The Colorado National Monument (just west of Grand Junction) has some interesting canyons and rock formations. I've been there in mid September and January and had the place virtually to myself.
The Colorado National Monument (just west of Grand Junction) has some interesting canyons and rock formations. I've been there in mid September and January and had the place virtually to myself.
Last year on Memorial day weekend we set out to drive up to some of the high passes out of Buena Vista. Every one was closed by snow so prepare accordingly.
I do like Great Dunes Nat. Park, where the high dunes are framed by the Sangre de Cristo Mts. A lot of unique design to the dunes. Not mentioned so far, and west of the Alamosa area is Creede CO. an old mining town where Bat Masterson ended his career more than a century ago. Just north of town of Creede is one of the most spectacular mine remnants snugged in a narrow canyon and in a nice state of preservation. Requires a day of working the area to elicit a sense of the place in images.
Also not mentioned is the bristlecone pine stand on the east slope of Mt Bros at about 12,000 ft. It's isolated well above the tree line accessible by a 4 wheel road north of Fairplay and Alma CO.
Another decent stand along the road up Mt Evans west of Denver.
Nate Potter, Austin TX.
If you explore the Colorado Plateau (SW Colorado, NW New Mexico), you won’t miss signs of Anasazi ruins – both the famous structures, and all-but-unknown ones. During your previous trip 32 years ago, I’m sure you noticed that day-hikes can bring you face-to-face with both. The architecture’s relationship w/ the land is one of my favorite photo themes...
(But maybe you’ve “seen enough” of the Anasazi in Utah and Arizona.)
Still, this remote, high-desert area of Colorado and New Mexico has so many attractions to justify the inconvenience of getting there…
Just one more: the exposed geology in a rainbow of colors, mainly sandstones and shales, of course – red, brown, light greens, purples, grays. So if you visit and you’re shooting b/w film, don’t forget the filters! For example, in many of these formations, a green filter creates the contrast I like.
I was about to recommend specific locations, but this is one of those rich areas where the “best locations” happen to be wherever you are…
The timing of your trip is critical as it will determine what areas you can gain access to.
To add to the list: Castlewood Canyon State Park, Roxborough State Park, Garden of the Gods, the Pawnee National Grasslands and Weston Pass.
I think John Fielder's Best of Colorado is a useful guide for trip planning.
And if you do visit RMNP, I'd recommend the hike to Sky Pond.
Peter Y.
Ditto the Dunes - get out on the trails for non-tourist perspectives; the Sand Ramp trail from Medano Creek trailhead is my favorite but be mentally and physically prepared for soft sand and wind. Snow will not be a problem after late winter, usually. Medano Pass road through the sand to the trailhead will require attention - don't dither.
Upper Huerfano valley - on the other side of the Sangre's from the Dunes. Definitely not on the way to anywhere else. Access out of Gardiner. At the top of my list of lovely alpine valleys. From the trailhead a nice flat valley walk with Blanca Peak looming over all then a short steep climb to glacial Lily Lake - about 12 mi round trip. The access road (replete with many landscape views and easy for any kind/size of truck or suv) will be open by Memorial Day but, depending on the year, snow may still be very deep on the trail and Lily Lake still frozen over.
If you want to take the road less photographed - the intimate canyons, grasslands, homestead ruins and pictographs of SE Colorado are a gem.
All interesting. It should be an interesting trip, should I get to make it. I've been wanting to explore the Colorado and New Mexico area for decades. Hopefully I'll get to do it while my knees will still let me hike up the mountains with 17Kg of view camera kit on my back.
Oh yes, if I do get to come I'll have my AWD Subaru. Not a full sized SUV, but does OK with logging road levels tracks. Sounds like this could be a useful tool.
Bruce Watson
Just a question, are there any large cactus in the area of northern New Mexico? Or is that cacti? I'm going there too in the not to distant future, around Santa Fe and area.
You have to go south to Las Cruses and that area to find Large cactus. I assume you mean Saguaros. Commen in southern Arizonz and New Mexico.
Hey Bruce don't worry about your car Subaru seems to be one of the official cars of the Rockies along with Jeeps and really big pickups.
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