Where would you go in Colorado on June 20?

[jdavis]

Probably going to be attending a conference in Denver around June 20 - and want to sneak in some hikes for some landscape photography.

I assume the high alpine areas will still be snowbound, and it's too early for wildflowers - so where would you recommend I go?

Looking for great landscapes in their prime in mid-late June!

[windpointphoto]

Rocky Mountain National Park.

[Hollis]

Oh my God Road through nevadaville/central city/blackhawk

or

Dallas Divide

[windpointphoto]

Oh my God Road through nevadaville/central city/blackhawk

or

Dallas Divide

Unless it's changed, I last drove it in 1992, this is not a road in June in a car. RMNP is paved, plowed and clean in mid June. It's an easy drive from Denver. Go via Ft Collins to Estes Park. The drive through the canyon is stunning. There are more picture taking opportunities available in the park then can ever be made.

[Keith Pitman]

The east (Estes Park) side of RMNP is very crowded in the summer. If you want a little solitude, go to the west side (Grand Lake).

[mrladewig]

Bring waterproof/goretex boots with gators at that time of year. There is going to be some snow around just about anywhere you travel and the trails often have some water running in them.

Of course Rocky Mountain National Park has lots of great options. If you want fewer crowds head down to the wild basin area. There might even be some orchids blooming in that area though I think its a bit late. If you're in Estes Park with some time, stop by Morning Light Gallery by Erik Stensland. He's a nice fellow.

I would recommend St Mary's Glacier, Mt. Evans and Loveland Pass, all roughly 1 hour driving. All three are closer to Denver than Rocky Mountain Park (2 hours). If you have a 4wd/somewhat high clearance rental, I'd specifically recommend Fall River Reservoir for early morning. There may be a snow drift about 1/4 mile from the lake at that time, but the lake is nice and trails go around the back to 3 higher lakes.

Also Colorado Springs has several good opportunities for hiking and photography and is only an hour-ish from central Denver. Garden of the Gods and Cheyenne Canyon parks are some of my favorites and around June 20 both will be nice and green. Along those same lines in the Denver Metro area you can find Roxbourough State Park, the Flatirons of Boulder, Eldorado Canyon and Golden Gate State Park would have similar features in the Denver foothills.

There are a couple beautiful hikes I can recommend around Breckenridge about 1.5 hours from Denver. Both will have a moderate amount of snow but will be open. Please PM me if you'd like this info. They aren't secrets by any means, but just don't need any extra crowds.

For the most part, wildflowers will not be blooming in the high country. You might find an early Marsh Marigold or two, some early Indian Paintbrush and a few Columbines, but not the massive blooms the state is known for. But in the foothills and plains you'll find lots blooming, just more spread out. Evening Primrose and Scarlet Gilia and maybe some wild iris should be in bloom below 9000 feet I'd guess. You'd see this stuff in South Park, Kenosha Pass and Wilkerson Pass and in the foothills of Denver and Co/Spgs. Most of the plains wild flowers will be blooming or past depending on rainfall.

I've also made some recommendations on the recent thread regarding the Maroon Bells (which wandered into topics of 4WD and crowds and Holy Cross Wilderness).

I've lived in Denver for 10 years and Colorado Springs for about 7. I can't see myself running out of places to shoot.

Mel-

[John Schneider]

Yankee Boy Basin if you're up for the long ride.

[Joseph O'Neil]

Even the the drive on I-70 from Denver to the Vail Pass and back is amazing, IMO. One thing about driving, take your car or truck OUT of overdrive, or turn off automatic overdrive. Some handle it fine, but some cars & trucks overheat when the transmission slips into automatic OD. The first 45 minutes out of Denver uphill on the I-70 has an amazing number of breakdowns - don't be one of them.
joe