whole trail out and back to the falls is just over 5 miles.  Unfortunately we were unable to do the whole trail due to icy conditions, so I am hoping to try again in the summer. 



Big Thompson River


 This trail begins at the Fern Lake Trailhead off of Bear Lake Road in Rocky Mountain National Park.  The beginning part of the trail is easy and follows the beautiful Big Thompson River. 

We saw a few people bringing their fly rods for fishing, but we didn't see any fish this time.  We'll check again in the summer.  Maybe we'll get lucky.



The Pool



Also along the way is The Pool.  It isn't anything spectacular but it's pretty to see.

Beyond this point the trail begins an uphill climb and gets a little rocky.  It became too steep to hike in the ice, so we had to turn back.

We did run into this Magpie and he followed us for a while, catching crumbs that we threw at him.  They may be scavengers but they are pretty birds.



Magpie



Overall I really enjoyed this trail.  Lots to see along the way, and hopefully next time we'll make it to our destination.

Denver Zoo

Oct. 16, 2010

The Denver Zoo is a really neat zoo!  I can only compare to one other zoo that's I've ever been to, but I really enjoyed it.

The cost is $13 per person but parking is free.  They have so many different species that I've never seen this close before.

I think my favorite part was the arctic wolf exhibit.  They were such beautiful animals and came so close to us. 

Another exhibit I liked was the elephants.  They have so many! 

I would recommend the Denver Zoo, especially to anyone with kids.  We really had a great time!

Bierstadt Lake Trail

Oct. 9, 2010



Bierstadt Lake Trail

 After the first snowfall in the mountains we couldn't wait to get up there and hike through it.  Unfortunately Trail Ridge Road was closed after a few miles into the park so we found a new trail at a slightly lower elevation.  There was still a dusting of snow and it was one of my favorite hikes.

We decided to park at the park and ride and take the shuttle to Bear Lake Trailhead.  We had already seen Bear Lake but we wanted to see it with snow on the mountain tops.  It was beautiful!

We started at Bear Lake Trailhead and headed to Bierstadt Lake.  From Bierstadt Lake we took the trail that led us right back to the park and ride.  I loved this trail because it was one way and we didn't have to make our way back the way we came and see the same things.  I really love the shuttle that runs through RMNP. 

The total hike was around 6.2 miles and I would classify this trail as easy-moderate.  The hike from Bear Lake to Bierstadt is somewhat steep but not too bad and only for the first mile.  After that the rest is easy to Bierstadt Lake.  Bierstadt Lake is small, and not really anything spectacular, so I am glad we didn't just hike to it and back.  Beyond Bierstadt Lake the trail heads to the park and ride and the trail is very steep, but it's straight down.  It's easier than up, but I underestimated the strain on the leg muscles going down that steep.  It was a nice hike though, and we really enjoyed it. 

One tip I forgot to mention.  All of the trails we have found so far in RMNP have been in one book.  It's called Best Easy Day Hikes Rocky Mountain National Park.  I love this book!  It's been a great help in finding easier trails, but it's still unsure what the definition of easy hike is. 

Pikes Peak & Seven Falls

Sept. 25, 2010



Pikes Peak Cog Railway


 Pikes Peak is one of Colorado's fourteeners and there are many ways to get to the top.  You can drive it, you can take the train, or if you're feeling really frisky you can hike it.  We decided on the train and I am glad we did.  This was really a unique experience.

This little train makes some pretty good time getting to the top of Pikes Peak and once you're up there you can see for miles.  The tour guide on the train said that on a clear day you can see all the way to Kansas and I believe it.  The ride to the top has some steep points, but the views are spectacular!

Some tips if you decide on the train...  Make reservations!  Our train was packed full.  You don't have to pay for it until you get there, and it's only $30 per person.  Another tip, if they let you, request to sit on the left side of the train as you head up.  The views are better, I think, but anywhere is good.  Also, eat before you go.  There is a cafe on top, but you have 30 minutes at the top before the train heads back down and you don't want to miss photo opportunities.  If you do want a snack they have chocolate covered donuts.  I can't tell you if they're good, we spent our time playing in the snow.


Pikes Peak Summit



 

 Next on our journey this day was Seven Falls waterfall.  This was a pretty waterfall, but I think we went during the wrong season.  I think if you visit this waterfall in the spring with mountain snow run off it would be much bigger and more beautiful. 

The cost is reasonable, just $7 per person to see the falls.  There's an elevator that takes you to a look out area to get better pictures of the falls.  At night they light it up, so that may be a different experience too.  Also the drive to get to the falls is beautiful, so I would definitely put this on the list of things you have to see in Colorado.

Coors Brewery & Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Sept. 19, 2010

The Coors Brewery is tucked away in the small town of Golden, CO.  Keep in mind while reading my thoughts about the Coors Brewery that I grew up in St. Louis, MO... Home of Anheuser Busch. 

In comparing the two there are a few differences.  The first thing that I thought was neat was that we parked in a lot pretty far from the main entrance and shuttle picked us up to take us to the brewery tour.  Along the way the shuttle takes you through the historic parts of Golden and the shuttle driver talks about why this city was chosen for the Coors brewery.  It's pretty fascinating, and the town is quite cute.  Another perk is you get three free beers and one sample along the tour, as opposed to Anheuser where you get two free ones and no sample.

On the flip side the Coors Brewery doesn't have as much character.  The building itself is quite boring, looks like just another factory.  The tour is guided by hand held device where you simply push the number of the room you're in and you hear some computer tell you what you're looking at.  I didn't care for that since it doesn't allow you to ask any questions.  I prefer the tour guide at Anheuser.  When you get to the tasting room to get your free beer you have to buy pretzels or other snacks, which I didn't know so I didn't have cash on me for vending machines.  At Anheuser you get free pretzels.

It was a neat experience though, and I am getting used to living in Coors country.  When I try to order a Budlight around here I get reminded of that. 



Panorama Point



 After the brewery tour we headed to Golden Gate Canyon State Park.  This is a neat little park and I was disappointed that we didn't have enough time to see more of it.

As long as you have a four wheel drive vehicle take the steep rocky road up to Panorama Point.  The view from there is breathtaking!  From this point you can see quite a few of the fourteeners in Colorado.  Fourteeners, for those who don't know, are mountains that excede 14,000 feet in elevation.  Basically, the pretty ones, so to see so many of these from one view point is really neat. 

Golden Gate Canyon State Park has many hiking trails.  We tried the raccoon trail, but didn't do the whole trail due to time constraints and the level of difficulty.  I'm not sure how long the trail is, but I'd say we made it half a mile before we realized we were going straight downhill and the hike back up would have been awful.  So, we cut it short, enjoyed the view, and then headed home.  I would like to go back and explore more of the park if we get the chance.   

Lily Lake & Lake Estes

Sept. 18, 2010



Lily Lake

 Lily Lake near Estes Park, CO is a pretty lake.  There is a trail that loops around the lake, and it's an easy .5 miles.  When it comes to fishing though it's not a great spot.  Although we managed to catch a couple, the lake is very shallow and filled with algae.  The 2 fish we did catch were small and it's not really worth the time.  I would definitely not go wading in this water. 

The hike is peaceful and the lake is pretty, so if it's along the way I'd stop and see it, I wouldn't drive out of my way to see it.






Lake Estes

 Lake Estes was also not very good for fishing, but this big guy came walking right towards us to get to the lake while we were in the middle of our picnic. 

Estes Park is beautiful anyway, with so may other things to see.  I wouldn't recommend fishing but there's shopping, dining, and the Stanley Hotel which is where The Shining and Dumb & Dumber were filmed.  Eventually I will tour this hotel.

If you just want to see elk Estes Park is the place.  They are usually lounging in or around the lake and you can't miss them.  This is definitely a town everyone needs to explore at least once.

Glenwood Springs, Aspen, Vail

We spent a long weekend visiting these three places so I am putting them in one blog.

Sept. 10-12, 2010

Glenwood Springs is a unique little town.  I would say the center of this town is the huge natural hot springs pool.  Once you get past the smell of sulpher you can relax and enjoy the hot springs year around.  They have two pools.  One is warm and one is the largest hot tub I've ever seen. 

I would imagine that in the winter time Glenwood Springs stays pretty busy.  It would probably be a very neat experience to be in the hot springs pool while snow is falling.  If you stay at the Glenwood Springs Lodge with the pool you get free access to the pools, but the cost is only $13 per person if you stay off site.

If you stay in Glenwood Springs there are a couple places you must eat.  Chocolate Moose Ice Cream Parlor has delicious ice cream and if you're looking for a hearty breakfast the 19th Street Diner has fast friendly service and the food is absolutely filling and wonderful!

I like Glenwood Springs because it's in between Aspen and Vail, 2 towns that Colorado is known for.  So if you're interested in seeing both Glenwood is a great place to stay.

This is Maroon Bells.  It's the most beautiful place in Colorado I have seen to this day.  Maroon Bells is just outside of Aspen.  A shuttle takes visitors to the top and along the way we had a very informative and pretty funny tour guide.  When you get to the top there is a short walk and all of a sudden around this corner is this view.  It's breathtaking!

While there you can hike, you can fish, or you can just relax and take it all in.  Here's a tip that I will only share with my readers, though I know there aren't many of you.  There are trout in the lake there, and we caught many with fly rods.  We used a fly that looked like a bumble bee and the fish were biting like crazy!  Here's where I have to brag and say that I, the only female fishing there, caught the first trout.  We had a great time!

After fishing we took the short hike to the small waterfall and over the stream.  It's a very easy and very short hike, but it's beautiful.  I could have spent the whole day at Maroon Bells.



Aspen, CO

After leaving Maroon Bells we stopped in Aspen for lunch.  The Hickory House in Aspen has the most tender pork ribs I've ever had.  They are delicious!  The rest of Aspen was so-so.  It's probably more appealing in the winter during ski season.  It seemed that in the off season Aspen is just over priced shops.  Too rich for my blood.



 

Vail, CO

 
Vail is a town I love!  It's looks like a German town and we were lucky enough to be there for Oktoberfest.  There was dancing, farmer's markets, and of course beer.  I couldn't get over how quaint it all seemed. 

If you get the chance to go, no matter the season, take the gondola ride to the top of the mountain.  The cost is $20 per person, but I think summer is their off season so it could be more during ski months.  From the top though you have the most beautiful view. 

A helpful tip about Vail is the shuttle service is free.  You can pick up maps of the bus routes and they run pretty often.  It's a great way to see as much of Vail as possible while you're there.  Also, the farmer's market was amazing.  I think we walked and sampled delicious food all day.  Definitely a town I will be going back to!



Leadville, CO

Sept. 5, 2010

Leadville, CO is one of my favorite towns in Colorado.  Before heading to Leadville you can go to their website and print out a self guided walking tour that lists the historic sites and a little history about each one.  I highly recommend it.  We did it and found it very interesting.

http://www.leadville.com/walktour

Leadville is rich in history and even said to be a ghost town.  On the main stretch there is actually an old saloon in original condition still standing.  It's just fascinating

Along the walking tour we discovered there is a train that takes visitors on a 2 hour tour through the old minig towns along the way.  It ranges from $20-$60 per person depending on what time of year you go and what's going on at the time.  We didn't have the time to do this the day we visited Leadville but it's definitely on my list of things to do when we get to go back.

Once we finished touring the town we wanted to explore the outdoor side of Leadville so we took a hike around Turquoise Lake. 

This trail loops around the lake and it's about 5.5 miles total.  I would classify this as a moderate trail.  There isn't really an elevation gain, but it has a lot of ups and downs and it's pretty rocky.  Along the way though there is a few old closed up mining caves.  It's interesting and the lake is beautiful.

Another thing on my to-do list for this area is to drive Independence Pass.  It runs from Leadville to Aspen and I remember it being a beautiful drive and there are a lot of old minig sites along the way.  It's only open during the summer season, but I'd like to drive it.  I'm sure that will be a blog to come!

 

Fall River Road, Coyote Valley, & Adams Falls

August 23, 2010

Fall River Road was the first drivable route into Rocky Mountain National Park.  The guide books mention hiking it but I wouldn't recommend it.  There isn't much to see along the way, it's 9 miles one way, and it's very steep and narrow with cars passing you.  We decided to drive it.

Chasm Falls is a cute little waterfall about 2.6 miles into the drive up Fall River Road.  It surprised me really, I wasn't expecting it to be this pretty.


Fall River Road is open during warmer months.  It's not paved and it's a rough road, but there are some nice views if you get the chance to drive it.  I wouldn't hike it.

Next on our journey this day was Coyote Valley Trail.  This trail is one of the trails on the west side of the park.  We hadn't been over that way yet so we thought we'd try this one. 

This trail is a very easy 1.6 miles, so easy it would accomodate a stroller.  The trail elevation is only 8,846 feet and there is no gain at all.  It's a peaceful stroll along a nice little creek, and there are some nice mountain views, but it's far from exciting.  We thought it may be good for wildlife viewing but we didn't see anything.

Last stop was Adams Falls.  This is a beautiful waterfall!  The hike to to the falls is .6 miles roundtrip, and it's somewhat easy.  The elevation gain is less than 100 feet and a little rocky but the view is well worth it! 

To get to Adams Falls take the East Inlet Trailhead which is close to Grand Lake, another must see. 

Toll Memorial

August 14, 2010

Up until this hike we had stayed at lower elevation, but this is the highest trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park, elevation a whopping 12,110 feet and the trail ascends 200 more feet.  Also until this point we hadn't seen much wildlife along our hikes. 

The Toll Memorial trail is steep, but only .8 miles roundtrip.  Along the way there are signs pointing out various types of alpine plants so it makes for an interesting trek and some stopping points to catch your breath.

This strange rock formation is called Mushroom Rocks and it's about .25 miles into the Toll Memorial hike.  They are quite interesting to look at.

Obviously the best part of this hike is the view along the way.  Any way you turn there are miles of mountain views.  This trail is very busy though, so parking can be tricky.  It's best to get there as early as possible.

Trail Ridge Road is only open from Memorial Day until mid October, so if this on your list to see I would see it as early in the season as possible to catch some snow caps.  Also, it's extremely windy at this elevation so it's a bit chilly.


At this elevation we saw Yellow Bellied Marmots and a herd of Elk, which can normally be seen near the Alpine Visitor's Center.  If you are up that high be sure to stop at the visitor's center and try some of their hot chocolate.  It's some of the best I've had!  Of course the visitor's center is seasonal also, so it's only open when Trail Ridge Road is open.

Bridal Veil Falls

August 1, 2010

The guide books all tell you this hike is rated as easy, and it is for the first 2.5 miles, but then it's steep grades and rock climbing!  From the Cow Creek Trailhead it's 3 miles to the falls and the elevation gain is 1,060 feet and it's mostly in that last mile.  Along the way we didn't see any wildlife except the backside of a far off deer, but there are fields of wildflowers that are beautiful. 

This is Bridal Veil Falls.  It really is a beautiful waterfall once you get past the huffing and puffing from the steep trail. 

Roundtrip the hike is 6 miles, so if you want to see this waterfall start early!  Cow Creek Trailhead is also pretty hard to find, so be sure to grab a RMNP map.

Alberta Falls & Bear Lake

July 17, 2010

Alberta Falls, so far this has been the most beautiful destination of any hike we have done.  The hike to the falls is very easy with an elevation gain of only 170 feet.  It's .6 miles one way to the falls from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead.  You can also access this trail from the Bear Lake Trailhead.  If you want to see both I recommend starting at Bear Lake and then heading to Alberta Falls since the trail will mostly be downhill that way.  The shuttle that runs through Rocky Mountain National Park stops at both Glacier Gorge and Bear Lake Trailheads, so you wouldn't have to hike back.  I prefer the loop trails so we don't see the same scenery twice. 

We started at Glacier Gorge Trailhead and hiked the .6 miles to Alberta Falls, then took the .5 mile trail to Bear Lake.  This is also the most beautiful lake I have seen so far in RMNP.  The Bear Lake Nature Trail loops around the lake and it's a very easy .5 miles, but the view from the opposite side of the lake is amazing.  You can also take the guided tour which we didn't do, but might be informative. 

This is the view from the opposite side of Bear Lake along the loop trail.  It's a must see!

Tips:  Take the shuttle in the park if you're trail is along the route.  It mainly goes to trails along the east side of the park along Bear Lake Road, but parking anywhere near those trailheads is almost always full.  Even the park and ride lot fills up quickly, so get there early.

Estes Park

July 17, 2010

This was my first visit to Estes Park since I was younger.  I had forgotten how quaint and beautiful it is.

The drive from Westminster, CO where we live to Estes Park is about an hour and a half.  Boulder traffic is always a mess!  But, the destination is well worth it!  Here are a few of our Estes Park moments.

If you get the chance to visit this beautiful town be sure to stop and feed the chipmunks.  They come right up to you!  Brave little guys, and so cute.

Estes Park, CO is a place I'd love to live.  There is shopping, dining, and it's so close to Rocky Mountain National Park.  I haven't looked into cost of staying here overnight since we are so close, but it would be well worth it I'm sure!

Our Move to Colorado

July 10, 2010

With the car loaded and my mom in the passenger seat I left my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri to move with my husband to Westminster, Colorado.  The drive was long, but beautiful.  His job had transferred him here and being a newly wed couple we were excited about the adventure. 

We learned quickly that the published guide books and the internet resources online weren't very accurate for the average midwest explorers when it came to hikes, scenery, and other things travelers run into so we thought we should share our experiences and adventures. 

So stay tuned... Much more to follow!