Hike to the Photo Blind

This week's blog is going to be a VLOG of a little hike I took a couple weeks ago at Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge.  I've been trying to hike some of their trials this spring, it's such a big place all spread out so normally I drive through and due to that I miss out on the up close and personal experience.  So I hope you see something you enjoy. You won't be able to watch it on You Tube until later this is a Premier...lol 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Rifle Arch Trail Hike

So Thursday morning we were up early again, and little sis and her husband brought us biscuits from McDonald's for breakfast, and took over the nanny sitting so off we went! Lucky for us it was partly cloudy, for this hike is in completely different terrain.  We leave the town of Rifle, and head about 7 miles up highway 13...

the roan plateau in morning light

...and to the trailhead...mostly out in the open but up in the higher elevation juniper/cedar/pinyon forest.  This one  is not long either....2.4 miles round trip.  

right away we scared 2 coyotes that we assumed were trying to snag a dove as there was a flock on the ground...we spooked the doves and the coyotes 

The trail crosses this thorn scrub meadow and then takes an uphill turn I turned around here and snapped the shot of the meadow we just crossed.  

ribbon of road

that's the trail down there....we just hiked on, that thin ribbon in the dirt...and the highway beyond where we drove in 

Sis enjoys the view

on top of the hill there is a nice view to the West....

part of the Roan Plateau...then the trail heads downhill and across another thorn scrub open area...

and as you look ahead more trees come into view and another uphill...the arch comes into view a little...

Can you see it yet?

taking a little rest

passed two gray flycatcher, 

AND a new bird for me, a horrible photo of the what I know as the Plain Titmouse, only to find out they were split way back in 1996..LoL so here it is the Juniper Titmouse. (the other is called the Oak Titmouse)  I think plain is the word, but sure looked good to me!

# 407!

Here is the arch! It's quite large...

there's a large boulder field right under the arch so we got a little closer and called that good...

this is a full sized tree on top there...

and from the ridge on the way back....

almost can see the parking lot...

Another fun day in paradise!! Best part Being with my SIS! ;O)

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Grizzly Creek Hike

I love hiking! I'm no spring chicken any longer so we chose a couple hikes that were enough of a challenge to satisfy our adventurous spirits, but we could easily get out of bed the next day!  I hiked Wednesday with my younger sis and Thursday with my older sis...so one of us could stay with Mom.  I was the lucky one who got to go on both hikes!  Grizzly creek trailhead is just off a rest area along I-70 east of Glenwood Springs.  Glenwood Springs is located along the Colorado river, and the Grizzly Creek empties into the Colorado, so this hike is right alongside a mountain creek full of the song of rushing water. It was not too crowded although we did not have the place to ourselves by any means...every one was spread out far enough to not be a bother to each other. 

The trail flows right up this canyon, it is 4 miles in length if you hike to the connection of No Name trail, but we turned after about 1.5 miles for about a 3 mile hike round trip.  

trailhead parking 

sis on the trail

Grizzly Creek

Lots of Berries of various kinds along the trail...white ones

red ones

blue ones

Yellow ones, 

And where's my photo of the purple ones? Must of forget that one.  

At one point we found this American Dipper hunting, 

...and he caught something dragged it up on the rock to eat...see the "creature" on the rock just in front of the bird?

Maybe one of you can ID this insect/creature...it has a longish tail 

lots of nice little "drops" of the creek we didn't spot any big falls...

 

at one point a group of younger people, late 20's, passed us and when we came upon them again 2 of the men, who were fully clothed were sitting in the creek...LoL...nature has a way of turning men back into little boys...they frolicked as their friends laughed...totally loved this hike...

...and it ended way too soon!! 

I had intended to combine the 2 hikes into one post....but I think I will split them up

...to be continued... 

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Santa Elena Canyon

Slept good but awoke early...I had my coffee brewing before anyone pulled out this morning! An entire family of Javelina came through the campground...I love the piglets so cute.  Dang why didn't I video this?

hmmm look who is all puffed up this morning...lol  these roadrunners  are quite amusing to watch..

After watching the wildlife in camp I made some breakfast, put everything in it's place and headed back to the Castolon/ Santa Elena Junction and to the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.  This area is very scenic. 

The views are just gorgeous all in layers...

Interesting formations...

And distant rugged mountains 

My plan was to bypass most stops go and get the Perfect Spot in Cottonwood campground as I saw the pattern that by 3 pm the sites start to fill up.  Cottonwood is smaller with 26 sites...and no flush toilets.  So that's what I did...there was no one there only one truck camper...many of the sites were surrounded by standing water...because they were pumping water from the river to Irrigate the campground.  It didn't make a whole lot of sense to me but anyways...who am I to say.  So I paid for and put my picnic table cover on site #2 then left to go to Santa Elena Canyon.   The scenic drive did not disappoint.

I pulled over to photo this Immature Lark Bunting!

found this arch....

The Mules Ears is one of the prominent formations...

to me its more like bats ears...

I ran into this Jack Rabbit, looks like she is nursing young...

stopped to see these Sublett homestead ruins....Then onto Santa Elena Canyon. 

The Subletts had a beautiful view of the Mules Ears...

A Western Kingbird watches me...

 The Rio Grande goes right though the middle of this 11 mile canyon....Mexico on the left, USA on the right...The hike is a little more 1.7 round trip since the River has moved a bit since it's last flood.  So the actual trail is about 3/4 mile farther now.  

I entered the canyon here

The old trail used to start right there see the white sand path just over the bank in the greenery on the lower right?  Now the water has channeled itself here so you have to walk down the rocky beachy area about 1/4 mile to access the trail...Then you start climbing..and there's a series of switchbacks but that part is paved.  If you look closely you can see the switchbacks and there's guardrails along the edges of the paved sections..

It was getting hot early so any breeze was nice.  The trail follows the canyon edge...

A good view with lots of awesome plants...and animals..

checkered whiptail

And Bingo another new bird..the Canyon Wren...right here in a canyon! Amazing. 

then the trail levels off then you are meandering through  the canyon..

Then you are able to make your way down to the water, up stream the canyon narrows...the water is very warm and shallow...

There is a nice echoooooooo here tooooooooooo!

some modern petroglyphs

Some kind of water snake, 

Round pupil....But once he swam away I got down and waded in the water, the mud was hard to wash off! Very sticky.  The hike back was no fun because I didn't bring enough water!!

Zebra tailed lizard..

And a House Finch in the canyon...

then I went back and had my siesta at the campground...but I moved to Site # 1 It was shadier...

...still only the truck camper you see on the far left is the only other camper..after my early siesta I drove back up the Scenic Drive to catch a few other spots I wanted to hit.  One was Homer Wilson's Ranch.  

That's it down in the valley...the trail is easy a bit rocky and some thorn scrub once you get down on the valley floor.  

Black throated sparrows kept me company...

Gorgeous!  And finally I make it over to the Ranch House it is located at the intersection of a few long distance hikes...

getting closer...

This ranch house was in use up until 1945...

There is a nest up in the rafters there...A Say's Phoebe

The front of the house...

You know If I had my tools I think I could make this place livable again!! 

Another Black Tailed Gnatcatcher  at least from the back...

And a stop on the way back to camp for some late and lovely Texas Blue Bonnets. 

Tomorrow is going to be my last day in Big Bend...wish I had arrived earlier in the season, there is so much more to see and do here!!

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.