Wonders, Wolves, and Waterfalls of Colorado Springs

 Hey there! We spent a week here in wonderful Colorado Springs, actually, less than 1/4 mile from Manitou Springs, Colorado. The name of our campground was called Garden of the Gods RV Resort. It got its name because of the city park space 2 miles down the road. The park was donated by the founder of Colorado Springs in order that it be free to the public. People hike, bike, walk, and just admire the views. From far away, it reminds me of the scales of a Stegosaurus. Up close, it's pretty spectacular.

I borrowed this picture from the internet. I could never get a clear shot that far away ;)

This one is called Balanced Rock. The Goerke brothers charged 25cents for people to take your photo back in the early 1900s. That's worth about $6.50 today. Say whaaat???!!!

Another day we visited the Manitou Cave Dwellings. The price wasn't so bad ($12 pp) but when you drove up, there they were. It looked at first like it was the gift shop or museum because it's right in front of the parking lot. But nope! It's the dwellings! It took us about 10 minutes (that's a cost of about 20 cents/minute per person. These Coloradans know how to make a buck! 

                                   

                                      View from inside the dwelling looking out.......Wow!!

Another great adventure, and well worth the price, was the Colorado Wolf Park. They rescue wolves and take care of them. Most of them are Cannis Lupis (Timberwolves). The females and males are spay and neutered but mated for life. They can't go back in the wild. But they do train them for educational purposes. That's pretty neat. They also have a special feature, New Guinea Singing Dogs. They sing like whales sing to each other. That is super cool! We didn't get to hear them, but they are super-cute! 

This cutie is in training; she's 12 weeks old

New Guinea Singing Dog

Finally, waterfalls. These were actually free! They weren't spectacular, but hey, they were easy to access, which I liked a lot. One, called Rainbow Falls, only opened Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 10am. We saw it from across the road. Not worth the parking. This one is called Helen Hunt Falls, named for a poet, author, and advocate for Native American rights. She died in the 1880s.

This was a waterfall near Rainbow Falls; I thought this was prettier.

So that was our foray into Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs. Definitely worth a trip here. There is Pikes Peak, too. It is not a national park. You have to pay to go up there. We decided to pass because of the crowds (you have to take the tram in the summer). Maybe another time. But I did get a good view of it every day from my campsite. 

Rocky Mountain High

Hi all, and welcome to Colorado! We are staying in Estes Park, a little town with a great entrance to 

Yes, folks, she's a beaut! If you get here early (before 9AM) you do not need a special pass or permission. The sun rises at 5:30AM, so that's fantastic! We rolled into the park around 7AM. There wasn't too much of a line, and it went fairly quickly. We were told that it takes about 1 1/2 hours to drive to the other end of the park (provided you don't stop). But there is soooo much to see and take pictures of that you might want to give yourselves a few hours. 

Some of the breathtaking beauty....

up close and personal to a glacier!

And of course, don't forget the magnificent flora and fauna who inhabit this glorious landscape as well:

elk ladies chillin'

Moose lady grazin' (I love her coloring!)

young buck drinking at a creek

Marmot munchin' on some yummy tundra vittles

Chipmunk (no, not Alvin)

good, rushing water

various, colorful wildflowers

We plan on driving back through; after all, our campsite is only 10 minutes away. And we are here the rest of the week. I think this park truly ties with my other favorites (Yellowstone, Tetons, Glacier). I'll leave you with this:

Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,

And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art! <3

Utah Rocks....and so do we!

Hi all! The last month has been really busy. We have had spotty internet, so posting has been really hard to do. But I have taken A LOT of pictures, and I put together a video montage of where we have been. We have used the hospitality of the grand state of Utah, which states to live life elevated. They are not kidding. But we have been checking out their rocks.....Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and a state park known as Goblin. Late September into October is Bryce and Zion. So sit back, get some popcorn, and enjoy these videos. Thanks, and y'all come back!

Arches National Park

Moab, Utah

Canyonlands National Park

Moab, Utah

Goblin State Park

between Green River and Hanksville, Utah

Capitol Reef National Park

near Torrey, Utah

Breathtaking Beauty

Hi all! Today we drove around just to take in Yellowstone's breathtaking beauty. Sometimes, just looking for wildlife, we miss the wide open fields and spectacular sunrises because we are looking for "movement" in the trees and in those open fields. But they, too, have a wonder of their own.

Clouds over the lake

Hayden Valley

A river runs through it

more valley views

stunning waterfalls and cascades

sunrises over the lake

And one of the biggest draws here, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

 😉