Roam With Friends

Category: Family Vacations

Eureka Springs Arkansas

Long before we were aware of a virus that would change our world, we made a plan to spend Memorial Day Weekend in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Eureka Springs, located in the northwest corner of Arkansas, is a short 4 hour drive from Kansas City, MO.

Then the virus hit. And we spent so much time inside our houses. Cut off from everyone. And camping reservations were cancelled. One after another. We waited with anticipation as areas started opening back up but that was just one concern. The next concern was could we go camping and stay staff from a virus we could not see and could barely protect ourselves from?

Arkansas opened up right before Memorial Day weekend. We had many discussions and we decided we could keep ourselves safe and address our mental health.

Eureka Springs usually offers something for everyone. Shopping in the historic downtown. Fishing in the White River, historical sites, architecture, theatre, ghost tours, and beautiful nature experiences. Well, pre-COVID it had something for everyone. While our campground was open, many businesses were still closed and those that were open were anxious to be open but were still very much apprehensive about being around humans.

We could not attend the Passion Play, we couldn’t visit Crystal Bridges Museum of Art, we couldn’t visit haunted hotels. Not only was the tiger rescue closed but so were the caves. We even found fishing difficult to the high amount of rain in the area. We were forced to find off the beaten path things entertain us and occupy our time.

We stayed at Kettle Campground in Eureka Springs. The campground was a little tight but we enjoyed being nestled among the pine trees once again. The campground has a pool (which is one of the reasons we initially booked here) but of course it was also closed due to COVID. The campground also had a large covered patio that ended up being close to our campsites. This patio ended up being important as it rained several days during our stay and we were able to get outside and enjoy the rain without getting wet.

Our original stay was booked from May 21 to 25, 2020 however, the campground just expanded their WiFi and we decided to add a few extra days because we could school and work from the campground. The weather for the first three days was sunny and beautiful! The rain moved in for the last three days but we quickly learned the weather in Arkansas is just about as unpredictable as it is in Missouri and it can change quickly.

I hope your trip to Eureka Springs is not during a worldwide pandemic but since ours was, I will share some of our nontraditional things to do.

Beaver Arkansas

Located on Arkansas 187 off of Arkansas 23, one of the first places we stumbled into was the small town of Beaver. We entered this small town, with a population of 100, by crossing an old one lane suspension bridge, The Beaver Bridge. The Beaver Bridge allows for crossing the White River which was swollen and flooded from all the spring rain. It is the bridge that draws most of the tourist to this small town. We found an RV park right (Beaver RV Park) in the town of Beaver with beautiful views. So, if you have a small camper, camping on the White River in the town of Beaver, might be for you. There was also a hiking path (the scenic Beaver Trail) along the river. We couldn’t hike the trail as it was under water but I would return just for the chance.

Christ of the Ozarks

One of the largest Christ statues stands 67 feet high in the Ozark Mountains. The Christ statue is on the property of the Passion Play and is free to visit. The statue is seven stories, built with nearly 350 tons of concrete and stands high overlooking Eureka Springs. It is at the base of the Christ statue that my daughter enjoyed her last day of sixth grade.

Black Bass Lake

The Husband advocated for Eureka Springs so he could fish and since he could not fish the White River we had to get creative. Black Bass Lake promised to be a great place for hiking and fishing. It rained all morning but then it cleared off and we enjoyed a sunny warm afternoon at Black Bass Lake. We spent a perfect, sunny late afternoon hiking while Wayne fished.

We took Oil Springs Road off of Arkansas 62 to drive several miles down a bumpy narrow dirt road to find the lake. There was a small amount of parking near the trailhead. Hiking trails are plentiful here so as the Husband fished, The Short Chic and I walked the trail around the lake. During our hike we found an old dam built of stone, we saw frogs, we heard all kinds of birds, and we saw a variety of wildflowers. We saw all kinds of fish swimming in the pond but not a single one could be enticed to jump on the line.

Thorncrown Chapel

The Thorncrown Chapel was one of the indoor popular sites that was open for us to visit during COVID. The Thorncrown Chapel was built in 1980 by E. Fay Jones who apprenticed with Frank Lloyd Wright. Despite previous trips to Eureka Springs, we had never visited this beautiful glass and wooden structure. It was very easy to see why this is a sought after wedding location, it felt like we were engulfed in the Ozark Mountains. Except we had climate control.

If you come to this area to seek out this type of architecture and are a fan of E. Fay Jones’s work there are two other chapels in Arkansas; one in Bella Vista, Arkansas and another in Hot Springs, Arkansas. One of our campground neighbors made sure she hit all three before she continued her journey.

Hogscald Hollow

During our planning, we had hoped to spend a great portion of our stay relaxing by the pool but COVID had other plans for us. One of our neighbors at the campground told us about a place called Hogs Hollow they heard had a swimming area. Hogscald Hollow was easy to find using google maps. High above an arm of Beaver Lake, we found beautiful green water, a waterfall, and rocky overlooks. What we never found was actual water access. We drove around forever, waited through a flash rain storm, and finally gave up. We could see a perfect swim area but we were on the wrong side of the lake.

If cliff jumping is a thing you have always wanted to do, this spot is a good one. To the best I can tell, this is even called Lover’s Leap. We were able to watch a young man jump and swim to a boat below. I prefer not to jump off cliffs. In case you were wondering.

If you would like to explore this area and want to cliff jump, take Arkansas 23 out of Eureka Springs until you get to County Road 108 (the turn will be before you reach Turpentine Creek Wildlife Rescue) then veer onto 148. Keep your eyes peeled as you cross over a low water crossing. That is where the waterfall is.

Now, if you would like to have water access to swim in this location you are going to need to drive a bit further. You still take Arkansas 23 out of Eureka seventeen miles to County Road 127. From there you will take county roads several miles: Madison Road 8455 to Madison Road 8465, then turning onto Fromme Road. From our best guess this should put you at a public area right across the river from Lover’s Leap.

One last thing, we did not stop but did notice on Arkansas 62 east of Eureka Springs on the way to Berryville we crossed The Kings River and saw many locals accessed the river below the bridge. They sure seemed to be enjoying the warm water. This may be another option for you water seekers.

Fishing

Fishing is a huge draw for this area. Beaver Lake is great for Stripped Bass, Kentucky Bass, and Black Bass. Below the Beaver Lake Dam is the tailwaters that start the White River. The water is cold and the trout flourish here. For us, unfortunately, the rain caused Beaver Lake to be swollen, which meant more water being released into the White River, which meant poor fishing conditions for those who do not have a boat.

I am happy to report that our men successfully found fishing at River State Park. Roaring River State Park in Cassville MO is one of the best trout fishing parks and is a short half an hour drive from Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The drive to/from Eureka Springs proved to be worth the time. Everyone managed to catch a few fish; which made the trip to Arkansas a complete success. Well that and we found Yuengling beer for sale and purchased cases of it to bring home!

Thank goodness!

Other Activities

I am not sure a trip to Eureka is complete without visiting the historic downtown. Shopping had just opened back up when we were there so we did enjoy a day of walking around outside. Despite wearing masks and staying distant, we were heckled for a huge portion of the day as people drove by yelling at us to stop spreading the virus.

We enjoyed local breweries, restaurants, and ice cream shops during our stay.

We did enjoy an afternoon of hiking at Pivot Rock and Natural Bridge. We paid a minimal fee to hike the property and see the namesake rock. We were also warned of wild hogs but we never even caught a glimpse of one. The drive out to Pivot Rock is scenic and we caught a second glimpse of The Christ of the Ozark statue from afar.

Arkansas has a lot of great places to visit. I hope you consider adding Eureka Springs to your destination stops.

February 10, 2021
Betty and Roxie Go To Lake Powell
Lake Powell draws nearly 3 million visitors each year. The second largest man made reservoir in the county starts in Page, Arizona and stretches north approximately 200 miles to Hite, Utah. Lake Powell was the third pit stop on our Betty and Roxie’s Desert Vacation in 2018.

One of Lake Powell’s biggest gifts is it’s diversity. If you want to get lost and disconnect (and depending on your selection, you will be disconnected from all cell service/WiFi), you can! If you want to be apart of the action, you can! It is amazing how a place with so many visitors checks so many boxes for so many different people.

Lake Powell was created when the Glen Canyon dam was built and the Glen Canyon was flooded. The result was a beautiful “lake” with nearly two thousand miles of shore. I first visited the northern end of Lake Powell in my early twenties but this was the first trip to the southern end.

We started our morning off in Mesa Verde National Park and headed southwest on 491 to Highway 161. From point A (Mesa Verde National Park) to Point B (Wahweap Campground) would have been a 3 1/2 hour drive but we decided to take a side trip through Monument Valley by veering north on highway 191 to highway 163. We spent time grabbing photos with the monuments. Meeghan even took a Forest Gump run to the delight of everyone!

We arrived in Page, AZ in the early afternoon. Wahweap Campground is one of those places that would not confirm an actual site but would guarantee we had a spot available. Traveling as a group one of the things we appreciate is when we can be together. We actually got lucky at Wahweap; Betty and Roxie were right next to each other and Gary (Roxie’s father-in-law) was just a few spaces away.

Horseshoe Bend

A visit to Page would not be complete without a side trip to Horeshoe Bend. Part of the Glen Canyon Recreational Area, this bend in the Colorado River has become an iconic representation of the Southwest.

We started our hike to Horseshoe Bend early. From the parking lot to the observation area, the hike is relatively short. However, it is sandy and steep! Just remember what goes down must come up. The other obstacle one must be aware when visiting Horseshoe Bend is the tourist.

It is amazing how many people navigate this space at once. Everyone is trying to get the best photo they can of the bend and that often takes them very close to the edge. There can be a lot of pushing and bumping and all of that scares this momma! So, be alert. As this is another place that photographers want to get the best picture, try to avoid the peak moments (sunrise and sunset).

Check out the crowds in the upper left corner of this photo.

We found a less crowded spot to sit and just soak it in. None of us were in a hurry to start the hike up, so we just enjoyed the moment. When we slowed down we noticed a base camp at the bottom, right next to the river. We also noticed boats on the river. They were so tiny it would have been easy to overlook.

Just to be clear, the hike up from the observation area is no joke. It is a workout! I would encourage you to go slow, stop and rest when you can. Slow and steady will win this race.

Antelope Canyon Tours

As Meeghan and I planned this Desert Vacation, we were inspired by two sources. First my Pinterest obsession and second, Meeghan’s sister had visited this area previously and had made recommendations. Antelope Canyon was on both of our bucket list.

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon in a dry river bed. Water rushed through the sandstone and carved out the slot canyon. Light breaks through the canyon and dances inside the canyon. I am sure some of you have heard of Phantom, a famous photo captured by Peter Lik and sold for 6.5 million dollars. Antelope Canyon is a photographers dream.

There are two tours: the upper and the lower. We selected the upper as it was easier to access with no climbing and offered stable pathways. Antelope Canyon is on Navajo land and requires a guided escort. We purchased tickets through Antelope Canyon Tours. The tour cost less than $50 per person. Our guide did everything he could to ensure that we left the canyon with our own prize winning photos. (Well, I mean I am not selling any photo for a million dollars but my photos are worth of posting to social media.) He carefully pointed out the formations and even took my camera and captured the shot when I struggled to “see it.” I mean,

The upper canyon is a loop. You walk through and turn around and walk back. We were informed that we were suppose to take all the photos we wanted on our way down but on the way back we were to yield to the new group. As we reached the turn around part, we joined another tour group that we learned was lead by the brother of our tour group. The two brothers treated us to a Navajo song.

If you are interested in Antelope Canyon here are few pro tips:
- The mid-day tour is the most expensive tour. This is when the sun is directly above the canyon and the most light gets in. This tour is the photographers dream. So, unless you are a serious photographer, pick a different tour and save yourself the money.
- There is no bathrooms in the canyons. Plan ahead.
- Backpacks are not allowed. Backpacks are big and bulky and can rub against the sand walls. This is same for camera equipment.
- The entire canyon is made of sand. The air is full of sand. You will be breathing in sand! If you have asthma or other breathing challenges or just don’t want to breath sand, bring a scarf or mask to block the sand.
Lake Powell/Wahweap Campground

A visit to this area would be amiss without some time spent enjoying this beautiful lake. Meeghan and Jeremy wanted to rent jet ski’s but Wahweap Marina’s hours were very limited. However, during the ride to/from the Antelope Canyon tour Meeghan had the idea to look for jet ski rentals in Page vs at Lake Powell. They got lucky and found H2O Zone, who rented them a jet ski with an extremely flexible rental period.

So, after a day of exploring, we all made our way down to the waters edge. The summer weather in Page is hot and the water was a welcome treat and a nice way to end the day. It was very clear to us that the water was significantly lower during our visit than “normal”. The lake provides a beautiful backdrop to water sports. The shore line provides ample hiking opportunities. If your time allows, there are chartered boat tours or houseboats to rent. We did not have the time, but if I were to go again, I would allow one whole day to do the chartered boat tour to Rainbow Bridge.

There are two aspects of the campground that I feel I should give you a heads up about. One, there is a lot of RV rentals and boat rentals. I am not sure why but we found that the rentals throw away things they no longer need. One morning, Wayne was taking our trash to the dumpster and he found a portable power washer. It was not broken, it was not brand new but it was pretty new. So he saved it from the dumpster and now we have a power washer.

The second thing about the campground is: don’t go out at night. Or if you do, don’t turn on a light. There are these things called sewer roaches. They are huge. And they come out at night and are every where. GROSS!!! I wish I could undo my knowledge and memory of them but I can’t. So, take my word and just don’t go out at night. While I can’t unsee the roaches that come out at night, I can tell you, I was most worried about them finding a way into our trailer. But, the good news, we never saw any evidence of them after we left Wahweap.

Carl Hayden Visitor Center at Glen Canyon Dam

The last thing we before leaving town was visit the Carl Hayden Visitor Center. I wish we had more time to spend because for $5, we could have signed up for the tour of the dam. Instead we learned about how the dam was made. We even spoke to staff who did confirm that the lake is lower than normal. Lake Mead sends water to California and due to their drought Lake Mead has been tapped hard. So to keep up with the need, Lake Powell is sending water to Lake Mead. They explained that Hite Marina (which is the area I first visited) has been closed due to shrinking of the lake.

Being from the Midwest, I feel oblivious to water shortage concerns. I know I occasionally see stories on the world news but it is easy for me to turn a blind eye. But, visiting Lake Powell and chatting with the rangers, and seeing first hand how this lake that I care about is shrinking really hit me hard.

It is in this mindset, with a newly acquired Junior Ranger badge pinned to my daughters shirt, that we bid farewell to Page AZ while thinking about conservation and how important it is to us all. I would love for my children’s children to have the opportunity to visit this beautiful place but if we are not careful, it will be nothing more than a pond.
March 8, 2020
Mt Carmel Motel and RV Park Utah

In the summer of 2018, on our long fifteen day road trip, we found ourselves planted in Mt Carmel Utah at a quaint motel and RV park. Mt. Carmel is located north of Fredonia Arizona and north of Kanab Utah on highway 89. Mt Carmel is seventeen miles from the east entrance to Zion National Park. Mt Carmel is also south of Glendale and south of Alton Utah. It is a sixty-nine minute drive from Bryce Canyon National Park.

Mt Carmel offers RV camping, cabins, and motel rooms. The RV sites offer full hook-ups and a picnic table. The park is small, so everything is close. So, that community shower/bathroom (by the way that is the cleanest and most spacious public wash house I have ever seen) is only steps away from every camper. That also means that your RV neighbor is pretty close as well.

Mt Carmel RV park is engulfed with beautiful white poplar trees that grow tall over the RV sites. These trees have leaves that are two tones (green on top and silver on the bottom). The leaves blew during our entire visit. As they blow all you can see is waving silver above your head. The leaves sung us to sleep each night and woke us in the morning. If a person can fall in love with a tree, I was pretty infatuated. Then the owners of the park told us the branches are very weak and fall frequently. Oh well, some love affairs are only meant to be brief.

Google describes Mt. Carmel Motel and RV park as “low-key”. I want to tell you that is a harsh description but it is honestly spot on. But we did not pick Mt Carmel for park amenities. We were among the amenities we wanted: we wanted Zion National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Brice Canyon National Park. And this RV park put us close to all of that without having to pull our camper through the Carmel Tunnel in Zion National Park.

The neighboring communities provided what amenities we needed. Kanab (20 minutes away) had grocery stores, restaurants, and shopping. We even found a place to swap out tires for Roxie.

Mt Carmel Junction (two minutes away) offered a restaurant for meals we did not want to make ourselves. Orderville (four minutes away) had access to stores that met our quick/emergency needs. And…Mt Carmel Motel and RV park had an onsite post office so mailing those post cards to our loved ones home was so easy!

So, maybe “low-key” is an accurate description. But ‘”low-key” is just what we needed/wanted from our resting place in the south west corner of Utah. And after climbing Angel’s Landing, I needed a safe, comfortable place to land. Mt. Carmel Motel and RV Park provided that to us.

February 17, 2020
Falling In Love With Zion National Park

I started falling in love with Zion National Park through the website Pinterest. I found myself with a pinboard titled “Dream Locations” that I would post random photos of dreamy places I would some day like to visit. Little did my conscious mind realize but the majority of the places I had pinned were all of Zion National Park. The beginning of a romantic relationship had started. I was lusting after red rocks, green trees, and the cool water that had created and defined this small piece of heaven on earth.

I started sharing my research with my husband. We added names to our vocabulary that never existed before: Angels Landing, The Narrows, and Walter’s Wiggle. We spoke of these places like they held meaning to us. The more research we conducted I found my infatuation deepening. These places crept into our dreams and our dinner conversations. We pondered if we stood at their base could we, would be be able to do them justice?

It was like puppy love. We had a heightened awareness to Zion National Park. Every photo, every scene on television or the movies, an advertisement in a magazine would cause us to gush and swoon. To say we were attracted was an understatement!

Our contemplation turned to commitment. We shared our new love with Roxi’s owners (Meeghan and Jeremy) and soon we were planning a three camper trip to Zion National Park.

We departed Kansas City on May 31, 2018 heading out for a seventeen (17!!!) day road trip. Before we arrived at Zion, we had already visited Great Sand Dunes NP, Mesa Verde NP, Four Corners Monument, Lake Powell National Recreational Area, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

We arrived at Mt. Carmel RV and Motel on June 8, 2018. We spent three nights and used this park as our base camp for visiting Zion NP and Bryce Canyon NP. We had a 17 mile drive into Zion and a hour drive to Bryce Canyon NP.

As soon as we arrived and settled, we were off to Zion. We could not wait to get that first site, that first taste of this place that had created such a wanderlust within us.

We arrived late afternoon, greeted by a herd of big horned sheep out looking for dinner. As we wound our way down to the valley floor we kept seeing this large mountain with arches etched into it. It was so red in contrast to the green tree tops it towered over. We made our way through the Zion-Mt Carmel tunnel with awe. Built in the 1920, the tunnel, which is over 1 mile long, is narrow. It was made when vehicles were just smaller. Thankfully the tunnel was only allowing one way traffic which really helped me feel better about taking our large Ram through the tunnel.

Prior to arriving to Zion, the one negative thing we were aware of and prepared for was the crowds. Zion uses a shuttle service to take guest through the park to minimize the congestion. We knew that long waits to get on a shuttle were possible. So we arrived early armed with full water bottles and an extra shot of patience.

Our first stop was The Grotto. Our morning goal was to hike Walter’s Wiggle. Walter’s Wiggle is a trail comprised of 20 very tight switchbacks that leads hikers to the entrance to Angel’s Landing, a place called Scout Lookout. The entire hike to Angel’s landing is 5.4 miles roundtrip with an elevation change of nearly 1,500 feet and is estimated to take 4 hours. The trip to Scout Landing is 4.2 miles round trip.

We had only planned to hike Walters Wiggle but as we encountered other hikers we kept being asking, “You going all the way to Angel’s Landing?” This question became like some sort of test or challenge: Are you strong enough? Are you brave enough? Do you have enough determination and grit to make it to the top?

Being an overweight, out of shape person, who is more than slightly afraid of heights, I was just going to be proud of myself for making it up Walter’s Wiggle to Scout Landing. But as I hiked, these questions kept running through my head. They were all I could think about as I struggled to find my own breath during the hike.

Once we landed at Scout Landing, we took a moment to rest. We were happy to find vault toilets at the top as a spacious area to rest in. The sign announcing the start of Angel’s Landing stared at us the entire rest period. There were 8 of us that day on Scout Landing. Eight of us who had successfully hiked Walter’s Wiggle who could turn around and call it a good day. But we asked the question of ourselves that everyone else asked us, “So, are we going to keep going?”

From Scout Landing to the summit of Angel’s Landing is .6 of a mile but in that short distance you encounter narrow passages, steep inclines and declines, crowded hiking conditions, and very rugged terrain. In the end, five us of, myself included, committed to trying it.

Within minutes of starting Angel’s Landing, when the first iron chain hold stops, my dear husband tapped out and turned around. He took our shared water with him. We were down to four. And maybe I should describe the four: the youngest was an 8 year old little boy (Tucker) with a lot of spunk. The oldest was that little boy’s 66 year old grandfather (Gary) who had recovered from knee replacement surgery the year prior to this moment. There was also that little boys father (Jeremy) , who is fit as a fiddle, and myself.

That one mile round trip hike was the hardest thing I have done in my life. It challenged me mentally (fear of heights) and it challenged me physically. Gary hiked right behind me. He kept giving me permission to turn around, then in his next breath would support our next step. He offered me water when I had none. Each step of that hike looked scarier than the last step. But before we knew it, all four of us were arriving at the top of Angel’s Landing.

We sat near a rock at the top and just collected our thoughts. We took a moment to let that accomplishment sink in. My fear of heights was crazy as I sat there. I was convinced the wind was going to cause me to lose my balance, trip. and roll to my death. I did not trust my knees or my legs. And it shows in every photo taken of me that day. But I will say this, I have photos to prove that I was at the top of Angel’s Landing. And somewhere deep inside me, I had connected to some inner strength.

We made our way down, which is just as challenging as the ascent. I trusted my knees and legs to get me up but I seriously questioned them failing me on the way down. But they did not. We maneuvered the crowds, which maybe the trickiest part. When we arrived at the place that my husband left us on, him and the other three greeted each of us with cheers, hugs, high fives, and more water! We were warriors who had returned from battle.

By the time we were descending Walter’s Wiggle it was starting to get hot. It was also nearing lunch time and we needed to refuel. A short shuttle ride back to the visitor center and we were at our trucks, pulling lunch coolers out, and finding a shady tree to rest under.

After lunch we took the shuttle to the end of the line, the Temple of Sinawava to hike the other bucket list hike at Zion, The Narrows. The Narrows is a slot canyon that the Virgin River flows through. The depth of the river varies from ankle depth to waist depth. At certain times of the year, there is a risk of flash flooding that makes the Narrows very dangerous.

The entire Narrows hike is 9.4 miles from the trailhead, which is by the shuttle stop. After lunch I was pretty pumped for this hike, and I was so hot, I was ready to be walking in the cool water.

We also anticipated crowds on this hike, and we were not wrong. It was very crowded. I had heard that the crowds thinned after the first mile (after entering the water) so it was my goal to get beyond that point and just enjoy the environment.

The three children with us, were so happy to be playing in water. The five adults experienced a large learning curve in how to maneuver the slippery rocks and the cold rushing water. Prior to leaving for this trip, I purchased neoprene socks from Amazon and I found they provided a layer of protection against the cold water. We also had walking sticks that helped steady ourselves as we stepped carefully.

I knew I was exhausted. Every step was a chore. But I was also convinced to make it past the mile marker. At one point we found a bend and the kids enjoyed splashing. Meeghan and Jeremy decided to stop here and stay with the kids. Wayne and I sat about to keep walking. We took about 20 steps and I just stopped. My body hit the wall and just could not go any further. We had not even gotten a half mile into The Narrows.

We only spent 1 1/2 days at Zion. Ideally I would have like longer. We opted to not return on our last day in the area because we wanted to explore Bryce Canyon NP. In hindsight I would advise anyone going not to do The Narrows and Angel’s Landing in the same day.

Every great love story starts with a physical attraction. That pinboard on Pinterest is where my attraction to Zion NP started. Lust can grow into something deeper first attraction and hopefully become an attachment. I can say I am forever attached to Zion National Park. The park and it’s amazing hikes challenged me to a point I don’t let myself experience. I can honestly say I gave my all to that park and in return I was rewarded with amazing views, incredible experiences, and a changed view of my self.

I know that I am capable of doing difficult things. I know that I am stronger than I think I am. Every time I look over from my office desk and see that photo of my barely standing on the top of Angel’s Landing, I know that I can slay whatever I need to. I climbed Angel’s Landing for goodness sake.

February 10, 2020
Denver Colorado

There is something about the mile high city. Maybe it is from the years I spend living there. Or the friends that remain their. But I carry a piece of Denver in my heart everywhere I go.

In planning a Colorado vacation, I knew we needed to schedule a few days in Denver. I needed some friend time and there were just so many things I wanted to introduce my daughter to in the Denver metro area.

In 2018 we passed through Denver and stayed at Clear Creek RV Park in Golden. It was a nice park with full hookups right next to Clear Creek allowing us to hear the water all night long. But, we really found the traffic getting in an out of Clear Creek a real challenge. So, we decided to seek lodging elsewhere.

Through social media I knew that Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora came highly recommended. However, there were no openings when we went to book. I also knew of Golden Gate Canyon State Park, due west of Golden Colorado. But in the end, we chose to stay at Chatfield State Park, on the southern end of the metro area in Littleton. We chose this location for a few reasons: 1) we could secure a full hook up site, 2) it was close to our good friends home, and 3) it was virtually in my old stomping grounds.

We found Chatfield to be under a lot of construction but that was really not a problem for us, we used it as a base camp that allowed us to tour the metro area. Chatfield has three different loops: we were in D loop. One of the loops was a group camping loop and they honestly had the best group camping I have ever seen. Four sites were combined forming a square. Each square had a community pad in the middle with picnic tables and a water spigot. I decided if I ever own a campground I am making some of these group camping “pods”.

Our site was a paved pull through. We had a gravel patio with a campfire ring and a picnic table. When we arrived, everything was prestine. The campfire ring had been cleaned (there was no evidence of previous campfires). The gravel had been raked and showed no signs of any previous trash.

What to do in Denver/Metro Area

Really, there is anything and everything to do in the Denver metro area. We had more than enough time to fill our days. Whatever we did, we knew it would be with friends.

Our first activity was heading downtown to check out the new Denver Trolley. The Trolley begins at Confluence Park, right outside REI and takes riders past some of Denver’s highlights: Mile High Stadium, Children’s Museum, Denver Aquarium, and Elitch Gardens. The track is one way, so we had to stop and switch engines for the way back. The cost to ride the Denver Trolley was $5 per adult and children up to 4 to 13 were $2.

After the trolley we went to eat at Brider on Platte Street. We were joined by several of our friends: Leslie and Mark, Jackie, and Harry. Wayne and Mark ate in a hurry and decided to pop into two local breweries while we were in the area. So, while we finished eating and packing up, they checked out Denver Beer Co and Cerveceria Colorado. It was a warm and sunny day in Denver and it was nice just sitting back and enjoying a cold beer with friends., others must have thought that too as both places were very busy! Olivia enjoyed trying a variety of Mexican candy that Cerveceria had out and I tried fried crickets. Yes, I ate a cricket! And to be truthful, I actually ate more than one.

Later, on the second evening in Denver, Leslie and Mark were so gracious and hosted a backyard bbq for us in their new home. We were so luck to have our friends join us and even luckier that my dear cousin Sarah and her son came to visit with us. Leslie treated us to a great meal, Mark kept us all warm with a fire and we all enjoyed each others company. Their company was so food for my soul!

I have been to Red Rocks Amphitheater more times than I can count. I was even lucky enough to catch a Bon Jovi concert there back in my younger years. I am sure Leslie has been there just as many times as I have but we stopped by, on our way to Boulder, to introduce Red Rocks to Olivia. As expected, the crowd was a mix of tourist as well as folks out getting their fitness on. There was also set up for an evening concert so unfortunately for Olivia she could not stand on the stage. But, she got to run the stairs and she was pretty happy with that.

Our next stop was Boulder for the Celestial Seasonings Tea Tour. My girl has grown to love tea. I can’t explain it and I don’t really try. The bottom line is, she loves herself a good cup of tea so taking her to Celestial Seasonings in Boulder seemed like a no brainer. This tour was actually a first for Leslie and I. We struggled to find it but we ended up arriving at the perfect time, the next tour was about to begin. We were treated to samples of tea before the tour which set the stage to learn all about the company that started by hand sewing their muslin bags. We learned that all Celestial Seasoning teas are actually made from herbs so they are all caffeine free. We survived the peppermint room. And we bought more than our fair share of tea from the gift shop!

You would think that our tea lover would have gone home happy but Leslie had one more surprise for her. An actual visit to a teahouse in Boulder. And not just any teahouse. Leslie took us to Dushanbe Teahouse. Dushanbe Teahouse was built in Tajikistan and shipped to Boulder one piece at a time. The finished product is similar to the many teahouses in Central Asia and stands for peace and friendship. There was really no better place for a couple of longtime friends to enjoy brunch and spoil one little girl.

As we left Dushanbe we noticed a large crowd gathered in front of the teahouse. The extra crowded teahouse or parking lot, or even gated off roads maybe escaped our attention in all of our excitement. But the crowds of people caught our attention. Ending right in front of Dushanbe Teahouse was the Boulder Ironman. So, we were able to watch the winner cross the finish line to the excitement of his family and friends.

While we girls were off chasing tea leaves, the men were wetting line at Eldorado Springs near Eldorado Canyon State Park. The river was running hard and fast with the spring run off making fishing difficult. Mark, the more experienced Colorado trout fishermen, was able to coax a couple of more adventurous and hungry trout from their rocky hideouts where they were seeking shelter from the strong currents.

During the time that I lived in Denver, I worked in Golden, so the little town is one of my favorites. We found the men folk at Mountain Toad Brewery so I took advantage of the time to antique shop in downtown Golden. Several years ago, while visiting Leslie in Leadville Colorado I found beautiful purple glass. I learned that glass use to contain manganese and when exposed to sunlight the glass would turn from clear to purple. I purchased some antique purple glass but a child visiting my home broke my purple glass. So I scoured every antique shop in Golden with no success. (so, do I maybe see a return trip to Leadville in my future?)

The only thing we did not get accomplished that Olivia really wanted to do was visit Voodoo Doughnuts on east Colfax. So after leaving Denver to spend five days in the mountains I convinced my dear husband to stop by Voodoo on our way through Denver heading home. I researched, I found a parking lot a few blocks from Voodoo. We just needed to navigate our camper through the streets of downtown Denver.

All was going so well until the traffic got so heavy. Then the road we wanted to take was blocked off by police officers. So we were diverted to another road. Then the traffic stopped. And we sat in traffic for what seemed like forever. Then I started seeing rainbows. Everywhere. Rainbow balloons. Rainbow tutu’s. Rainbow t-shirts. My mind is racing. I quickly google “gay pride parade Denver”. The result was June 15. The exact date we were trying to visit Voodoo Doughnuts. So, here we were stuck in traffic because the pride parade was staging and starting across the road we were on. Then my mom called. And I explained to her how we were stuck pulling our 35 foot camper in the pride traffic two blocks from Voodoo. Wayne looked at me as he pulled it all together. Two blocks away. He then kicked Olivia and I out of the truck and told us to walk to Voodoo. He joked that of course we would know where to find him.

So, Olivia and I got out of the truck, walked to Voodoo, which was right on the path of the parade. We waited in line, snagged ourselves some Voodoo donuts and Wayne called. Denver Police halted the parade staging to let some of the traffic pass by. Wayne was forced to move forward. He found some random spot to park the camper but not knowing Denver, he had no idea where he was in relation to where we were.

Many blocks later, we found each other. And then we found a 35 foot camper which Wayne had illegally parked along York. We took our pink box full of yummy doughnuts and headed east towards home. Laughing the entire way about how we ended our Rocky Mountain vacation by taking our 35 foot camper to the Denver Pride festival.

January 12, 2020
Rocky Mountain National Park, Part Two The East Side

Hopefully you caught our first post about the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. This is the second post and it will focus on our visit to the east side of the park. Just to recap, we spent five days enjoying Rocky Mountain National Park in June 2019. We stayed on the west side at a resort called Winding River Resort.

Traveling between the east and west side you have to use Trail Ridge Road. The road is nearly 50 miles between the Grand Lake Entrance and the Estes Park entrance. Eleven miles of Trail Ridge Road is above the treeline so literally you are on top of the Rocky Mountains as you make the trip from one side to the next.

We were lucky during our visit that Trail Ridge Road was open. It shut down shortly after our visit due to snow storms. As we traveled the road to and from the east side, the roads still lined with walls of snow taller than our Ram 2500. The snow poles were sticking up serving as indicators for the snow plows to clear the roads. Old Fall River Road, another one way road from east to west RMNP was not open during our visit.

We stopped at the Alpine Visitor Center on our way over to the east side. We could not walk to the summit as it was closed due to snow. The views of the mountains from the alpine visitor center are just breathtaking.

After leaving the Alpine Visitor Center, we stopped and did the short Tundra Communities Trail. This trail is short, only a half mile one way trip. It was snow packed, slippery but we were able to watch marmots when we arrived at Roger Toll Memorial. We were also able to watch a group of people slide down the mountain off in a distance. Sledding down the tundra looked like so much fun until we realized what goes down must come go up. The up looked incredibly hard!

Near Beaver Meadows Entrance Station we pulled over and found two sets of picnic tables for our lunch. When visiting any national park, we have finally wizened up that bodies in motion need fuel. I can’t not tell you how many times we set off for an adventure to find ourselves under packed for food and water. We were prepared this time. We had ample lunch food and snack food. During lunch we were visited by magpie birds. We have been infatuated by magpies since we were first introduced to them in Yellowstone.

Next we headed off to the Bear Lake area but first we made a pit stop for some elk viewing. Many people I talk to come to RMNP just to see the elk and I can see why. They are beautiful, large creatures with impressive antlers. During our visit the antlers were still in velvet (which might be my personal favorite time to see them).

Before we reached Bear Lake, we found a service road that had river access. Wayne and Jackie decided to spend some time fishing. Olivia and I found an area of thick grass carpet next to the babbling river and we just spend the time resting and watching the beautiful white clouds pass us by. I am not sure how but I fell asleep in that spot even knowing we were lounging in areas that animals frequented. I am pretty sure we hiked to the spot from a game trail and not a planned hiking trail. I could also see grass/weeds smooched down indicating the space where a large animal themselves had rested. I am sure you all can tell from my photos that I were corrective eye-wear. A few years ago I invested in some prescription sunglasses. As I slept that afternoon in that sunny warm spot near the river, I lost my prescription glasses. I think they fell out of my pocket. Thankfully, I realized what had happened and the fishermen were agreeable to stop fishing and help me locate my missing glasses. Leave no trace, right?!

Wayne had been told by the rangers at Kawuneeche Visitor Center that the best fishing in the park at this time of the year would be at Dream Lake and Emerald Lake. Emerald Lake is the fourth lake in a chain of lakes each set about a half mile apart starting with Bear Lake. Both are deep enough that the trout can live through the winter. It just so happened this was also on my list of places to hike so it was easily a win-win.

When we arrived in the area we quickly assessed how crowded it was. We could not park at the Bear Lake Trailhead so we headed up to Glacier Basin park and ride and we rode the bus to Bear Lake. The first lake in the chain is Bear Lake. It is easy to access, hard packed dirt surface. The hike between Bear Lake and Nymph Lake was no joke. It is short, approximately a half mile but the elevation change was 225 feet. The surface became a little more challenging, rockier and less smooth. the trail was busy. We encountered a lot of people.

After Nymph Lake, we kept climbing to Dream Lake. The elevation change was 430 feet and we encountered so much snow! The trail was often covered with melting snow so as we would take a step the snow below our foot would give out and we would fall into snow up to our thighs. Poor Olivia was hiking in her Chaco’s and her poor feet were cold! In addition to just how cold and slippery the snow was, we also encountered an entire group of teens on a church trip. They were much faster and more daring that Olivia and I were so they just bolted past you on the trail. The distance between Nymph Lake and Dream Lake was only a half mile but that was the longest half mile!

We arrived at Dream Lake both cold and wet. Olivia and I sat and enjoyed the beautiful view of the lake and Hallett Peak standing above us (elevation of that peak is 12,713 feet). As Wayne and Jackie fished, Olivia and I just bird watched. No fish were caught at Dream Lake and from there we made a very important decision. We chatted with many hikers returning from Emerald Lake who told us that the snow covered trail continued. So, Olivia and I made the decision not to hike higher to Emerald Lake. We turned around knowing that the snow would be harder and more slick going down that it had been coming up. So, we found Olivia a sturdy walking stick to use and headed back. Wayne and Jackie caught back up with us right before we reached Bear Lake. We passed another family headed up between Nymph Lake and Bear Lake and Olivia passed her walking stick along to their daughter. She just looked at her and told her, “Here, you will want to have this very soon!”

The snow added a layer of intensity to the hike. We were all pretty exhausted by the time we made it back to the truck. We ate our snacks and headed back over to the west side of the park as the afternoon was turning into evening. We were well rewarded with our return to the west side of the mountain by several moose sightings before we reached our campground.

Nine days after we traveled over Trail Ridge Road, on the first official day of summer, park services had to close the road again due to winter conditions in higher elevations. It was closed for another five days before it reopened. We knew traveling the beginning of June was a gamble but we picked these dates to see the moose. We felt very lucky to have seen moose and traveled across the park using Trail Ridge Road.

I leave you, with the moose we saw upon our return to the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Everything about him, makes me smile and takes my breath away.

January 11, 2020
Rocky Mountain National Park, Part One The West Side

We have visited numerous national parks and I am always left wondering, “can a person ever spend enough time in such a place of wonder?”

We spent five days in Rocky Mountain National Park in June 2019. The second longest amount of time we have spent at any national park (Yellowstone remains the longest time we have spent). And I still walk away knowing that we failed to cover so very much. The only saving grace for me is I know Rocky Mountain National Park is a park we can and will easily re-visit.

East vs. West

We stayed on the west side of the park at Winding River Resort so the majority of our activities seemed to be on that side. I have no scientific research but it feels to me that the majority of visitors to Rocky Mountain Park enter from the east side, through Estes Park. I know when we went over to the east side it seemed more crowded. I can say that the west side of the park is home to moose and that is the primary reason for our visit. Today’s post is about our experiences on the west side.

West Side

We started our time on the west side at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center where we were given advice on hiking trails and fishing. We selected an easy hike, the North Inlet Trail. Wildlife sightings is what we sought and what we sought advice from the rangers on. Well, wildlife sightings is what we found. We saw marmot, deer, snakes, and even moose. We hiked the North Inlet Trail about 1 1/2 miles when we noticed how late it was getting to be. Afternoon had left and we were approaching evening when we turned around to hike towards home. We never made it to Cascade Falls (it was another 2 miles further). Our most memorable moment on this trail was when we noticed three bull moose staring down on us from above the trail. We attempted to pass them by walking softly forward. However, the moose had other plans as they started running down the hill straight for the trail. So, we decided to quietly but quickly back up just trying to create as much space as possible. The moose crossed the trail and started feasting on the marsh side of the trail and then the three moose started getting aggressive with each other! We were treated to such an amazing show on our first night but we did decide we had seen too much excitement and quickly maximized the diversion to get out of that area!

Our second hike on the west side was the East Inlet Trail. My dear friend Harry came to visit us from Denver and after we enjoyed a great lunch at the local Snack Shack we took off hiking to Adams Falls and beyond. The trail to Adams Falls was a bit crowded. A lot of people turned around and returned after the falls but we kept going. We ran into a group of artist painting in a clearing. I have never been an artistic type but those women on that day inspired me to come home and purchase watercolors. I have yet to take them hiking with me but I still think that is in my future.

We headed to Coyote Valley Trailhead for dual purpose. Wayne and Jackie (who joined us for part of our trip) set out to flyfish while Olivia and I hiked from Coyote Valley Trailhead to Bowen/Baker Trailhead. Olivia and I started off on a defined trail and them we ended up on a different type of trail. Maybe it was a social trail or a game trail? I am not sure but we soon found ourselves wondering through trees, meadows, and crossing the Colorado River four or five different times. As we hiked, the fisherman were working their own way up and down the Colorado River. Olivia and I spied more moose and Wayne and Jackie did catch wild trout.

Bowen Gulch to Never Summer Wilderness was our final hike on the west side of the park. Never Summer Wilderness is actually not in the national park but it is in the Arapaho National Forest. We hiked the trail toward Parika Lake for a few miles before turning around and heading back. While the environment seemed likely for wild animal sightings we did not have any on this trail.

Overall, the river was full from spring thaw. The water was running swiftly. Jackie, Wayne, and eventually my cousin Dennis had a great time attempting to catch trout. They had enough luck to consider it a successful trip.

We started completing and collecting Junior Ranger Badges years ago when we first started visiting national parks. This visit was no different. Olivia completed her program and visited the Kawuneeche Visitor Center to get sworn in. These visits are always fun, the rangers take valuable time away from their other duties to make each child feel special. They each vary slightly based on the rangers individual personality. At Rocky Mountain National Park, the ranger took her own hat off and put it on Olivia’s head! It was a wonderful moment. But as different as each one is, they also share something very similar. They inspire the kids and adults alike to be better, to do better, and to protect more. I am thankful she has not grown out of this.

The west side of the park met every expectation that we had. We had more moose sightings than I could ever write about. We went hoping to see one moose and came home seeing dozens of moose. In fact, in our feature photo, the one of us in front of the Rocky Mountain National Park sign, a moose was walking out of the trees and walking directly to us. We had one eye on the camera and one on the moose just to see what his next steps were going to be.

Come back later and check out our east side activities.

January 9, 2020
Winding River Resort, Grand Lake Colorado
Colorado has so many amazing options for camping that selecting the right spot can be a challenge. To help us whittle it down we started listing the non-negotiable we wanted in a Colorado vacation:
- mountain views
- mountain lakes
- hiking
- fishing
- moose
Moose? Yes, moose. We knew the first four items on our list would be easy low hanging fruit to grab but moose; in Colorado? Everyone we talked to told us about elk in Colorado. Even some big horned sheep. But, not so much chatter about moose.

As we started our research. I found an article online that talked about the increase in moose population in Colorado specifically in an area near Grand County. The Kawuneeche Valley is suppose to be home to a significant moose population. So that lead me to brainstorming with my dear friend, Leslie, who lives in Colorado. I asked her if she felt I could see moose in Colorado and she clued me into Winding River Resort in Grand Lake Colorado. Leslie told me that she had a friend who visits Winding River regularly and she always has photos of moose encounters.

We learned that Winding River Resort is a few short feet away from Rocky Mountain National Park (you can literally walk into the park from the resort) and equally close to the Arapaho National Forrest. On the grounds of the resort is a ATV rental shop. Within a few short miles away are three mountain lakes: Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Lake and Lake Granby. There are other smaller alpine lakes in the national park as well. The icing on the cake for us, was Winding River Resort offered us full hook-ups.

Booking:

Booking at Winding River Resort was easy as a phone call to the resort. I explained to the reservation taker that my goal of seeing a moose. She explained that the moose enter the resort in the back by the staff area so she was going to put me as close to them as she could. A quick look at the campground map also showed that we were right next to a lily pond. Perfect!

Our dates:

We planned to spend an entire week at Winding River Resort; June 10th to June 16, 2019. We were in spot 93. Our rate was $60/night but we did have to pay an extra $10 child fee.

Getting There:

To arrive at Winding River Resort from Denver, we had two options. Option 1: Travel north in I25 and take our 35 foot camper through Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. Option 2: Take I-70 west 40 Highway north through Berthoud Pass and Winter Park. Trail Ridge Road is a 48 miles stretch of road from the east side to the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. It reaches elevations near 11,500 with a grade between 5% and 7%. Trail Ridge Road is narrow, with minimal shoulder and pullouts. Weather conditions on Trail Ridge Road change quickly.

Berthoud Pass is also a mountain pass that reaches elevations near 11,300 and steep grades (6%). We also found wide lanes, with well established shoulders. The biggest difference between the two passes is the traffic. Trail Ridge Road is in the park and is a huge tourist draw. So, we opted to take Option 2 and travel Berthoud Pass while pulling our camper.

Finding Winding River Resort was actually very easy. Just north of Grand Lake, Colorado a quaint mountain town with a population under 500 residents. Almost directly across from the Kawuneeche Visitor Center of Rocky Mountain National Park right off highway 34 was county road 491. A mile down the road, across a little bridge, was Winding River Resort, right on the banks of the Colorado River.

Upon arrival, we found a cute sprawling resort. We were welcomed to the ranch by the horses that call the stables their home, just to the left of the entrance. We checked in a the general store/office just to the right of the entrance. We were surrounded by evergreen trees and mountains. Our first impression of the resort; we had found a piece of Colorado heaven. We easily found our site, which was a dirt site that backed up to the Wapiti Lilly Pond (which we were so excited to find actually had water and lilly pads during our visit). We were a little disappointed to find out that our neighbors had parked their RV a little caddywhompus which caused us to be a little askew. Thankfully the resort staff, problem solved and helped us get into our site.

Our first Moose sighting happened after we had been on the property less than 10 minutes. We checked in, drove to our site, quickly assessed that our site was odd (thanks to said neighbors mentioned above), drove back up front to request help, and as we drove back to our site to wait for assistance, we passed by the lilly pond a second time in a matter of minutes. There, in the Lilly Pond was a yearling female moose munching away. We quickly named her Lilly and we would learn that she visited the Lilly Pond every single day during our visit. Gosh, and I was worried about seeing a moose. Goal met in less than an hour!

After setting up our camp, we headed to the Kawuneeche Visitor Center. We have found that asking Park Rangers for hiking and fishing recommendations usually pays off. The Rangers recommended a hike called the North Inlet Trail which actually started in Grand Lake. The Rangers told us that moose sightings had been reported around dusk on this trail.

We managed to find two moose on our first hike, both were a field and a river away but we were able to respectfully visit them. As we were hiking back to our vehicle, I was leaving our first day very happy. Three moose sightings in one afternoon! This vacation, this location, was better than I ever could have imagined. As we walked back, a tad after dusk I suddenly became weary of predators watching us. Moose were not the only animals in the area and my husband, who was hiking behind me, kept stopping which kept putting me up front alone. Just as I turned to “school” him on proper mountain lion safety, I looked up and found a large bull moose staring down at me. Seriously, I about peed myself! But there was no time for such things because as soon as I caught my breath at stumbling onto a bull moose, I realized he was not alone. There was not one but three bulls directly above us!

The rest of our time at Winding River Resort, was just as idealistic as our first day. Every day we experienced moose. And elk. My favorite experience was waking up early to find our campground full of moose. My cousin had gotten up early to walk his dog and found a huge surprise, moose everywhere. Thankfully he came and immediately woke me up so I too could experience it. We learned during our vacation that moose strongly dislike dogs. It is in their DNA from years of fighting off the cousin of the dog; the wolf. That morning as the moose were running free around camp, I just kept thinking our being there all started with my cousin out walking his dog and coming up on a random moose out grabbing a morning bite to eat. Our week at Winding River Resort was nothing short of perfect. It was the best balance of activity and relaxation. We enjoyed quiet time and we also had moments where we were joined by friends. Besides my cousin, who moved to Riverton Wyoming joining us, we were also visited by our dearest friends Jackie and Harry. Harry loves Grand Lake and loved driving up from Denver to spend the day having lunch at the Snack Shack on the lake and hiking to Adams Falls.

We rented a Razor from On The Trail Rentals, which we were very satisfied with. We got lucky as On The Trail opened for summer rental on June 15, which happened to fall on our last full day at the Resort. We took the Razor and spent an afternoon exploring Arapaho National Forrest which is adjacent to the resort. During our rental time, we learned a lot from my cousin about dry camping on public land and we were able to see numerous camping sites full of boondockers.

We spent a great deal of time wondering around the town of Grand Lake. Whether you are visiting in the summer or winter, this town is a mecca of outdoor activities. We enjoyed ice cream at one of the ice cream shops. We found the locals to be friendly, engaging, and so willing to share their beautiful home with us. We enjoyed shopping in all of the downtown shops. We were even able to find a pizza restaurant/bar (The White Buffalo) to watch The St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup.

The Short Chic and her daddy even braved the frigid cold water of Grand Lake to SUP. We warned The Short Chic over and over again about how cold the water was but she was convinced she was not going to fall in. Wayne, on the other hand, was positive he was going to fall in. I am happy to say he never fell in and unfortunately, after 50 some minutes of perfect SUPing, The Short Chic did fall into that water. I have never seen someone fall in and jump out of the water faster than she did!

After consulting with Park Rangers and the owners of Kirks Flyshop, Wayne spent several days wetting fly line in streams and lakes in the area. Unfortunately, we were on vacation and visiting during the summer run-off so the rivers were running high and fast and the alpine lakes were still pretty frozen. Thankfully, he learned how to manage the water and was still successful at catching fish. This is a huge accomplishment for him as we come from an area that mostly has stocked rivers and catching a wild trout is something to send a post card home to Dad about!

Winding River Resort had several amenities that deserve to be highlighted even if we did not partake in them. First of all, this is a campground that allows campers and non-campers to spend time together. They have cabins for rent as well as pioneer covered wagon! They have equestrian sites; full hook up sites that come with a small corral for your horse. Many of the other campers we saw, bring their fun with them to Winding River Resort, that “fun” maybe ATVs or they may be horses, or fishing rods in our case.

Horses are a big deal at Winding River. You can bring yours or rent one of theirs. They have organized trail rides, pony rides, hay rides, and even sleigh rides in the winter. They have chuck wagon dinners and chuck wagon pancake breakfast, ice cream socials, square dancing, and even Cowboy Church. We spent time walking around the Animal Farm playing with all the baby farm animals. If organized activities are not your thing, there is pickleball, basketball, frisbee golf, volleyball, horseshoes are all available on the property for your enjoyment. Oh yeah, let’s not forget that the Colorado River is right behind the Animal Farm.

Every minute we were in Colorado at Winding River Resort and every minute we spent driving home from our Colorado we just kept saying to ourselves, “wow, that was amazing.” We selected this place in hopes of seeing a moose. I had no idea or expectation that we would see as many moose as we did.

I hope if you are looking for a Colorado adventure that is a little bit quieter and a little (a lot) less crowded than say…Estes Park…we hope you will consider booking a stay at Winding River Resort.
December 20, 2019
Mesa Verde National Park
I love the idea of staying in a National Park. I love the idea of waking up before the park gets busy, grabbing that moment of solitude inside a national treasure, or staying up late to hear the animals and see the dark skies long after the crowds move on for the day. But if I am honest with you; I am spoiled. I love my electrical sites and I love my life more when I have easy access to water. There I said it. So, because of this, I find taking my camper to national parks somewhat challenging. I have a large camper and it does not always fit in the spaces available.

When we decided to visit Mesa Verde National Park I was most excited to see that they have a small number of full hookup RV sites at Morefield Campground. With early planning, we were able to secure three of the 15 full hookup sites for our visit.

We arrived at Mesa Verde after a short (less than 4 hour) drive along Colorado Highway 160 from Alamosa. Upon arriving at Mesa Verde our daughter had the experience of actually using her Every Child in the Park pass and taking us to a National Park.

We spent two nights and roughly three jammed packed days inside the park. We had a nice balance of some relaxing time, some hiking, and some exploring of ancient communities.

Morefield Campground:

Staying at Morefield Campground was everything I had always knew staying inside the park would be. It was peaceful, there were breathtaking views, and intimate animal encounters. I felt like we were some place special from the moment we arrived. The sites were spacious and had grass, shrubs, and trees, the exact opposite of what we experienced in Yellowstone at Fishing Bridge.

One funny thing about our site at Mesa Verde, the sewer connection was uphill from our camper. We were a little “worried” because we all know stuff rolls down hill and not uphill. We established a back up plan: use the holding tanks and the dump station at the bottom of the campground. But since we were only there for two nights, we managed.

Nightly there were Ranger Lead Programs in the campgrounds although we never attended any of these. By the time we reached our campers at the end of the evening, we were worn out and ready for bed.

Hiking:

One of my favorite vacation activities is hiking. Mesa Verde National Park has several different hiking options. Their hiking trails seem to be batched by area and there are three different areas: Morefield Campground has three trailheads, Chapin Mesa has four trailheads, and Wetherill Mesa has two trailheads. We elected to hike the Petroglyph Point Trail from the Chapin Mesa area.

The Petroglyph Point Trail is a 2.4 mile loop that takes you past a large petroglyph panel as well as evidence of ancient Pueblo homes. We found the trail challenging, which was a level of fun for everyone in our group. The age ranges of our group varied from 7 to 65 years old.

Tours:

Mesa Verde is most known for their Ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings so if you are visiting this national park, planning to visit the dwellings is a very important part of the experience. There are two ways to see the cliff dwellings: a ranger led tour and the self-guided tour. We did a combination of both. We were able to do self-guided tour to see Spruce House, the third largest cliff dwelling and best preserved, from the Chapin Mesa Visitor Center. Currently there are not any tours to Spruce House so seeing it from afar will have to suffice.

We purchased tickets to tour both the Balcony House and Cliff Palace. Tickets were $5 per person and we purchased our tickets the night before at the ranger station by Morefield Campground.

I, personally, had a lot of anxiety about taking the two tours and visiting Balcony House and Cliff Palace. The park brochure gave fair warning to visit the dwelling you would climb multiple ladders, of various sizes (8 to 10 feet long, 32 foot long, and up to 60 feet long) making a verticle ascent of 100 feetup exposed cliff face, crawling through a tiny tunnel, and using a series of stone steps.

I do not like ladders! Can I even fit into a tiny tunnel? And… what was it about exposed cliff faces? OH MY GOODNESS! I tried very hard not to show it, but these were the questions running through my head all day long.

We toured Balcony House first and as I stood at the base of that large 60 foot ladder my heart pounded. We had to ascend it two by two and I found myself with Meeghan’s husband, Mr. Calm Cool and Collected. The guide told us that we just needed to keep three points of contact with the ladder at all times, which I repeated over and over all the way up the ladder. Maybe I even said it outloud. This is probably why Mr. Calm kept looking at me like “I can’t believe I got paired up with this crazy lady!”

As freaked out as I was, with as much anxiety as I entered touring these dwellings with, it all melted away. I challenged myself and I felt the growth because of it. Isn’t that what a vacation is about? Stepping outside your normal routine and doing something new. For me, it is and I find that I return from my travels a little stronger than I was before.

I found out the ladders were super sturdy. They were no were near as wobbly at the ladders we use at home to hang Christmas lights. You know the ones you threaten your children with their lives if they leave the bottom rung while you are on it. (Oh wait, maybe that is just me?) As far as the tunnel, well it was tight, but we all made it, and maybe had fun doing so. The tour guides (park rangers) are pretty specific about not touching the walls of the dwellings as it will leave oils on the rock. So, we did a great job of balancing and I am happy to say, no one fell off the cliff face.

The tours are well attended. They are quick, you only spend about an hour on each tour, but we learned a lot about kiva’s, corn, and the Puebloan people. It is amazing to see dwellings that have been around for centuries still standing (yes, some of them may have had a little help being rehabbed but who does not need a face lift after a few hundred years).

As we would soon learn, this National Park is alive and exciting but most of that excitement is below the canyon. If you are willing to take a walk, descend down the canyon you are going to see some amazing things.

Mesa Verde was a joy to visit. We crammed a lot into the three days and two nights we were there. To recap our trip we:
1. Stayed at Morefield campground
2. Toured Balcony and Cliff Palace
3. Obtained Junior Ranger Badges
4. Hiked the Petroglyph Trail
5. Learned a lot about Puebloan history and the plants they harvested.
In case you have been following along, this stop was the third stop on the Betty and Roxy Desert Vacation of 2018.
July 20, 2019
Great Sand Dune National Park and Base Camp Family Campground

The Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado was our first real stop on the Desert Vacation of 2018. I had be*en to this park once before, twenty some years ago and in reflection, it seemed as if I missed something. So, back we went for one night, a pit stop, a stretch break on our way to some other place.

We had desired to stay at Great Sand Dunes Oasis, a full hookup campground, just a few feet from the entrance. Even though our travel dates seemed inconspicuous, last year we juggled Memorial Day Weekend, we soon learned about Medano Creek. Once a year, Medano Creek swells from the spring thaw. Locals and tourist love to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park during this time to play in the water and see firsthand how those amazing sand dunes exist in the middle of Colorado.

So, with Great Sand Dune Oasis full, we began searching for another campground. We ended up landing at Base Camp Family Campground outside of Alamosa and 27 miles to The Great Sand Dune National Park.

The Great Sand Dune National Park

After dropping the campers off at the campground, we drove over to the national park. booklets ahead of time but we were not able to do that for this park. So, the first thing we did was obtain our Junior Ranger badges. Next we set about to do some sand hiking.

I learned a few things during my time at Great Sand Dunes National Park. First of all, I learned that hiking in the sand is hard work! The ground moves, the sand gets in your shoes making walking difficult, if you take your shoes off, the sand is hot and prickly making walking difficult. So basically walking is difficult in the sand.

Second thing I learned, when the wind blows and the sand is being blown all over you are get pelted. Imagine a full body microderm abrasion facial. And, the wind does blow at The Great Sand Dune National Park. Like, it blows a lot, Which is another key factor in why there is sand dunes in the middle of Colorado.

Third thing I learned, sandsledding is a popular sport in the Dunes. But you must have a special type off board and it is important to rent a board before you find yourself standing on a dune wondering where everyone got their boards.

Fourth, I decided I was too out of shape to be walking around the dunes. We hiked to a nearby “hill” and played around. I thought for a few minutes about trying to hike more hills but I called uncle and my dear husband and I started heading back to the truck.

During our time on the dunes we did notice haze all around us. We later learned that wild fires were blazing around us. To our south, areas of New Mexico were on fire as well as to the west of us, areas north of Durango were on fire. We are accustom to watching for thunderstorms, tornado’s, and hail storms but wildfires was new to us. You can see the haze in the photo below.

San Luis Lakes State Parks And Wildlife Area

On our way back to Base Camp Family Campground we noticed signs for a state park so we took a detour and did some extra exploring. The water seemed low to us but we have no comparison.

Base Camp Family Campground

We arrived early in the afternoon, shortly after check in at 1:00 p.m. We were assigned three spaces in a row, sites 11, 12, and 13, all of which were giant pull through sites. Ya’ll, when I say giant I am telling you for a private campground these sites were unbelievable.

After exploring, we returned to find the campground had filled up. Several families we saw on the dunes were now camping by us. Funny story, as we waited in the parking lot for all our group to finish exploring the dunes, this family walked by our parked truck and one of the kids randomly hit their head on our tow mirrors. Their momma, reached up and swatted her head for not paying attention. As a social worker it caught my eye. As a mother it caught my eye, there was not a moment that the momma asked if her child was okay before swatting them for not paying attention. As the owner of the truck, I just snickered. When we arrived back at camp, what would be the odds that this family was now tent camping just a few feet from our RV!

The afternoon winds settled and we enjoyed chicken tacos for dinner. We built a fire and settled in to experience a night under a dark sky. We were recommended to catch the sunset behind the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The name translated to English means Blood of Christ, and it is commonly believed the name originates from the alpenglow that occurs at sunset. We only had one night in this location, and we had already experienced the impact of wildfire, so I am not sure if it was the best sunset the area had to offer. But, for a girl from the Midwest, who was camping in sand for the first time ever, it was a memorable night!

April 23, 2019