Yampa River Valley - Medicine Bow Routt NF

SO I'm back home in SC it's hot n humid as expected but what was not expected is my A/C unit not working! So I spent my first day back dealing with that.

Anywho I'm back a wee bit earlier than planned due to the Nation Wide Heat Wave! Man the dogs were miserable and so was I with only fans in our camper/van...and the birds were laying low!  However before the heat wave chased us home we saw some awesome stuff.   My route took me out of Rifle, CO up Hwy 13 to Hwy 40 East.  This route takes one through the Yampa River Valley of Rio Blanco and Routt County, and some of the prettiest fertile river bottom I've seen. 

                                                       Hwy 40 through the windshield

The river and the grass bring the Sandhill Cranes and obviously they nest here!

                                                                               

                                                               Sandhill Crane Chick

I stopped at the Yampa River SWA.  The trails were so overgrown I didn't walk any of them did see this killdeer in the parking area trying to draw me away from the nest I never saw the eggs, the parking area was all gravel so I'm sure they were somewhere in the gravel.  Also present were 2 Eastern Kingbirds, Mallards, Western Kingbirds, and Yellow Warblers.  

Saw a nice patch of Yellow False Lupine

                                                                        False Lupine 

The bees sure did love it, we moved on and up to the Routt National Forest, via Hwy 14 East and the Meadows campground we stayed at last fall...Danged it wasn't open! No worries since camping is allowed in a National Forest I decided to camp right in front of the gate away from the mud.

Spring was just getting going there....the willows all red, and the snow still hanging in the shade...and totally cold!

The Moon was out 

The Girls enjoyed playing in the creek and the snow...

                                                            Annie and Floss in the creek

                                                               Annie running in the snow

Casey was not interested in playing he just wanted to relax in the sun

I just wanted to sit in the sun...and enjoy the Avalanche Lilies that were everywhere...

And watch the setting sun play on the distant trees...

This female Cassin's Finch gave us a sunset song, I made a video but it was shaky, it's on my You Tube if you wanna see it...I'm trying to get more birds song on short vids...

We also had White Crowned Sparrow, Gray Headed DE Junco, and Yellow Warbler in the willows around the camp....

Hmm moose tracks....

And once we had breakfast and pulled out we stopped at Dumont Lake Campground it was closed too...but we drove around and checked things out...

Down near the highway a Moose Cow was browsing, hopefully she can fatten on spring growth

Over Rabbit Ears pass 

                                                         The Rabbit Ears and some Antelope

nearby we stopped at the Muddy Creek Lake, 

 one Lincoln Sparrow and some Spotted Sandpiper snacked in the mud flats...
And this White Crowned Sparrow 

Lincoln Sparrow

Spotted Sparrow

This area of Jackson County has a Prairie Chicken Lek (Coalmont Lek)
but currently there is no public access...

I had the CR 45 Lek in Wray County on my visit list but the heat got to us before we ever reached Wray County..So here in Jackson County is Walden Lake, it is HUGE!  Tons of White Pelican, Double Crested Cormorant, Northern Shoveler, American Coot, American Avocet, Blue Wing and Cinnamon Teal, tons of Barn, Tree, Northern Rough Wing Swallow, with Western and Ring Billed Gull.  

                                                                             Am. Avocet

                                                                     Ring Billed Gull

                                                                       White Pelican

                                                                       Canada Geese

 White Pelican flying in this wind!

It was almost impossible to bird with the wind howling...so we had our lunch break 

...and moved right after...
I'll pick up after lunch when we checked out Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. 

after we enjoyed the view at least one more time

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

On to Rocky Mtn, NP

Up and down and all around is the direction I went.  Just a note it is NOT easy traveling in a van with 3 dogs 2 of which take up nearly as much space as I do! Watch every step or you're on somebody's tail or you step in the water bowl and have to change your socks.....AGAIN!! OMG note to self  "pack more socks"...  Annie is the explorer she likes to chase after scents, Flossie is the guard dog she barks at EVERYONE, and then she stink eyes me when I'm yelling "shut up, stop barking" I pull the shades down so they can't see out...just to control the barking when I'm not in the van...Casey is the escape artist, must keep my eye on him sharply.  So that's my "motley crew" of  three.  Quite a handful even at home. Seems I'm always walking them, feeding them, grooming them, putting out more water, straightening their blankets....WHEW so much work...trust me when we're on the road their needs come first. 

We Brake Camp and head out 

 Casey saw this and he barked...lol

I think we'd have spent another day at Routt NF if it had been a little warmer! So pretty there...and tranquil.

Camp Sunrise...

We didn't get half a mile down the road after leaving camp and found this awesome lake with golden reflections, had to stop and see...

Yeah it really was that beautiful...A few white crowned sparrows were playing in the bushes..

We make a pit stop for dogs

This route takes me past some large bodies of water: first  Wolford Mountain Reservoir.  

The dogs had a good run in this open area we had it to ourselves...Walford Mountain in the background..

Back on Hwy 40, I noticed this sharp peak.  a Topo map would be nice to figure out the names of the peaks...

Passed these 3 guys on a bike tour, they look well outfitted and making a good pace.  

Near Kremmling the trees were golden as they curved along the edge of the Colorado. River 

LUNCH Break 

Where Hwy 125's southern terminus intersects Hwy 40 is the Windy Gap Reservoir Wildlife Area it's a good spot to stop for lunch and to scan for waterfowl...

Distant, but with binoculars a short list of what I saw there: White Pelican, American Coot, Lesser Scaup, Gadwall, Mallard, Double Crested Cormorants, and what I thought was an Eurasian Wigeon in the end turned out to be an American Wigeon, wrong again! One of these days I will be right, because I intend to keep at it. 

ON we GO

Back on the road I took Hwy 34, and it follows the banks of these lakes, the next was Lake Granby.  

and then Shadow Mountain Lake...that really is a dark mountain...

And last is Grand Lake!  Of which I did not get any decent photos...

WE ARRIVE 

and the clouds rolled in just as I got to the Rocky Mountain National Park, and the Kawuneeche Visitors Center. (8,720 ft) Here the road becomes Trail Ridge Road, and at it's highest elevation it is  12,183 ft.  This road can close any time of year as the weather is brutal up there, so pay attention to the signs letting you know if it's open or closed.

Stamped my passport, bought a collector's coin, and watched the park movie in a very large screening room...outside the sun kept playing hide n seek...a few drops fell but it didn't rain outright till we were snuggled in that night.  In fact it rained the first 3 nights on our travels back.  As long as there is no strong wind I enjoy the sound of the rain on the roof of the van. 

WE GET A SITE FOR THE NIGHT AND I TAKE A SHORT HIKE:

I found out Timber Creek Campground was first come first serve, so I headed straight there to get a spot for the night.  Snagged one, posted my Paid Stub on the post then went back to explore some. 

... before we called it a day I took a hike  to see the Never Summer Ranch.  German immigrants, the Holzwarths, came here in 1917...

 

and started a cattle ranch then they changed it over to a trout fishing guest ranch and it became know as the Never Summer Ranch....you can find a good summary of the history and the trail  here.  

I enjoyed my walk to see the cabins...I could hear Flossie barking for at least the first 1/2 mile, but I knew they were in the shade, the windows were down and it was cool, they had plenty of water and so all was good...felt sorry for anyone who parked next to them tho..

The Colorado was originally called the Grand River...I kinda like that name what say you?  It did create the Grand Canyon, see how things are connected....So anyways the headwaters are about 10 miles upstream of here...but that hike is much longer  I couldn't leave the dogs alone and they are not allowed on the trails, so I was happy to almost be at the headwaters here...and a little video next for sound ..

video missing the co river Im looking for it! 

the hike was easy along a road bed, and it felt good to stretch my legs after  riding in the van all day, I enjoyed it...the cabins are still in good shape for the age, I could imagine the laughter drifting up on a starry night...when the guests were sitting around large campfires warming up and sipping camp coffee...

Very well constructed..

Spotted a Red Tail in this pine tree on the hike back...

And this Orange Crowned Warbler, 

We have a Dinner Stop

After the hike I backtracked a bit to the Bowen Baker Gulch Trailhead.  There's picnic tables there and one pit toilet and a trail that meanders by the river which is a stream at this point.  The view is awesome with this big meadow laying open at the foot of the mountains...and this is where we decided to have our evening meal in this quiet setting before hauling it over to the campground later and rubbing elbows with about 100 other people!!  This is something I've learned...when the campground is over populated or has little privacy, I go to the day use area where almost no one is cook my meals and sometimes they have covered areas and if it's raining that really is a good thing! Later I go to my campsite when it's time to close the door and go to sleep...and in the morning, I put on my shoes, get in the drivers seat and do the same thing, go back to the day use area... that way I can make my coffee and breakfast in peace and quiet with mostly no one around.

I gave the dogs their dinner then we walked in the woods by the river...

we walked around till I heard the bugling of ELK...so back to the highway and toward the campground, the road was lined with parked cars, so I parked and headed out to see the ELK. 

WE STOP TO SEE ELK ON THE WAY TO THE CAMPGROUND

It was a large herd spread out over the valley to the south of the Campground...several Bulls were bugling, this one was closest to me, 

so the RUT is on...I noticed the cows have collars on...

Here's the bull in action...sorry about the traffic noise...

                                                                        video elk 1 MISSING

                                                                     the grand valley
                                                                            

We had rain over night but the dogs and I were exhausted so we barely noticed...we slept well a little on the chilly side tho...

IN THE MORNING...

I forgot to get a photo of my campsite, but this is the campground below as we traveled high up on the Trail Ridge Road...my site was over on the left by that patch of trees..# 93. That valley beyond is where the Elk bedded down for the night they were on and around the road in the morning.

I'll pick this up on our 3rd day of travel in the next post!

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.