Jun 28 – More Colorado National Monument

Yesterday we did a bit of shopping. We both needed new hiking shoes. I bought my current ones in Edmonton on the way to Alaska. After 3 years and at least 1000 km of hiking and my daily walks at home, they leaked, the soles were separating and the tread was pretty worn down.

I managed to find exactly the same pair. If they work why change? I almost wish I had bought two pair.

Today we started with a short hike just down the road from the campground. In 1901 a giant Apatosaurus skeleton was found on a hillside. The hike just goes around the hill. It was not terribly exciting but did break in our new shoes.

They found part of the skeleton on the surface and had to dig into the hill to get the rest.

This is the view of the plateau of the Monument from the hill we were on.

It does not look that high but here is the view from up there, back down to the hill center left.

We went back up to finish off some of the viewpoints and short hikes to viewpoints that we had skipped the other day.

The first one headed out from the visitor’s center to Windows Rock. We walked along near this edge.

This is a look at the trail from another viewpoint.

With Windows Rock at the end.

I tend to stand a bit closer to the edge.

We had started late because we knew we didn’t have much to do. After we got to the viewpoint we had our lunch in the only shade under a small tree.

The close up of the window.

Down below us was Wedding Canyon.

And the second half of the trail we did the other day.

The bug net has come out as there are a lot of little biting midges.

Behind the trail, on the plateau, there is a campground. We took the road back to the visitor’s center and the car.

Our next stop was a quick one at a viewpoint beside the road for a different view of the Independence Monument.

I wanted to go back to the “Grand View” lookout to see the first part of our hike to the monument.

I even saw some people down there sweating it out.

It certainly is a grand view.

Our last stop was a very short trail out to the view at a point.

Jennie stayed in the car because it was a narrow trail and the viewpoint was very exposed so there was not a lot for her to enjoy.

You can see the fence just right of the middle, below.

The spire or tower or whatever you call it at the end of the point.

It was here that I also got the far off view of the Window Rock trail.

Then we headed home to get ready to move on tomorrow. I think this may be the last of the red rocks for this trip.