Three Great Days in Northwestern Colorado

September 2-5, 2016 - Northwest Colorado

Jumping with excitement in the last hours of work before the long holiday weekend, we count the minutes before we can hit the open road and leave the city.  Research has shown that this little visited part of the state within the far reaches of Northwestern Colorado would prove to be an exciting place to recenter ourselves in mother nature.  Only 3-4 hours away from Denver or a short 1-2 hours from Steamboat Springs, the Northwestern portion of Colorado quickly fades into isolation of rolling hills dotted with hidden canyons, sagebrush, and big blue skies.  We spent three days in the region with a desire to return as quickly as possible before the last days of summer are behind us.

 Here are a few photos that we snapped along the way...

________________________________________________________________________



Stress and life behind us as we leave paved roads and into Dinosaur National Monument


Sunrise over the Yampa River near Craig, Colorado


Vermilion Falls, remote part of Dinosaur National Monument

The FJ looking good in front of Vermilion Falls 


Gates of Lodore, Dinosaur National Monument - hint - there is an amazing campground at the mouth of this canyon that sits on a lovely sandy beach on the Green River. 





A short hiking trail from the Gates of Lodore Campground opens up to this amazing view of the Green River sneaking into the  Lodore Canyon where one can boat 44 miles to the Split Mountain Campground in Utah.  Might be on my bucket list! 


The western side of Dinosaur National Monument is slightly less remote but worth the visit.  A drive into the park past the visitor center will quickly reveal canyons and cliffs for as far as the eye can see, well into Utah and beyond.  It reminded me of the North Rim Grand Canyon area.




A dirt road will lead you down to Echo Park passing the Chew Homestead, a bygone of the early 1900's. 
Photo courtesy of Bradley Freiwald

Fremont petroglyphs on the way down to Echo Park Campground 


Golden fields at the Echo Park near the convergence of the Yampa and Green Rivers, Dinosaur National Monument

Steamboat Rock - looking away from Echo Park Campground

Wild horses in the Vermillion Bluffs/Sevenmile Ridge BLM Area

A storm in the rear-view means it's time to find some pavement quick!  What an amazing journey through one of the last unspoiled places in Colorado


Comments

  1. denver-tourJune 1, 2021 at 1:01 AM

    I like this article. I was searching on the search engine and found your blog. I get more knowledge and I read a lot of interesting content here. keep doing it. what to do in Denver

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Canyonlands and the White Rim Trail

Image
White Rim MTB Ride Canyonlands National Park The White Rim Trail; held within and around the borders of Canyonlands National Park, holds many wonders beginning its life first as cattle access to the scarce water sources, then uranium mining, and most currently as a trail to the desert wonders remembered so keenly by Ed Abbey.  Wilderness, wind, geologic features, sand, sun, snakes, rocks, rocks, and more rocks, and the occasional pit-toilet and ruin is what makes the White Rim so spectacular. Sure! You can find these in many places outside of the hectic US National Park system, but what makes this trail so special is that it's heavily regulated by permits and extreme conditions making it one of the better remote trails in the system. We (our mud-dog group of 7) decided to ride the trail with the help of our self-powered mountain bikes (sag vehicle included for full disclosure) in 4 days to cover the 100 miles.  Permits for access and camping are awarded by the NPS well...
Read more

Labor of Love for Labor Day Weekend

Tomorrow I depart for Craig, Colorado for my first visit.  A small town located in the northwestern region of the state between Steamboat Springs and Dinosaur National Monument near the Utah border.  Basic research has highlighted this town is not only bathed in cowboy and outlaw folklore but also offers the outdoor adventurist, archaeologist, and geologist points of interest.  From the Yampa Valley Trail that travels 100 miles into the desert, the largest heard of wild horses in Colorado, to a mapped journey that claims to travel 65 million years in 65 miles it seems that Craig will be a perfect destination for the Traveling Wingo.  If anyone knows of local spots (trails, restaurants, must-see sites, etc.) please leave a comment below and I'll check them out.  Otherwise, safe travels this long weekend to all my adventure bohemians! 
Read more