"Someone" had told us that this hike could be completed in 1.25 hours, ha! They lied! That could only be half the trail, the full hike took more like 2.5-3 hours- ask me how I know, LOL. Some call it "the lord of the trails" and it circumnavigates the town of Ouray. That red line you see, that's the trail.
It's a very scenic and fairly challenging hike, up and down 1,000ft. for 4.2 miles between 7,500ft. and 8,5000 ft. Whew! But the scenery is divine- and the reward at the end even more so!
First you hike up steeply for a while until you come to these lovely falls..........
I thought this was very daring of us!
then past noisy tumbling water.......
and more noisy water..........
and still more!
Then up........
and up.........
passing daring parents with a 30lb. baby !
They are less than half our age mind you, but still courageous to my thinking!
Passing cairns.....
and adding our own rocks to the piles.
Then stopping for a photo op! This was the highest we went, 8,500ft., it's called the Potato Patch because the miners used to grow potatoes there. From here it was mostly down hill.
Around the Ouray Ice Park......
but this is how it looks in winter!
Across another bridge......this one the most modern.......
the view from the bridge........
and through this claustrophobic tunnel out of Box Canyon!
I can see the light at the end..........
nearly there.....
whew, I made it!
More steep descent........
then finally back onto the streets of the town. See that dark green forrest across the valley, the trail ran right through the top of that!
1896
Some lovely historic homes on the way down to the town
Aren't they charming?
The poppies that grow so well at these elevations welcomed us at the end of our trail.
As did an Aussie flag that delighted this ex pat's heart!
And then for the final reward.......
fish and sweet potato chips, beer for DH and a Bloody Mary for me!
I ate nearly everything on my plate, not sure where it went but I was so hungry!
Then home for a hot shower and some couch time!
Wow, Ros, what an ambitious hike! Super goregous scenery. When we were little, my dad was the great one to take us hiking around the mountains on narrow little trails that would have raised my mother's hair had she known. But that tunnel, now that would do me in. Don't know that I could do that. Shew! Beautiful houses.
ReplyDeleteWell, you certainly deserved the fish and chips(and the Bloody Mary) after that hike. GOOD FOR YOU and you family. That was quite something.
ReplyDeleteI loved the photos. The scenery was beautiful!
The town of Quray is charming. Love those houses.
What a great day you had.
Were you in Colorado when the dust storm hit Phoenix? I thought about you. It looked like the Dust Bowl, during the depression, on the news.
awesome GF and so awesome that you hiked all that way...what a trip...absolutely stunning pictures so beautiful and I just love the houses...I can't believe you went by a house with an Aussie flag what a treat!
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