Utah Juniper

An attractive example of the Utah Juniper from Paradox Valley, CO.

The Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) is a surprisingly attractive, coniferous shrub, whose trunk grows into twisted forms of art. One of the 50+ species of Juniper in North America, it is one of the taller varieties, growing up 30 feet tall with a rounded canopy.

The distributed pattern of the Utah Juniper seen from the Dolores River Canyon Trail.

Its roots system is extensive, which allows it to compete for moisture in the arid plateau lands where it grows. This may also be the reason these shrubs spread themselves out in what looks like uniform patterns. Similar to the Bristecone Pine, the wood is very decay resistant and the trunks will lay about dotting the landscape like Mother Nature's sculpture garden (see my Rabbit's Ear post for some nice examples). This species can be found between 4,000 ft and 7,500 ft.

A close up of the needles and berries

Golden Gate Canyon State Park: Mountain Lion Trail + Windy Peak

Distance: 8.7 mile loop (7.7 without the Windy Peak add on)
Elevation: 7,646 ft - 9,106 ft (at Windy Peak)
Elevation Gain: 1,460 ft (net) 2,164 ft (cumulative)
Date Hiked: 12 June, 2011
Dogs: On leash only (State Park)
Tags: #coloradostatepark, #goldengatecanyon

The view of Mt. Evans from Windy Peak and the Mountain Lion Trail in Golden Gate Canyon State Park

The Mountain Lion Loop in Golden Gate Canyon State Park near Golden, CO is harder than it looks, but the extra exercise is rewarded by a journey through three different ecosystems, and if you tack on a diversion to the top of Windy Peak (adds an extra mile), some stellar views of the Continental Divide.

Trails are marked with animal track symbols in Golden Gate Canyon State Park and appear on poles such as this. Junctions are well marked with wooden signs and full maps indicating where the hiker is located.

Heading up the initial dry hillside. Most of this route is on soft dirt.

The confusing part of Golden Gate Canyon State Park is the plethora of trailheads, which are really nothing more than pullouts on the side of the road. There are at least three along County Rd 57 (right at the Visitor's Center) that label themselves as Mountain Lion Trail trailheads and none have rest rooms, so plan accordingly. If you find the trailhead on Nott Creek Rd, there is a bathroom and plenty of parking. This is probably the best place to start.

The initial ridge

I traveled the loop in a clockwise direction. Since the hot side of the loop is to the left and the cool Riparian side is to the right, this was a good choice on a hot day. I don't know how the cumulative elevation gain differs if you take the route in a counter-clockwise direction but the net elevation is the same since the destination is Windy Peak no matter which way you travel.

The lake and cabin in Forgotten Valley. Camping is permitted here.

Taken clockwise, the trail heads across an open hillside filled with wildflowers and dotted with Ponderosa Pine. It climbs 443 ft in less than a mile, so it will get your heart rate pumping early. After reaching a ridge at 0.89 miles, the route travels another 0.33 miles until it reaches the junction with the Burro Trail (at 1.23 miles) with the official split happening around 50 yards further up. At 1.97 miles is Forgotten Valley and a pleasant lake and cabin. The day was already getting uncomfortably warm, so I took this opportunity to rest in the shade, dunk my head in the water and wet my bandana.

Leaving the lake and heading up the next valley

After the lake, the route heads up a long valley and then starts up a series of switch backs that gain 500 feet in 1.2 miles. The views of the rolling hills to the south is quite pleasant and would be lovely in the fall when all the leaves are turning. At the top is a saddle (at 3.18 miles) deep in a grove of Lodgepole Pines.

Three quarters of the way up the switchbacks on the way to Windy Peak and looking back down the valley to the tree covered hills deep within the park.

From this point the trail heads sharply downward and looses at least 190 feet before the intersection with the Windy Peak spur at 3.3 miles. From this point it is 0.5 miles to the Peak, which is a series of rocky outcroppings, covered in lounging hikers and voracious chipmunks who scurried to and fro hoping to steal a sandwich from an unsuspecting hand. I am not sure where all the hikers came from, because I was practically alone on my trip up. They may have come up the Burro Trail, which is a more direct route. At this point the cumulative elevation gain was 1,581 ft and I recorded an approximate elevation of 9,173 ft. An more official measurement may be 9,106 ft.

Park of the short but steep trail up to Windy Peak.

The trip down from Windy Peak and to the rest of the Mountain Lion Trail is a long series of switchbacks through a Lodgepole forest. Finally, the route empties into a valley and closely follows the stream, crossing it at least a dozen times. The stream crossings are all on small log bridges. Some of these are in better condition than others. If you don't like narrow crossings, this is not the route for you. It became very tedious after a while.

Hikers lounge on the summit of Windy Peak

A close up of Mt. Evans from the summit

The valley narrows half way down and the walls and their many nooks and crannies encroach on the hiker making the area feel confined, scenic, and wild all at the same time. I confess that I started day dreaming about Mountain Lions in this stretch because there were a thousand places for a Mountain Lion to hang out and watch the trail. I found myself turning around periodically to gaze behind me to see if I was being followed. It did not help that I knew of someone who had been stalked by a Mountain Lion in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. It was not until I got through this section and finally ran into another hiker that my unease dissipated. Was this a sixth sense or mere lone hiker paranoia? I'll never know for sure.

An example of the overgrown and wild Riparian side of the Mountain Lion Trail

Once the route leaves the stream, it climbs again up a broad road to reach the hillside that parallels County Rd 57. This was my least favorite part of the trail. I was overheated, tired, and did not want to ascend any more. From this point it was a seemingly long slog until I reached the trailhead at Nott Creek Rd (at 8.3 miles) and then had to travel an additional half mile to my car (at 8.7 miles).

A photo of the most deteriorated stream crossing. I ended up taking the lowest log on the left, which was several feet lower than the others and used the other logs to brace myself as I crossed.

Looking back up the route after regaining the hillside. I believe the route comes down the left cleft on the distant hillside.

Despite the length, I really liked this hike. It was so varied that it was impossible to get bored. I chose to do it on a very hot day and only had 1.5 litres of water with me. I chose this amount partially because the park advertises this loop at 6.2 miles. My GPS recorded it as 8.7 miles, including the add on to Windy Peak. Had I known this in advance, I would have carried more. Water weighs a lot and I have gotten in the habit of carrying just enough.

Continuing along the final stretch to the trailhead at Nott Creek

This Colorado State Park is a pleasant oasis close to Denver and yet worlds away. The drive to the park itself is scenic and the many trails in the park allow for varied adventures of all levels and for all sorts of visitors. Check it out if you get the chance.

The views of the hills to the east from the final stretch. This hike was pleasant indeed.

Common Collared Lizard

This Common Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) let us walk right up to it and shove a camera in its face on the Dolores River Canyon Trail.

The Common Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) is shocking to see. A little larger and it would cause unprepared hikers to run screaming in the opposite direction. Wildly colored, the male can range from bright blue to bright yellow. Like their Dinosaur cousins, this lizard can run on its hind legs up to 16 mph. I don't care what size it is, I might run over a cliff if this bad boy started sprinting towards my enticing ankles! They are able predators after all, but fortunately feed on insects and worms and not people-Phew! Total sun worshipers, the Common Collared Lizard prefers to bask in temperatures over 105°F, which is probably why we were able to walk up the specimen in this post. It was only around 80°F; and he was probably sluggish. The defining feature, of course, is the large black collar that is visible on both the male and female.

Aldfer/Three Sisters: Evergreen Mountain Loop

Distance: 6.5 mile loop
Elevation: 7,437 ft - 8,592 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,155 ft (net) 1,174 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: On leash only (Jefferson County Open Space)
Bathroom at the trailhead: Yes
Tags: #coloradooutdoors, #hiking, #jeffco, #gearguide
Hikes nearby: Three Sisters Southern Loop

A view of several ranches from the Three Sisters Evergreen Mountain Trail

A hike to the top of Evergreen Mountain in the Three Sisters Open Space Park in Evergreen CO, is a great shoulder season training hike with some nice views at the top. The terrain traverses open Ponderosa Pine meadows as well as an overly thick Lodgepole Pine forest.  Mountain bikers can can swarm as numerously and as annoyingly as mosquitos, but the curvaceousness of the route kept them moving slowly so it is easy to get out of their way.

Trail map showing the route. 

It is difficult to miss the trailhead.

The lower part of the route travels through and open meadow dotted withe Ponderosa pines. 

This is a loop hike, that I took clockwise. Taken this way the trail starts on the opposite side of the road from the first Three Sister's parking lot (the one without the barn) on the East Evergreen Mountain Trail. The route heads south through a pleasant stand of open Ponderosa and Aspen trees, which on this trip was spotted with yellow Golden Banner, Wild Iris, and purple Sugarbowls. After a short 0.32 miles is the junction with the Ranch View Trail.

Aspens on an early part of the trail.

Heading across the broad hillside. There were a lot of birds in this area. 

After this junction, the Evergreen Mountain East trail continues to head south through small stands of Aspen before turning southwest and heading across a broad hillside. At the far end of this segment the trail reaches the slopes of Evergreen Mountain (at 0.84 miles) and starts a long series of switchbacks through a dense Lodgepole Pine forest. This is admittedly not my most favorite thing in Colorado. I find it monotonous and less fragrant than a Ponderosa forest and less exotic than the towering Spruce/Fir trees that prefer a wetter climate.

An example of one of the many switchbacks

Approaching the junction of the Summit View and Evergreen Mountain West trails. Note the large sign and dense forest. 

The signage in this open space park are National Park quality, so it is impossible to get lost. The junction at 2.4 miles of the Summit Trail and the West Evergreen Mountain Trail is no exception. Take the Summit Trail to continue heading up the hillside. At 3 miles is the junction with a scenic view turn off, which is a short 0.14 miles down to a rocky shelf overlooking Evergreen. I ate my lunch here and had the place to myself.

The turnoff to the scenic view. 

The view of Evergreen, CO from the scenic overlook. 

I almost turned around at this point rather that complete the journey to the summit because I was confessedly over the Lodgepoles but I slogged onwards and I am glad I did. The final summit circle (junction at 3.28 miles) is more open and filled with Douglas Fir trees plus some large rocky mounds (at 3.58 miles) with pleasant views of the Mt. Evans Massif. There were a lot more people lounging at the top but with so many nooks and crannies, it was easy to find a private place to sunbath. By this point, I had climbed 1,092 ft.

One of the many rock pile son the summit. It is not as steep as it looks.

The view of Mt. Evans from the summit. Notice all the ranch land. 

After heading back down, I came to the Evergreen Mountain West trail at 4.55 miles and took this trail to complete my loop. This trail has some nice granite boulders to break up the Lodgepoles. At 5.1 miles is a large sign explaining that this part of the hill is a Lodgepole demonstration forest where they have purposely tried to thin it back to normal. I was surprised to learn that unmanaged, this type of forest can contain as many as 5,000 trees per acre. No wonder it felt closed in to me.

A section of thinning forest. 

On the Evergreen Mountain West Trail.

At 5.57 miles the route leaves the hill and transitions back to open meadows. Here is the junction with the Wild Iris Loop. Across the road is the second trailhead for the southern side of Three Sisters. There are lots of great trails there as well. Back on the north side, this trail quickly becomes the Ranch View Trail, which will takes us back to the Evergreen Mountain East Trail (at 6.22 miles) that we started on.

Looking across the Wild Iris Loop, which circumnavigates the meadow, to the south side of the Three Sisters. 

This trail reminds me a lot of Crosier Mountain near Rocky Mountain National Park. It's lower elevation means it will remain clear of snow most of the year, which makes it a useful training hike. Both hikes spend a lot of time in the Lodgepoles.

You get to Three Sisters by taking Hwy 73 just south of Evergreen Lake and then turning right onto Buffalo Park Road.

Sagebrush

Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) blankets much of the state. This example is from the Dolores River Canyon.

Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is like skier traffic on I-70, you can't escape it. Every semi-desert or seemingly arid part of the state is covered with this low shrub that can grow to up to 10 feet tall. Not as fragrant as the herb, this plant, never-the-less, will exude a strong scent, particularly when wet. Don't let this "odeur" attract you to a midnight roll in the proverbial hay. Sagebrush can cause dermatitis in humans who are highly allergic to it.

A close up of the leaves. Sagebrush is a popular color in western motifs.

Dolores River Canyon Hike

Distance: 6 miles round trip
Elevation: 5,000 ft - 5,100 ft
Elevation Gain: 100 ft (net) probably 300 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash

The scenic Dolores River travels over 500 miles through Colorado, cutting canyons as it goes. The hike out of Bedrock, CO is an easy way to explore this unique topography.

Thought that Arizona has a monopoly on cool looking red canyons? Think again! The western part of the state is crisscrossed by rivers that have carved deep, winding slots through millions of years of sedimentary accumulations.

Looking up the canyon from where we parked at 38°17.742/108°53.884. The first cliff in the distance is the sharp right turn that is 0.87 miles way.

Looking back up the road we drove down toward the entrance to the canyon. The cliffs bordering the northern end of the Paradox Valley are clearly visible in the distance.

The hike along the Dolores River from Bedrock to the junction of the Le Sal creek will take you into the heart of this area and will let you immerse yourself in the red desert dust, sagebrush, and towering cliffs. While WAY out of the way, this is a must do hike for anyone serious about exploring the state.

The flow within the Dolores River is controlled upstream by a dam. Usually just a trickle, the authorities release water at certain times of the year for agriculture and rafting.

We have just made the sharp right turn at 0.87 and are heading further up the canyon. The slot in the center of the picture is our destination.

Bedrock is located up the stunning Paradox Valley on highway 90 between Naturita and the Utah border. The only landmark for this once populated town is the old Bedrock store, now closed, that marks the turn off towards the boat ramp for the Dolores River. We were surprised at how large the parking area was and how full it was given our isolation. The cars were for rafters, however, and not hikers.

The geology of the area is the primary appeal. Ancient sand dunes and river beds form sequential layers of various colored rocks of Triassic and Jurassic periods. The most prominent is the Wingate Formation, formed from dunes around 200 million years ago.

Near the deep stream bed that is reach at 2.0 miles, the ground was filled with layers that were obvious ancient mud beds, which give it this purple color.  This part of the trail was littered with bright teal fragments.

Past the boat ramp, the road travels up a short hill and splits into several directions. It took us a bit to find the road that continues down into the canyon. Be advised, this is a high clearance 4x4 road only. With our truck we managed to get 1.7 miles beyond the split but this entailed gingerly traveling over several large boulders and along a highly eroded shelf. We managed to drive down to a spot with plenty of turn around room, but a couple of jeeps in that area would have made it more complicated.

Looking down into the dry stream bed with its many layers of rocks. Just a few weeks prior to this hike, I hiked to Linville Falls in North Carolina. There I saw similar geology but active water. The contrast was startling.

The trail is close to the river at times and further away at others.

The route follows an old road and is very easy to follow. At times it is close to the river and at times farther away. We were doing this on a hot day in May and drank at least 2 liters of very hot water (the place were staying at had no ice). By the end I was craving an ice cold beer (something I rarely drink), so plan accordingly.

Near the end of the trail, is a large series of boulders that obviously fell from the side of the cliff. Some are upright (e.g. layers are parallel to the ground) and some are on their sides (layers exposed). The one containing the petroglyphs was quite obvious. It is close to the trail and there is a large National Park Service sign pointing them out. What we did not find was the dinosaur tracks that are supposedly on the back side of on of the boulders that is on its side.

It was hard to pick a picture that typifies the cliffs in the area. The reality they surround you on both side and hog the distances.

Some milestones along the way include the sharp right turn at 0.87 miles, a traverse across an old stream bed at 2.0 miles, Indian petroglyphs at 2.5 miles and the junction with the Le Sal Creek at 3.0 miles (our GPS when nuts at this point because the last part is under a cliff shelf and the GPS lost its signal). It looks like one could continue up the Le Sal a way, but the trail descended directly into the willows surrounding the creek, so I suspect the route would be a sloggy one.

The view looking up Le Sal Creek. You can see the trail fading off into the distance.
Topo map of the area. Hwy 90 is visible in the upper right and the Le Sal Creek in the lower left. The sharp 90° turn is noticeable where the river passes close to a sharp point in the relief. The scale and varied nature of the cliffs is also discernible form the map.

Plateau Lizard

A pair of Plateau Lizards on the side of a B&B in Paradox Valley

It is not everyday that you can bust in on a couple of Plateau Lizards in flagrante delicti. I don't think they were too happy about my Paparazza voyeurism but they were too self-absorbed to break off their assignation to scurry under a rock.

The Plateau Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) is diurnal, spending most of its time basking in the sun. It consumes large amounts of insects and spiders. After mating in the spring the female will lay up to 12 eggs in early summer. The young hatch in the fall.

I have seen these lizards called the Eastern Fence (subsp), Prairie, or Plateau Lizard. To the untrained eye, they all look very similar. Growing up in California, we had the Western Fence Lizard, which was know locally as "blue bellies".

Am I being anthropomorphic, but does the female have a bit of a gazed look in her eye, or is it just resignation?

The blue scales underneath the male's belly and near its throat are undoubtedly attractive to the opposite sex. When courting, these lizards will lift up on their legs to flash their blue scales. As with most species the girls like their boys flashy.