CO Trip Day 2

Day 1 ended at the Allenspark Lodge after a hearty dinner in Lyons. The lodge was about 20 miles from Lyons down a dark and twisting canyon, which we wished we could have seen in the daytime. We arrived at the lodge around 9:30pm after long day of travel and were heartily welcomed by one of the owners (Bill).


The lodge was a wonderful location for our first night - the epitome of a classic Colorado mountain retreat. Rustic, old and full of beautiful native wood, the lodge was perfect. The hosts, Bill and Juanita were wonderful and could not have been more cheerful and outgoing.



We slept soundly in the "Honeymoon Suite" on the 3rd floor - complete with an in-room gas fireplace. The night was clear and cold, as in the morning the roof outside the bathroom window was coated in frost.

Breakfast was a delight, with homemade vittles and family-style seating for both the guests and the hosts.



After checking out, we headed north on the Peak-to-Peak highway towards Estes Park. We stopped to explore St. Malo, a beautiful chapel beside the highway that was framed by some of our first close views of the Rocky Mountains.



Further north on the Peak-to-Peak, we had views of the legendary Longs Peak, still freshly covered in snow.



Before Estes Park, we stopped at the Wild Basin trailhead and entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park and continued along a winding dirt road to the Copeland Falls trailhead.

We stopped along the road to check out a stream, flowing strongly from fresh spring snowmelt.



Katie learned about the butterscotch smell of a ponderosa pine. :)
From the trailhead it was a short hike up to the falls and back. However, at over 9,000 ft. in elevation, we were both thankful for the short hike as our lungs had not yet adjusted!



Back from the hike, we skooted on up to Estes Park in search of lunch. We found it at the Grubsteak (be sure to sit in the pub: much nicer than the front), in the form of wonderful burgers and a couple of local brews.


After doing the typical tourist thing in Estes Park, we hit the grocery store and headed into Rocky Mountain National Park for the night to camp. On the way coming into the park we saw quite a few elk, some pretty close to the roadside.



Along the way to the Glacier Basin campground, we stopped to gaze at elk and soak in the scenary at Morraine Park.