Oftentimes my visits to Estes Park, CO look something like this. My hands full of Grandma's Mountain Cookies. And this story is no exception. Except that we got some fitness first.
Did you know that there are sites where people review trails and hikes? They give them ratings, just like you would a restaurant on Yelp or a book on Amazon. In my brief research, I read about Gem Lake. It was 1.8 miles each way and rated as moderate. You don't have to enter Rocky Mountain National Park to get to the trail head - there's free parking in the lot just a few miles outside of Estes.
It's a people only trail. No dogs. No horses. Although it is a lot of uphill climbing - the trail was full of families making their way up to the lake - a small, shallow, clear lake, perfect for splashing around after a picnic lunch. If little kids can do it, so can I.
Here's the hike in photos. If I haven't mentioned it recently, I love Colorado. Because this can happen on a random Saturday morning.
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| Baby pine cones! |
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| Hi Gem Lake! |
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| Very bold you are, Mr. Chipmunk |
Have you been on a good hike recently? Where did you go?
The picture of Gem lake is stunning! Is Colorado quite diverse with landscapes?
ReplyDeleteIt's a mix of high plains on the east and west and then mountains and an alpine climate in the middle. What we don't have is a large body of water. Just some rivers and smaller lakes. It is beautiful!
DeleteThat cookie looks awesome! I hike anywhere that my dog is allowed to come with me! I'm blogging about my dog-hiking adventures around Wisconsin and we're currently tackling segments of the Ice Age Trail as time allows.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hikingwithheather.blogspot.com
When I moved to Colorado I got a Hiking with Dogs book which was great because almost all the trails had water along the route. I'm going to hop over to your blog to check it out!
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