Loveland , CO - The Devil's Backbone, Ft. Collins - Horsetooth Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park

We arrived in Loveland, Colorado on a beautiful sunny day and parked ourselves at the bottom of Big Thompson Canyon in Riverview RV Park. We were centrally located to visit friends in Boulder, Arvada, and Ft. Collins.

Our first adventure was a 4.4 mile hike on the Devils Backbone Nature Trail. The top of the ridge is a geologic feature resembling a dinosaur's spine.

We began our hike along a wide valley floor gradually climbing as we went.

In the valley there are miles of mountain biking trails that run from Loveland to Ft. Collins

Lynda leading the way up to the Devil's Backbone

We got to the top of the ridge where we found a window looking west toward Rocky Mountain National Park and more of the Backbone heading south.

There's a Sphinx at the top of the ridge.















At the end of the trail we found some Painted Ladies enjoying the sun.

It was a beautiful hike but needless to say we flatlanders were beat after our first exercise at almost 5000'.

Up next, Horseteeth?

Our friend Heather, a Jersey transplant to Ft. Collins, suggested a hike at Horsetooth Falls in the foothills west of Ft. Collins. It's listed as a moderate 3 mile hike but, again, it felt like Mt Everest to us.

Views from the trail were spectacular

The falls, however, ended up being a dud...uh, drip

At the top of the "falls" was a cool balancing rock

As we were hiking out we noticed an approaching weather change. I'm glad it wasn't moving faster 'cause we were moving really slow at that point.

This was a cool place with some long challenging hikes but our lungs just wouldn't keep up. I guess we have to keep working to get acclimated.

RMNP - Rocky Mountain National Park. The place where Lynda and I did our "self" wedding 9 years ago. We took a wander up Big Thompson Canyon into Estes Park where we went in search of our honeymoon spot. After we married ourselves in the park we went looking for a place to stay on a very busy weekend in Estes Park. After a number of  "sorry, no vacancies" we were directed to some fishing camps near the Sheep Meadow entrance to the park. Long story short, we landed at the Castle Mountain Lodge where the only room available was....the Honeymoon Suite!
It was fun reliving those moments, checking out the lodge and "our room".

"Our" room

The deck

After reminiscing a bit we headed up the road into RMNP. The weather was nice and the Aspens were starting to show off their colors.

Sheep Meadow with Trail Ridge Road winding its way up the side of the mountain.

As we got higher on the road the weather closed in and the temperature dropped dramatically.

We caught a brief glimpse of the top of Trail Ridge Road before it disappeared into the clouds and flurries. Yes, I said flurries!

Next stop....further west....someplace
Until then...