Red Rocks Natural Amphitheater

Red Rocks defies classification... so I am placing this post in the "Mountain" section because it is in CO and I'm not sure under what other title to place it -if you have a suggestion, please do feel free to share.

Red Rocks, as the name implies, is a rock formation and mostly red. It has been made particularly famous because of its naturally formed amphiteater that provide "accoustic perfection for any performance". The first series of concerts were produced between 1906 and 1910 on a temporary platform; see history and geology here.

Red Rocks Park is located near Morrison, CO, about 30 minutes due west of downtown Denver.

Hiking - Horsebak Riding - Mountain Biking Trails

The Trading Post Trail is a quick 1.4 miles and the Red Rocks Trail is about 3 miles, and can be extended to 6 miles by connecting into another Jefferson county trail.

We did the 3 miles loop and it was a very pleasant, casual hike. The day was rather overcast, so no sunny rocks (we went in Feb.) though still very impressive in their formation and coloring.

The trail altitude is 6,280 ft above sea level and appropriate for children, with a few areas of steep grades and road crossings. Please do stay off the rocks -this is a sensitive area, and this request is posted several times throughout the trail, even though we did see a couple people ignoring the signs... :(

The Ampitheater

It is apparently a very popular site for runners and work out groups.

There was a yoga class in session and numerous people either running or walking up and down the bleachers, which, at 6,400 ft altitude, will get you in shape.

The park is open daily from 5 am - 11 pm free of charge.

In case of performance, the park is closed to the public in the early afternoon.

Walking Around Salida, CO - part III

This is the third and last part of the Salida, CO weekend trip.

As in every trip coffee shops were involved. My traveling partner has a gift for finding the perfect local places to hang out in, and this one certainly more than lived up to expectations: great staff, great atmosphere, great service, great food/drinks, great everything.

We stopped at Cafe Dawn the first time Saturday morning for a quick hot drink before going on our little touristy day of visiting the town (see previous 2 posts).

We liked it well enough that we decided to come back Sunday morning to read the newspaper... the place was packed!

There was a family reunion in town and they all decided to come down to Cafe Dawn for their breakfast too! It gave the place a very jovial atmosphere for sure, if at times a bit loud.

The owner came around to greet people and attend to their needs. Very friendly guy with a pleasant demeanor. I'd seen a poster about music on the wall and asked him about it. On Sunday afternoon several local musicians come around to play and have a good time together. We made plans to come back.

After our afternoon hike, we came back to rest our feet and get settled to wait for the music to start.


If you've been around this blog before, you'll know I like the occasional hot chocolate and I am very picky about how it's made: no syrup (bad aftertaste), has to be quality powder, in hot water.

Just at the off chance they might have more than soy milk (it seemed like that kind of place) I asked for their current choices: yeah, almond milk!

The barista was very nice in heating up the milk espresso fashion, giving it a fun layer of foam at the top.

Check out this absolutely scrumptious glass of hot chocolate! Hmmm, good!

A little while later the musicians started coming in and the place slowly filled up with what looked like mostly regulars who knew what they were in for.

Nothing fancy, just a group of friends enjoying playing together. Good rythm, good vibes. What a great way to spend a couple hours.

On Monday morning we headed home towards north Colorado, opting for smaller roads over the mountain pass rather than boring highway... little did we know a snow storm had had a similar idea. Besides the harrowing driving and skidding across the road, two cool things happened:

We saw a herd of wild elks off the side of the road, who promptly ran off before I could take a closer picture (the nerve), and a small family of bighorn sheep who came down the mountain to graze in someone's yard.

A great finish to a great weekend.

Walking Around Salida, CO - part II

FIBArk, advertised as "America's Oldest and Boldest Whitewater Festival," has been taking place every summer at the Riverside Park in historic downtown since 1949. If you look close enough, you can see the slalom sticks in the photo below

After spending the whole morning walking around the town, we decided it was time to visit the surrounding open spaces for trails to take the dogs on... here are a couple shots of that hike:

and today's parting shot, a room with a view... :p

Walking Around Salida, CO - part I

Continuing with our Memorial Day weekend trip:

We rented a little cabin in Buena Vista (right next door to Salida). Cabins are more pleasant than a motel room and when you travel with 2 dogs, it does offer more wiggling room. The other advantage is being able to fix a meal rather than eating out all the time.

We stayed at Vista Court Cabins. Rustic, simple, it turned out perfect for what we were looking for.

Cabin #3, that's us!  :)

Saturday was reserved for walking around and exploring the Downtown Historic District in Salida, CO.

The day was very overcast, unfortunately not ideal for my little point-and-shoot camera.

Salida is known as the "Heart of the Rockies" and is located on the Upper Arkansas River Valley in central Colorado.

The streets were mostly deserted, being early in the year and still most definitively on the chilly side -though I'm willing to bet that changes once Spring and Summer come around!...

There's plenty of cafes, diners, restaurants, pubs, and shops to go around (our favorite coffee shop of the trip coming up soon)

You can see the 14,000 ft mountains all around town with their amazing snow caps, making for some fantastic views. Salida itself rests at 7,000 ft. elevation.

Besides the architecture, there were a few interesting sightings worth mentioning...

Local art:

We considered joining...

And last but not least, this one gets "Best Red Neck Brush Guard" award:

:P

Next, favorite coffee shop in town and a hike outside of town.

Winery at the Holy Cross Abbey

Driving back from the Royal Gorge (see previous posting), we went into Canon City, CO to visit the winery at the Holy Cross Abbey.

The Abbey.

It started when two Benedictine monks came from Pensylvania to Breckenridge, CO in 1886.

More followed as they moved from Brekenridge to Boulder to Pueblo and finally to Canon City, naming the foundation Holy Cross Abbey.

The Abbey was built in 1924 in the gothic style, where the monks ran a boarding school for high school students until 1985.

Monks still resided at the Abbey until 2006.

You can actually visit the monastery during the week and if I remember correctly, the sign at the front also listed mass hours for Sunday mornings.

The Winery.

The vines were started by the monks a few years before the church decided to close this monastery and move them out of state.

Very few wines are actually produced there now, though we did see several rows in front of the tasting room. I don't recall where the vines are currently grown -where's that handy tourist flyer when you need it- but they do have over a dozen wines including Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.

The tasting room is open Monday - Satruday, from 10 am - 6 pm, and Sundays from 12 - 5 pm. Most selections are free except for a few reserved collection, requiring a small fee.

Royal Gorge Bridge

Memorial Day weekend was the perfect time to get away for a couple days. In that spirit, we rented a little cabin in Salida, CO and went visiting the area. The weather was perfect for it.

First stop was Royal Gorge Bridge, the highest suspension bridge in the US, located over the Arkansas River near Canon City, CO. It was built in 1929 for $350,000, or the equivalent of about $15 million today, and took 6 month to complete.

A few facts:

• Length: 1,270 ft (387 m)
• Width: 18 ft (15 m)
• Main span: 880 ft (268 m)
• Towers: 150 ft high (46 m)
• Height above river: 1,053 ft (321 m)

I hiked down the canyon a few yards to try a get a good view of the bridge. The semi-arid landscape of red rocks and cactus offered and great contrast with the snow patches still present.

Be advised that is it $12 per person to get anywhere close to the area, with rides, shows, petting zoo and other attractions. You can also either walk or drive accross the bridge. We did neither as it was not part of our budget this time, but we do plan on coming back.