Oregon Central Coast

Posted on June 1, 2024 by admin

About halfway up the coast of Oregon is the little town of Florence. The approach from the south crosses the Siuslaw (Sigh-YOO-slaw) River on an historic draw bridge which is still in use today. Amazingly, Oregon has over 200 historic bridges. Many of the ones along the coast were designed by Conde McCullough. His bridges are not just functional, but architecturally elegant. I love how each bridge is so unique in design.

Near the bridge is Old Town Florence, situated along the riverbank.The old pilings have now become landing places for birds of all types.

We walked along Bay Street, along the river. It has many interesting small shops and restaurants. We got some chocolate-covered toffee in a little candy store and strolled under the Japanese Cherry trees that were in bloom.

At the end of Bay Street is a small city park with a view of the Siuslaw Bridge. In the park are storyboards of native plants, birds and the history of the Siuslaw Bridge, as well as this painted seal. Other painted seals can be found throughout the city.

Later, we drove north along Highway 101. The Sea Lion Caves are a popular attraction for visitors. They are the largest sea caves in the USA. However, it’s a tourist trap and a little pricey, so we drove further north and saw some sea lions at one of the roadside viewpoints for free.

Sea Lions bask on rocks below Heceta Head Lighthouse viewpoint

At the same place, we saw hundreds of birds on the rocks.

The gorse bushes were in full bloom. Whole hillsides were yellow with their blooms.

From this roadside view point, we could see Heceta Head Lighthouse. This is one of my favorite Oregon lighthouses because of this view.

Heceta Head Lighthouse from Highway 101 turnout

To get to the lighthouse on Highway 101, you go through a tunnel (Arch Cape Tunnel) and over another historic bridge (Cape Creek Bridge). There is a side road leading down and under the bridge to the beach area and parking lot.

Beach at Cape Creek near parking lot for Heceta Head Lighthouse

This large rock held my attention for several minutes as I enjoyed watching the waves crash against the sides. Walking up the pathway to the lighthouse, I got a better view from above.

Heceta Head Lighthouse is one of several lighthouses along the rocky Oregon coastline. Built in 1893, its light is visible for twenty-one miles. It was built to fill in a ninety mile gap between two other lighthouses.

After the lighthouse was automated and the lighthouse keepers moved away, the lighthouse keepers’ duplex was leased by Lane County Community College for classrooms for a satellite campus starting in 1970. They removed a wall separating the two dining rooms to make a classroom area. The students slept on bunk beds in the second story rooms. Imagine being a student and enjoying the Oregon Coast while taking classes!

One of the pleasures of traveling in Oregon during the spring is seeing all the beautiful flowers in bloom. Pacific Rhododendrons grow wild and come into bloom in April and May. Florence, Oregon, has an annual rhododendron festival. There were one or more in just about every campsite in our campground in Cloverdale, Oregon. They like disturbed habitats such as roadside embankments and recently deforested wildlands.

Azaleas are also plentiful and have beautifully colored blooms. Azaleas are rhododendrons, but not all rhododendrons are azaleas. I admit, I can’t tell the difference.

Azaleas were abundant in our campground in Cloverdale, Oregon

Another day while in Florence, Oregon, we drove a few miles out of town to Darlingtonia State Natural Site. It is an 18-acre botanical park with a boardwalk trail to a fen that is home to the plants called Darlingtonia Californica. They are more commonly known as a cobra lily.

These strange plants are members of the pitcher plant family, i.e. insect-eating plants. They attract insects with nectar through an opening. Before the insect figures out what is happening, they are trapped. Then they are digested by the plant.

They are fascinating plants and are protected by the state of Oregon.

Cobra lilies get their name from their cobra shaped leaves.

It rained so often that when the rain stopped, it was nice to get out in the sunshine. One such day, we took a short hike around part of Lily Lake in Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park, a mile or so from our campground. You can see the sand dunes in the background.

The water was clear and cold. As we walked on the pathway around the edge of the lake, we came to a boggy area where water lilies grew. Some of them were in bloom. I wanted to take photos of them, but there was a huge spider web blocking my way. Ray got a stick and removed it so I could get my photo. I felt sorry for destroying the spider’s home, but there was no way I was going to lean over it to get a photo.

The sun was hot and the bugs were abundant, so we turned around and went back home. Even though it rained a lot, we enjoyed our visit to Florence, and the central coast of Oregon.

“O Lord, what a variety you have made! And in wisdom you have made them all! The earth is full of your riches. There before me lies the mighty ocean, teeming with life of every kind, both great and small.” Psalms 104:24-25

Crescent City and Battery Point Lighthouse

Posted on May 21, 2024 by admin

Crescent City lies on the northern coastline of California just 20 miles south of the Oregon border. We drove north on Highway 101 from our campground in Klamath to Crescent City one afternoon to see the quaint little town and lighthouse.

Along the way we saw large rock formations jutting up from the ocean near rocky beaches. The water was such a beautiful blue that day.

There is always plenty of driftwood on these beaches because the tree line comes to the edge of the ocean.

Birds of all kinds love the safety of the rocky ledges and rock formations out in the ocean where they make their homes. There’s always plenty to eat along the water’s edge. Sea lions also like the rocks for sunning themselves.

Crescent City, so named because of its crescent shaped shoreline, was partially destroyed in 1964 from tsunami waves from the Alaskan Earthquake. The city installed a breakwater in 1957 to protect against future tsunamis. However, in 2011, several boats and docks were damaged from tsunami waves from an earthquake in Sendai, Japan.

During the 1964 tsunami, the resident lighthouse keepers were stranded inside the Battery Point Lighthouse. Built in 1856, this lighthouse still stands strong. It is still active and serves as a private navigational aid.

We walked out on the jetty to get a long-range view of the lighthouse. Signs warned us of sleeper waves that may crash over the jetty unexpectedly. We didn’t get wet, but a few waves splashed up on the jetty.

We arrived at low tide, which is the only time the lighthouse is accessible by land. However, we were unable to go inside the lighthouse because it was was closed.

Spring flowers at Battery Point Lighthouse

The Battery Point Lighthouse was automated in 1953, but decommissioned from the Coast Guard in 1965. It was re-activated as a private aid to navigation in 1982.

Fishing, crabbing, tourism and timber are the major industries in Crescent City. A carving outside the lighthouse pays tribute to their seafaring people.

It was springtime at the lighthouse and the spreading phlox was brilliant with bloom. The Monterey Cypress trees are native to the California coast. They do well in the cool climate.

Gnarly Monterey Cypress Trees at Lighthouse

The color of the sea changes with the weather. On clear days, the water is a turquoise blue, and changes as the mist forms in the afternoon.

Crescent City from Battery Point Lighthouse

As we drove back to our campground in Klamath that afternoon, the sun came out. We stopped at this overlook to get one last shot at the beautiful California coastline.

“The sea is His, for it was He who made it,
And His hands formed the dry land.” Psalm 95:5

California Coast & Redwoods National Park

Posted on May 11, 2024 by admin

We began our 2024 summer travels by going up Highway 101 in California to Pacifica near San Francisco. Our first campsite was off Highway 1, right on the Pacific Ocean. We were up on a cliff, and it was pretty windy and chilly. My favorite thing about this site was that I could open the back curtains in our RV each morning and look out and see the ocean.

My other favorite thing to do was to capture photos of the sunset every evening. Every sunset was different and unique.

The ice plants were in full bloom. On clear afternoons, we could see people para-sailing over this coastline. The RV park is part of the Esplande Beach Overlook Trail. The trail goes right through the RV park and continues beyond it along this street. There are benches where you can sit and enjoy views like this. Some days the water was a beautiful turquoise blue.

After spending four days there, we got back on Highway 101 and crossed the bay on the Golden Gate Bridge. Although Highway 1 follows the coastline, we followed Highway 101 because it is easier for pulling a travel trailer. Highway 101 eventually makes its way back to the ocean near Eureka, CA.

North of Eureka is Klamath, California, where the Klamath River meets the Pacific Ocean. Our campground was right on the Klamath River. From there, it was only a short drive to Redwoods National Park.

Redwoods National Park is actually a combination of three California state parks (Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park) and a national park (Redwoods National Park) and stretches many miles along the northern coast of California.

Newton B Drury Scenic Parkway in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (Redwoods National Park)

There’s a scenic drive south of Klamath called the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. It is a ten-mile drive through the redwood trees.

Redwoods along the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway

Along the scenic drive was a side road to see The Big Tree. The pathway there was lined with all kinds of ferns.

No camera can quite capture the immensity of these huge redwood trees.

We continued south to the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Visitors’ Center. On the way, we saw a bear along the road. In the meadow we saw several elk grazing.

Elk grazing in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (Redwoods National Park)

After getting my National Parks Passport book stamped, we drove further south to Elk Meadow area where I hiked to Trillium Falls. Wildflowers greeted me at the start of the trail.

The forest soon closed in around me as the trail wound up switchbacks for a 200′ elevation gain. The sign at the trailhead said there were bears in the area. I was a little nervous being all alone, but I knew there were people ahead of me and behind me also.

I quit worrying and just enjoyed the quiet and beauty of the forest. Ferns grew everywhere, even out of old tree stumps.

Pathway to Trillium Falls lined with ferns.

I had to hold onto the roots of a large fallen redwood trying to avoid a muddy spot on the trail. There were several spots that were muddy and slippery. I took my time and didn’t slip.

These giant redwoods don’t have deep roots, but the roots spread out for quite a distance around them. These huge moss-covered trunks intrigued me.

A footbridge over water on the trail to Trillium Falls.

After a half-mile of hiking, I came to Trillium Falls. The falls weren’t that impressive, but the setting was magical. The forest and ferns around it made it such a pretty place.

There were several people gathered around the falls getting photos and climbing on the rocks. I had to wait to get some photos.

It was such a beautiful spot in the late afternoon. The light was filtering down through the trees on this very twisted mossy tree that hung over the falls.

After lingering at the falls for awhile, I headed back to the truck. The trail continued on, but I didn’t carry any water with me, and I was getting pretty thirsty by then. I felt like this hike had been well worth the effort. There was just one thing more that I wished for. This may seem silly, but I prayed to see a trillium flower for which the falls was named.

My prayer was answered. Though I had looked all along the pathway for flowers, I didn’t see this one until I was on the way back.

Trillium Flower is known for it’s three petals and three leaves.

“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23

Natural Bridges National Monument

Posted on November 30, 2023 by admin

Utah’s first national monument, Natural Bridges, is off the beaten path. It was over an hour drive from Monticello, Utah, where we were staying. After turning on state highway 94 at Blanding, Utah, which is about the halfway point, there are no towns or services from then on. But the scenery is worth the drive.

There are three natural bridges within the park boundaries: Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo which are Hopi Indian words meaning “place of emergence,” rock art that resembles kachina dolls, and “rock mound.” They were discovered by a prospector in 1883, and later it was designated a national monument.

We started our visit at the visitors’ center where we learned the difference between a natural bridge, an arch and a window. A natural bridge is formed by flowing water. As streams wind back and forth in a canyon, the thin walls are worn through by the water pounding against them.

Sipapu (see-pa-pu) bridge was the first stop on the nine-mile Bridge View Drive through the park. It’s the largest of the three bridges. Its meaning has to do with an entryway by which the Hopi believe their ancestors came into this world. To give you an idea of its size, the dome of the United States Capitol would nearly fit underneath it. It is the second largest natural bridge in the U.S.

The drive along the canyon was beautiful. There were swirls in the rocks that showed water was a factor in forming the rocks we see today.

Kachina Bridge was harder to see because trees obscure the opening. It is smaller than Sipapu Bridge, but has a massive amount of rock above it.

The Owachomo Bridge is the smallest and thinnest of them all. A rock mound on the east end of the bridge is why it is named Owachomo. The word means “rock mound” in the Hopi Indian language.

You can see that the rock on the top of this bridge is much thinner. Some believe it may be the oldest of the three because of the amount of erosion, but no one can tell for sure.

It was very hot that day, so we didn’t take any hikes down to see the bridges from below. The viewpoints from above don’t really showcase the enormity and size of the bridges. Perhaps someday we will return during a cooler time and take some of the hikes.

Bears Ears of Bears Ears National Monument

It was time for us to return to our campground. We ate our sack lunch and headed home. On our way out the park, I saw a sign about Bears’ Ears National Monument. I had been seeing signs for it, but didn’t know what to look for. In the distance were the Bears Ears for which the national monument is named. Someday, maybe we will explore it also.

“Great are the works of the Lord;
They are studied by all who delight in them.” Psalm 111:2

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Posted on November 2, 2023 by admin

Several years ago, we visited Canyonlands National Park on the west entrance. The road follows the rim of the canyon where there are epic views of the canyons where one can see for miles. This time we visited the east entrance where we drove around the canyon floor.

On our way there, we stopped to see Newspaper Rock Archaeological Site. This site is well protected by the overhanging cliff.

It was interesting to me to see that some of the feet drawn on the rock had six toes. It seems having an extra toe or finger was maybe highly valued. Excavations have found six-toed skeletons in Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.

Six-toed footprints, flying saucers, men with horns–what are these petroglyphs about?

As we drove along the canyon floor on the way to the entrance of Canyonlands, the rock walls towered above us.

We saw this interesting rock formation along the way.

After driving several miles, we finally came to the entrance. We stopped at the visitors’ center where I found some post cards and a t-shirt.

This section of the park is called The Needles because of the colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that are prevalent in the area. There is only one road leading in and out of the area. We drove the scenic drive all the way to the end. Our first scenic viewpoint was the Wooden Shoe Arch Overlook. I think it was appropriately named.

Wooden Shoe Arch Overlook with Wooden Shoe Arch in the distance.

Our time in southeastern Utah was during the monsoon season of August. Every day a rain storm would bring clouds and often times rain.

We drove through the campground at the park just to get an idea of what the sites looked like. There were no hook ups and the sites were very small. Water was available only seasonally at the restroom facilities.

The rock formations around the campground looked like giant toadstools.

Toadstool like rock formations among the campground area.

We drove to Pothole Point where we saw the potholes that collect water when it rains. Even though they were dried up, there is a whole ecosystem with aquatic life that comes alive when the rains come. It’s important not to step in the holes because of that. They are a source of water for the wildlife in the rainy season.

Pothole Point had many potholes to collect water during the rains.

At the end of the road is Big Spring Canyon Overlook. It was here that we got a good look at the pinnacles from which the name “The Needles” comes from.

The Pinnacles in the background give this section of the park its name: The Needles.

The Utah Juniper tree is a hearty tree that can survive the harshest of conditions due to its extensive and deep root system. The roots can grow 25 feet deep and spread out for 100 feet from the tree.

Utah Juniper clings to the rocks at Big Spring Canyon Overlook.

Although The Needles section of Canyonlands National Park was interesting and beautiful, it didn’t compare with the views from the western entrance. I was mildly disappointed. But I’m glad we got to see this area of the park.

We drove back to our campground in Monticello, Utah. That spot turned out to be a perfect base camp for visiting all the attractions of southeastern Utah. We still had at least one more area to explore, but I will save that for the next blog.

“No one is as holy as the Lord! There is no other God, nor any Rock like our God.” I Samuel 2:2

Arches National Park

Posted on October 3, 2023 by admin

There are five national parks in the state of Utah. Even though we’ve visited all five in the past, we wanted to revisit Arches and Canyonlands again. There’s never enough time to see everything all at once.

Arches NP is now so popular that it requires a timed entry ticket to visit during peak hours. We found the afternoons had plenty of time slots available. I was also hoping to get some sunset photos.

We started our visit this time at the visitors’ center. It was built in 2005, so it was our first time to see it. I especially liked the views from the large windows.

Our first stop along the 40-mile scenic drive was the Park Avenue Viewpoint. From the viewpoint it was like looking through a window at the mountains beyond. The trail climbed down into a valley between massive rock formations.

The three gossips looked familiar to us from previous visits. I call them “Three Wise Men” because they look like they’re wearing turbans.

Erosion is constantly wearing down the sandstone rock. Some arches eventually collapse. Such is the one shown below. The three rock columns were once connected on top by a layer of rock.

Other types of formations in the park are balancing rocks, such as this one.

This double arch was formed from water erosion from the top, rather than more typical erosion from the side. Next to them are the beginnings of other arch caves.

Delicate Arch has had many names in the past, including “Old Maids Bloomers”, “Pants Crotch” and “School Marm’s Pants.” Although the rumor is not true that the names of Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch were inadvertently exchanged due to a signage switch, in my opinion, the switched names fit better than the current ones.

We hiked up to this arch years ago. But this time, I just took a photo from a distance with a zoom lens.

There are over 2,000 natural arches in Arches National Park. There are also hundreds of towering pinnacles, huge rock fins, and giant balanced rocks.

Windows are formed by blowing sand that erodes the rock instead of water erosion. North and South Windows are sometimes called the “spectacles” because they look like eyeglasses.

Formations called “fins” are formed when water flows along parallel joints or fractures and erodes the rock away in “slices”.

As the afternoon wore on, the clouds parted and the sun lit up the rocks. We weren’t at the end of the scenic drive yet. There were still more sites to see.

Driving along the road, we could see the beginnings of many arches forming in the rocks.

Skyline Arch was one of my favorites simply because you could see it from the road and it had this interesting twisted old tree in front of it.

At the end of the scenic drive is Devils Garden Trailhead. This trail leads to Landscape Arch, which is the longest rock arch in North America. It is very long and thin, which makes me think it should have been named “Delicate Arch.”

The wind had kicked up, and it was late in the day, so I only hiked a short way on the two-mile hike to the arch.

The entrance to the trail is something like walking through the Gates of Argonath in the Lord of the Rings. The rocks tower on either side of the pathway like guards.

I hiked far enough to see one of the other arches along the trail called Pine Tree Arch, then turned around and headed back.

We noticed these holes in the rock above the parking lot. It shows how water enters the rocks and begins the erosion process that eventually forms arches.

The rain was all around us while we were there, but it finally caught up with us as we were leaving.

Our second visit to Arches made for a beautiful day enjoying the beautiful scenery created by God.

He is the Rock; His deeds are perfect. Everything He does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright He is! Deuteronomy 32:4 TLB

Monument Valley

Posted on September 18, 2023 by admin

It was a cloudy morning when we left Monticello, Utah, to drive to Monument Valley across the Arizona border. It would take us nearly two hours to get there. I was wishing that the sun would pop out sometime during the day.

Along the way, we passed the little town of Mexican Hat, Utah, and the rock formation which gave it its name. Doesn’t it looks like a man sitting on a rock wearing a large Mexican hat?

As we traveled further, we could see rain in the distance. I was hoping for some sunshine, and it wasn’t long before I got my wish.

A famous tourist spot outside Monument Valley is the location of a scene from the movie “Forrest Gump.” We didn’t get there early enough to beat the crowds. People were standing in the road, sitting in the road, lying in the road, blocking the road—all just to get a photo. It was a mess.

I just wanted a photo of the road leading up toward the mountains–without all the people. It turns out that was impossible. So I settled for a less than perfect photo.

As we got closer to our destination, we could see some of the classic Monument Valley rock formations sticking up from the desert floor. At the same time, the sun began to peek out from the clouds.

Monument Valley is located on Navajo Indian Reservation. It is owned and operated by the Navajo Indian Tribe.

We first went to the Visitors’ Center. The Visitors’ Center is situated overlooking Monument Valley. We could see the road we would travel, winding its way across the desert floor.

Viewpoint from Monument Valley Visitors’ Center

Layers of rock as seen from balcony of visitors’ center

The balcony at the visitors’ center is one of the best places to get photos of the valley. Seen below are the classic “Mittens” with their “thumbs” sticking out of the sides, and Merrick Butte (on the right).

A four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended to drive the 17 mile loop. The first part of the road is a series of very steep and rutted switchbacks. Even in a 4WD truck, it was a rough ride. The speed limit was 15 mph, but I never got above 7 or 8 mph on that terrible road. It was dusty and bumpy. Our truck was coated with a fine layer of red dirt by the time we were done.

Merrick Butte. The dirt road is very primitive and rough.

There are eleven marked viewpoints along the drive. The names describe the rocks, if you have an imagination.

Three kinds of formations dominate the valley: mesas, buttes and pillars.

The hard top layers of the buttes and mesas called caprock resist weathering and erosion, but the softer sandstone layers below are eroded away by rain, snow, wind and ice. The debris that falls down the sides is known as scree or talus.

The rock walls have many interesting colors probably from minerals in the rocks and water.

Some of buttes and spires are over 1,000 feet high.

As the day progressed, the sun broke through the clouds. We had blue skies with puffy white clouds.

Many western movies were filmed in Monument Valley. One of the iconic scenes is John Ford’s point as seen below. You may have seen this viewpoint in movies like “The Searchers” with John Wayne.

At this viewpoint, there was a Navajo Indian available to take photos of tourists sitting on a horse, for a price, of course.

On our way to the Artists Point, was Thumb butte. I thought it was a pretty good description of this rock formation. I give it a thumbs up!

The “window” between these rocks looks out on a large plain called Artists’ Point. The road leads to where you can get a view of the valley on the other side.

Views like this have made Monument Valley one of the most photographed places on earth.

The complimentary colors of the red rocks and green shrubs along with the blue sky inspire all kinds of artists, including me.

If you don’t have time to drive the seventeen mile road, there are still many great views from outside the park. These photos were taken from the highway. The blue sky and clouds made a beautiful backdrop against the red rocks.

In the photo below, these formations from left to right are called King on His Throne, Stagecoach, Bear and Rabbit, and Castle Butte. Which one is your favorite?

King on his throne, Stagecoach, Bear & Rabbit and Castle Buttes

On our way back home, I noticed this mountain near Mexican Hat, Utah. Notice the folds in the rock. The rock had to be soft when it was folded because the rock would break if it was solid like it is today. Is it likely that these layers were laid down during Noah’s flood, and folded as the mountains were raised? Wouldn’t the layers have been worn away by erosion if it had taken millions of years for the layers to form as scientists tell us? Food for thought.

Folded mountain layers near Mexican Hat, Utah

Goosenecks State Park

On our way back to Monticello, Utah, we made a detour to visit Goosenecks (Utah) State Park.

This small 10 acre Utah state park overlooks the San Juan River meandering and cutting a gorge of 1,000 feet deep.

It wasn’t quite as beautiful as Horseshoe Bend in northern Arizona, but it was still very impressive since you can stand on the edge and look straight down. Also, it is not just one bend in the river, but several all together.

The San Juan River at Goosenecks State Parke

I guess I should have been a geologist because places like this fascinate me. It was a great ending to our day.

“But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Amos 5:4

Telluride, Colorado

Posted on September 9, 2023 by admin

The historic town of Telluride in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado could easily have become a ghost town after the mining companies closed down in 1978. Instead, it transformed into a winter ski and summer recreational resort town.

At an elevation of 8,750 feet, it is a popular place to escape the heat of summer. It was a three hour drive for us to this little town. Along the way, we saw some beautiful scenery.

Closer view of mountains on the way to Telluride.

Having visited on the weekend, we had trouble finding parking. We found a spot on a side street and walked a short distance to the Visitors’ Center. There we found information about a free parking lot at the edge of town, and a shuttle bus that would take us where we wanted to go.

Historic New Sheridan Hotel in downtown Telluride

Telluride is both on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and a U.S. Historic Landmark District, so I was able to get my Passport book stamped at the Visitors’ Center. There’s a self-guided walking tour of historic buildings, but Ray’s knee was hurting, so we chose not to do that. The New Sheridan Hotel is one of the historic buildings on the list.

The mountains are very close to the town of Telluride

Before we moved from our parking spot, we spotted a cement wall in front of a little chapel nearby that made a perfect place to eat our picnic lunch.

Alpine Chapel where we ate our picnic lunch.

We found the free parking lot and hopped on the shuttle bus to the Gondola Station. At the Gondola Station we boarded a gondola car and were soon headed up toward the summit of the mountain.

Looking up the mountain at the gondola ride

Another ski lift from downtown Telluride

The free gondola ride lasts 13 minutes from the center of Telluride to the resort town of Mountain Village. It covers three miles of terrain. The gondola ride is the first and only free public transportation of its kind in the United States. It officially opened December 20, 1996, and it operates 6:30 a.m. to midnight year round.

View from inside gondola looking up the mountain

We got off at the San Sophia Station, (elevation 10, 540 feet) at the top of the mountain to view the scenery. The gondola continues down the other side to Mountain Village, but we wanted to look around the top of the mountain first.

The surrounding mountains were so colorful and beautiful. Looking down, we could see the town snuggled against the mountainsides.

Chair lift and view of Telluride from top of San Sophia Station

Telluride from top of mountain from San Sophia Station

Telluride lies in a valley between steep mountains. In summer, clouds and thunderstorms during the day are common.

View of mountains from San Sophia station

The views from the gondola and at the top of the mountain were amazing. Across the valley, I spied a waterfall called Cornet waterfall. In spite of the summer heat, there were still a few patches of snow remaining on the mountains.

The nature center at San Sophia Station was closed, but outside there were native Colorado flowers planted around the building, including pink yarrow and two different colors of columbine.

The Rocky Mountain Columbine is the state flower of Colorado.

We hopped back on the gondola and rode it down to Mountain Village. It is mostly condos and a ski resort area.

There is another gondola that goes to Mountain Plaza shopping area, but we weren’t there to shop, so we took a break outside on the patio area and ate a snack we brought with us while enjoying the scenery.

After riding the gondola back up the mountain and down to Telluride again, we hopped on the shuttle. It makes a loop around the town, so we got to see some more of the town while riding to our parking spot. We had one more place to visit before leaving.

If you drive all the way through Telluride to the end of town, there is a parking lot by an old mining building, Pandora Mill. From there, you can see Bridal Veil Falls. At 365 feet tall, It is the tallest free-falling falls in Colorado.

A privately owned, historic power plant sits at the brink of the falls.

All the parking spots were taken, so I double parked and quickly jumped out and took a few photos of the waterfalls. I moved the truck to a parking spot near the old mill when I spotted another waterfall. Researching the name of this, I concluded that it is called Marshall Creek Falls.

As I zoomed out on my camera, I was able to get both falls in one photo.

Marshall Creek Falls and Bridal Veil Falls

It was late afternoon so we decided to head home. As we drove a few miles out of town, I stopped for one last look. In the distance was Bridal Veil Falls at the end of the box canyon that holds the historic town of Telluride. What a view!

Looking back at Telluride and Bridal Veil Falls

On our way home, I stopped at this roadside pull out and couldn’t resist more photos of these scenic mountains. Now the evening light made them look even more beautiful.

We had a nice day trip to Telluride. I would have liked to have spent more time there, but we had a long drive home. Maybe someday we will return.

“For all God’s words are right, and everything He does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good; the earth is filled with His tender love. He merely spoke, and the heavens were formed and all the galaxies of stars. He made the oceans, pouring them into His vast reservoirs. Let everyone in all the world–men, women, and children–fear the Lord and stand in awe of Him. For when He but spoke, the world began!” —-Psalm 33:4-9

Lake City, Colorado

Posted on September 3, 2023 by admin

In the previous blog, I mentioned this bridge. It crosses the Gunnison Reservoir on the way to Lake City. One day we took a drive to explore this little mountain town.

Looking back across the lake, we could see our RV park snuggled on the hillside (on the left).

Our RV Park across the lake on the left side.

It was about lunch time when we arrived. Since we didn’t bring a picnic lunch that day, we stopped at Sportsman’s BBQ Station for lunch and got some pulled pork sandwiches. As you can probably tell by the blue fish, fishing is a popular pastime in Lake City, Colorado.

Lake City, population 432, gets its name from Lake San Cristobal, which is about a mile outside of the town. The lake had an interesting beginning, which I will tell more about shortly.

Lake City is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains of the San Juan mountain range. At 8,661 feet in elevation, it is a nice place to escape the summer heat. August is their wettest month. Although we didn’t get rained on, we did see some ominous looking thunderheads while we were there.

Lake City is named after Lake San Cristobal

After lunch, we drove south over the mountain pass on Highway 149. As we drove out of town and gained elevation, we could see over the valley of Lake City.

Looking over the valley of Lake City, Colorado

The signs upon entering Colorado say, “Welcome to Colorful Colorado.” It is certainly true of the mountains. They are very colorful.

From left to right: Broken Hill, Wetterhorn Peak, Matterhorn Peak, (skip one) and Uncompahgre Peak

We stopped at a viewpoint overlooking the valley. The tallest peak that looks like the Matterhorn is Uncompahgre Peak which is over 14,000 feet. Two peaks to the left of it, is Matterhorn Peak at 13,500 feet. The next one to the left is another 14’er. It is Wetterhorn Peak. And the last one is Broken Hill at a little over 13,000 feet. They are all a part of the San Juan Mountains.

The mountain pictured below is responsible for forming Lake San Cristobal. About 850 years ago, thousands of tons of water-saturated earth broke away and slid nearly four miles into the valley below. This was called the “Slumgullion Earthflow.” It blocked the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River and formed Lake San Cristobal. It is the second largest natural lake in Colorado.

About 350 years ago, another part of the mountain slowly slid down over part of the previous slide and continues today at a rate of 20 feet per year.

Other mountains in the surrounding area have names that fit their description, like Red Mountain and Grassy Mountain.

The trees were mostly spruce trees with aspen trees scattered in groups here and there.

We weren’t quite at the summit of the Slumguillion Pass, so we kept going. We wanted to see what was on the other side of the mountain!

At the higher elevations, we spotted some wildflowers. Fireweed and yarrow were prevalent.

When we made it to the top of the pass, this is what we saw–mountains in every direction. The wild flowers were blooming in the cool mountain air. The peaks showed a few remaining patches of snow.

The other side of the mountain. Fireweed and yarrow were blooming at this elevation.

One other mountain looked like it also had a portion of it collapse and slide down the side of it. At 11,361 feet, we were above the treeline. The other side of the mountain looked very similar to the side we’d just climbed over.

The afternoon rain clouds were moving in, so we decided to head back to Lake City. If we had kept going, we would end up in South Fork at the junction of US Highway 160 that leads to Durango.

The other side of the mountain at Slumguillion Pass.

On our way back, the sun came out and spotlighted a portion of the mountains. We drove back down the mountain and into Lake City. For such a small town, it seemed quite busy.

On our way out of the town of Lake City, I found this beautiful spot on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. The road follows the river for many miles. There are beautiful gorges and rocks that make the drive very scenic.

Steep cliffs line both sides of Lake Fork of the Gunnison River

On our way we saw this scenic log barn situated by a small lake. There was no place to walk along the road, so I could only get photos of them separately.

We enjoyed our day trip to Lake City. The cool weather and beautiful scenery made it a lovely day.

“Before the mountains were born
Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God”. — Psalm 90:2

Ouray, Colorado

Posted on August 24, 2023 by admin

“The Switzerland of America”

At 7,800 feet elevation, Ouray, Colorado, (pronounced “YOU-ray”), in a canyon surrounded by steep mountains on all sides, seemed like a perfect place to spend a hot summer day. It was named after Chief Ouray of the Ute Indian tribe.The town was originally a gold mining town. The Camp Bird Mine produced over one million ounces of gold by 1917.

For us, it was a two-hour drive to get there, and actually took longer because of a half-hour delay both ways for road construction. But it was definitely worth the drive.

Our first priority was to see Box Canyon Falls. It is a city park not far outside of town. Long ago, it was up for sale for $5,000, but it never sold. It was deeded to the city for $75 to preserve it for everyone’s enjoyment.

The parking lot was small, but we managed to squeeze into the last spot available. It was a short, easy walk to the falls. Along the way we saw some wildlife.

Chipmunk enjoys the bird seed dropped from the bird feeder.

We could hear the falls long before we could see it.

In the stream flowing below us, there was a cement box which surrounds the source of a hot spring. Long ago, it flowed into the stream. But today, there’s a pipe that diverts the hot springs water to a popular hot springs swimming area on the outskirts of town.

A hot spring which used to flow into the stream is now piped into Ouray.

As we approached the waterfall, there was a catwalk along the rock walls.

Our first glimpse of the waterfall was the lower section.

Next, we could see the water coming down the chute. It was very loud by this time, and mist filled the air.

At the closet point, we could see the torrent of water coming down the box canyon chute. It has so much force, it could power the entire town of Ouray. The thunderous noise made it impossible to talk to one another.

From there we could see how the water came nearly straight down, falling 285 feet into a narrow quartzite canyon.

The catwalk had stairs that led down to the stream, so we walked down to see it better.

The box canyon is also unique in that it is home to a colony of Black Swifts. These birds arrive in early June to make nests of mud and grass in the indentations of the rock walls. They lay one egg and care for the chick until autumn when they migrate to Brazil 4,300 miles away.

What’s even more interesting is that the chick never flies until time to migrate. They hang onto the edge of the nest and flap their wings like a hummingbird to gain enough strength for the long arduous journey. However, to my disappointment, we didn’t see any of these amazing birds while we were there.

We hiked back out of the canyon. The view from the trail was so pretty.

Back in the town of Ouray, we looked for a place to have our picnic lunch. We found a cement wall by the courthouse that made a perfect place.

The courthouse, built in 1888, was used in the movie True Grit, starring John Wayne.

Ouray Courthouse. Yes, the street really does slope that much!

While we ate our lunch outside, I noticed a waterfall coming down one of the mountainsides of the town. The name of the waterfalls is Cacade Falls. I found out later that there is a quarter of a mile trail to the bottom of the falls. We will have to save that for another visit.

We went back home on Highway 550 the way we came, but if we had continued on south, we would have traveled on the famous “Million Dollar Highway” to Silverton, Colorado.

We have plenty of reasons to come back to Colorado and explore some more of the beautiful creation of God.

“Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have passed over me.
The Lord will send His goodness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:7-8

Travel USA

Our Airstream Travels