Posts tagged colorado
Red Rock Scrambling in Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs, CO)
Red Rock Scrambling in Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs, CO)

We’re rounding out the blog posts about my trip to Colorado last spring with my first visit to Garden of the Gods. The park was originally privately owned and upon the death of Charles Elliot Perkins in 1909, much of his land was donated to the city of Colorado Springs to establish this free public park. There are several notable rock formations here, as well as layered sedimentary rock that has been upheaved into striking spines by the mountain-building forces that shaped the Rockies.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzhike, hiking, colorado, colorado springs, garden of the gods, siamese twins, praying handsComment
Snow-Capped Mountains at Emerald Lake (Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado)
Snow-Capped Mountains at Emerald Lake (Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado)

We began the trip with a drive out to Rocky Mountain National Park. The last time I visited RMNP was in January when everything was well and truly frozen and snow-packed, so I was hoping things would be a little more thawed in April. We opted to try Emerald Lake, an easier 3.5-mile loop to an alpine lake nestled in the heart of the mountains. We were hoping that the lake wouldn’t be frozen despite the promise of snow lingering on the ground.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzcolorado, Rocky Mountain national park, emerald lake, alpine lake, hike, hiking, longs peak, hallett peak, flattop mountain, denver, elkComment
Paleontologist Dreams at Dinosaur National Monument, Utah & Colorado
Paleontologist Dreams at Dinosaur National Monument, Utah & Colorado

Ever since I was little, I’ve always loved dinosaurs. For a long time, it was my dream to be Dr. Alan Grant from Jurassic Park. I was obsessed with t.v. shows like Prehistoric Park and Primeval. And though I’ve given up on my dream of being a paleontologist, I will still search out all things dinosaur. Colorado happens to be an amazing place for dinosaur-hunting, with Dinosaur Ridge in Denver being one of the coolest. So when I saw on the map that we could go right by Dinosaur National Monument on our return trip to Denver from Salt Lake City, I immediately implored my friend and husband to take the opportunity.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzdinosaur national monument, national park, utah, colorado, jensen, quarry visitor center, exhibit hall, fossils, bones, swelter shelter petroglyphs, fremont, plug hat butteComment
Mountains, Wildflowers, & Waterfalls: Diamond Lake (Nederland, Colorado)
Mountains, Wildflowers, & Waterfalls: Diamond Lake (Nederland, Colorado)

In early August of 2021, I had the opportunity to visit Colorado during the warmer months for the first time. One of my best friends lived in Denver at the time, and Ryan and I squeezed in a short visit before my fall semester began. Last time I was here was January, so everything was covered in snow, but on this trip, we were blessed with perfect warm weather and sunshine for our alpine lake hike.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzcolorado, nederland, denver, hike, hiking, mountain, waterfall, wildflowers, diamond lake, trail, alpine lakeComment
A Winter Hike to Ouzel Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park (Allenspark, Colorado)
A Winter Hike to Ouzel Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park (Allenspark, Colorado)

In the winter, RMNP (like other national parks that receive heavy snowfall) closes many of its roads, limiting the access points to trailheads. Additionally, it’s important to check the NPS website daily before your trip because Colorado is prone to wildfires, which can further restrict trail availability. Based on the sections of the park closed due to a wildfire, winter access, and our lack of desire to wake up incredibly early for a 10 mile hike, we settled on Ouzel Falls in the southeast part of the park.

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Hiking, TravelHannah SchultzRocky Mountain national park, ouzel falls, wild basin, winter hiking, hike, colorado, allenspark, waterfallComment