Rocky Mountain National Park area 7/6 - 7/9/2016

Short trip to Indian Peaks Wilderness returning through Rocky Mountain National Park

The best way to get a good site is to arrive mid afternoon not on a Friday or Saturday--and have a Senior Parks Pass

Our personal shore line shows the result of being down wind on big Granby Reservoir.  Dirty water from wave caused bank erosion.

Nesting Osprey are common in Colorado.  Kayaking on Monarch Lake I see one dive from about 70 feet, straight down and hit the water like a rock--no catch.

Less common, a juvenile Long Eared Owl, one of four making sounds like lost kittens in our campground in the evening.

Just southeast of Granby Res. is Monarch Lake.  Small but providing great paddling and a fine loop trail.

Plenty of hiking options

Bridge over Cascade Creek, one of 2 that supply Monarch Lake & Granby

We're always on the lookout for these.

How the hell do these things wind up trail side?

Our on line recommended, in the "Top 10 Wildflower Hikes in Colorado" is the East Inlet from the east end of Grand Lake...great trail.

Fine waterfall on East Inlet Creek

But, no wildflowers, lots of dead trees and hoards of hikers in the 1st mile.

The next day we hike the Doe Creek Trail.  Only 1 car in the parking lot.  From Minnesota and we meet them on the trail.  And, plenty of wildflowers.

Dead trees everywhere in this part of Colorado.  Here they've cut down most of the dead ones.  Probably fire prevention.  A lot of work when you think about dragging around a chain saw and cutting a fairly dense stand of trees.

We avoid crowds in Rocky Mountain National Park by taking this little used trail.

"Emergency conditions" appear to be just lack of maintenance.

OK, ok......

Come to mama, my little sweethearts

Not sure how much this big boy is getting paid but he's doing his job at the top of Trail Ridge Road.

Start of fire north of Nederland on our way back to CS.