Rocky Mountains National Park’s Old Fall River Road traverses 11 scenic miles from the valley floor to alpine heights. Built back in 1920, this road was early visitors automobile introduction to Rock Mountain National Park. Since its creation, the paved Trail Ridge Road has become the parks main thoroughfare. Yet, Old Fall River Road remains a scenic back road through the park, bypassing much of the congestion and chaos of the popular paved alternative.
Driving the Shafer Trail between Canyonlands National Park and Moab is absolutely hair raising. The descent from the park's visitors center to the canyon floor is a heart stopping collection of narrow switchbacks. Better yet, the narrow trail is flanked by a sheer, 1,000-foot cliff on one side and a rock wall on the other. And if that is not enough disincentive, there is little between you and a precipitous drop other than a few tenacious sage brush.
The Rimrocker Trail is an off-road and OHV route from Montrose, Colorado to Moab, Utah. The trail traverses terrain from pine and aspen forests to rolling hills of sage and cactus. The road condition varies from regularly graded gravel to rutted dirt roads and one high water crossing. The trail winds through federal and private land so be conscious of signs along the road when selecting a campsite or taking side adventures on other trails.
Among the pines and aspen trees, off a bustling gravel forest road, on the far outskirts of Montrose, Colorado, and absolutely free, the Iron Spring Campground is an wonderful surprise.
We have been through Kansas before, but only in transit to other places. We stopped by Monument Rocks in 2016. But that is about it. This time, we visit another of Kansas’s 8 wonders: the Strataca Salt Mines. While, above ground, this region seems as unremarkable as most - wide flat farm land cut by railway tracks - the town of Hutchinson has hidden depths.
There are many ways to explore Mesa Verde, be it by car, hiking trail, or guided tour. Like many National Parks, Mesa Verde boasts a dramatic scenic route with numerous vista pullouts and interpretive displays. Even visitors with severely limited time can enjoy a quick taste of the park by driving the Mesa Top Loop to wet their appetite for a longer visit. Hiking trails across the park highlight not only the remarkable structures in the park but the beautiful landscape.
I got elevation sickness. And it’s not as if I only did one thing wrong. So let me walk you through all the ridiculous mistakes I made so that, maybe, you can avoid the same fate.
Some people have the roof space on their vehicle to have a rack to carry kayaks. Aside from our roof being prohibitively tall, we also intend to mount solar panels on the roof. So, if we want to travel with our equipment to explore the water, we need something small enough to fit inside our rig.
Many mines languish after mining has ceased. Louisville Crushed Stone gained a new lease on life when it became the Louisville Mega Cavern, hosting a tour, ropes course, zip lines, and other activities all in the former mine's cavernous rooms.
It was National Dog Rescue Day. We didn't know that when we saw the small, adolescent pup wandering the parkway for the second time that day. Earlier, we thought: someone will know what to do with the guy. But now it is evening and the dog is still wandering dangerously close to the road.