SEE ALL DESCRIPTIONS OF EXCURSIONS AND TOURS ON MY PERSONAL SITE.
Tour of Denver - the state capital.
The city's most important landmark is the late 19th century Colorado State Capitol, a massive white granite building topped with a 55-meter gold dome.
Lower Downtown, which is called LoDo for short, is a walk through the historic district.
Visit the Molly Brown House Museum. The "unsinkable" Lady Molly Brown, one of the few surviving passengers on the Titanic, lived in the 1880s in a large Denver mansion. Today you can see not only the original furniture of that period, but also a lot of charming old knick-knacks during the tour.
Another posh mansion worth a visit is the residence of the Governor of Colorado. The history of the mansion, full of noble names of aristocratic Colorado residents, and the interiors of the building are remarkable.
The triangular-shaped Brown Palace Hotel, built in 1892 in the heart of the city, was home to Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and even the smashed Beatles. All of them left their autographs in the guest book of the hotel. At the end of the tour, afternoon tea awaits - a long tradition of Brown Palace, which is not forgotten for a single day. Anyone can join.
A very calm and charming place - the Botanical Garden.
On the way to the National Park we stop at the town of Boulder. Pearl Street is a cozy street with a variety of souvenir shops, galleries and cafes.
This city has long been chosen by hippies, and their generation has been spending great time here.
In the vicinity there are a number of hippie communes, and indeed of various communities, trying to leave worldly affairs and devote themselves to spiritual ones.
The "pearl" not only of the state of Colorado, but of the entire country is the Rocky Mountains National Park.
Alpine landscapes are so mesmerizing and beckoning with their beauty that the National Park is overwhelmed with tourists from time to time. More than three million people visit the National Park every year.
Those who really love mountains will never be able to resist the sight of stunning mountain landscapes, crystal clear rivers and lakes. If you stop following the well-trodden tourist paths, you will easily find many places where you can calmly contemplate the beauty of the pristine nature. IN National Reserve with total area There are over 370 hiking trails in 1,075 square kilometers.
The paths vary in their complexity, some of them go through protected areas... On many trails it is allowed to ride horses, which we will not use to use.
This area is home to the most popular ski resorts in the states, allowing you to actively spend your winter holidays. But even in summer it is beautiful here - the landscape is rightfully considered magnificent, how many poems and songs were composed by American poets about this pearl of Colorado ...
Hiking trails run through rocky mountains, alpine lakes, tundra, aspen groves, forests and meadows strewn with bright mountain flowers. Can't find the best placeto experience the full range of mountain beauty than Rocky Mountain National Park, the Rocky Mountains.
The next point is the famous Colorado Springs.
The city is located in a picturesque place at the foot of the mountains, and lies at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level, with some areas much higher.
Colorado Springs was founded on July 31, 1871 by William Jackson Palmer, who built railways. Palmer was so impressed by the valley at the foot of the mountains that he acquired the land and founded a settlement. From the very beginning, Palmer had a desire to found a resort city, the surrounding area only favored this. In the very near future, onlookers, settlers and gold seekers were drawn to Colorado Springs. The first tourists appeared, attracted by the beautiful countryside, clean mountain air, sun, mineral waters and a very dry climate. Over time, the flow of seekers of gold and silver dried up, but tourists became more and more.
There are two major air bases near Colorado Springs, the United States Air Force Academy and Fort Carson. These 4 military sites are the largest employers in the region. In addition, the North American Aerospace Defense Command Center (NORAD), which is responsible for missile defense, is based in the vicinity of Colorado Springs under Cheyenne Mountain. The NORAD complex was built at the height of the Cold War with the USSR and at one time caused anxiety among local residents, who believed that the city could be the target of a nuclear strike by the USSR.
Most tourists come to Colorado Springs to admire the local nature. In the immediate vicinity of Colorado Springs is Pikes Peak (4302 meters), which attracts thousands of people. It is believed to be the second largest mountain in the world after Fuji in terms of the number of tourists. To see beautiful landscapes you need to climb up the Cog Railway, by car or on footpaths. Any option is interesting and extreme in its own way. Two popular sporting events are held annually on Pikes Peak: the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (race to the top in cars of various classes) and the Pikes Peak Marathon (marathon).
Another mountain worthy of attention is Cheyenne Mountain.
We will take a walk along the Cheyenne Canyon.
It also houses the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun and the Colorado Springs Zoo (Cheyenne Mountain Zoo). These Colorado Springs attractions are located close to each other and are very popular with tourists.
We will climb this only high-altitude zoo in the country on a lift.
Next - a tour of the old city Old Colorado City, which was one of the centers of the American Gold Rush, and today attracts tourists with historical sites of the past, souvenir and art shops, bars and cafes.
We will also visit the Wild West Museum.
And we will visit the Cave of Winds in a picturesque mountain canyon.
Midwest Township - Manitou Springs.
On request, we can swim in the healing hot springs.
This town houses the legendary Indian Cliff Dwellings Museum, which consists of two parts: the first is an open-air museum of the ancient Indian settlement of the Anasazi tribe in the red rocks of Colorado, the second is a gift gallery together with indoor museum rooms.
A park area called "Garden of the Gods" (Gаrdеn оf thе Gоds) is located very close to the urban areas of Colorado Springs. The main attraction of the Garden of the Gods is the bizarre orange-colored rocks created over the years by wind erosion. There are many hiking and biking trails in the park, allowing you to take an unusual walk among the wonderful geological formations.
We will take a small hike around mountain route - Red Rock Open Space canyon.
We will pass it on the way to the magnificent Royal Gorge Bridge Park - the world's tallest suspension bridge over an abyss-gorge.
And one of the best experiences for all tourists is rafting on the Arkansas River. The pleasure is simply indescribable, both for children from five years old, and for all adults without exception.
Cripple Creek, a mining town, is an hour and a half drive from Colorado Springs. It is surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides and is located 2 miles above sea level (almost 3 km).
This trip will be interesting for those who not only love nature and fresh airbut is also interested in the history of the North American Gold Rush and the gambling business.
We will go for a walk in the mountains, then take an elevator to the Molly Kathleen gold mine for an excursion, visit the Museum of the History of the Development of the US Wild West region, walk the streets and casinos of the town where not so long ago blood was shed in the struggle for wealth or honor.
And if time remains, then we will take a ride on an open sightseeing train to the Golden Valley.
The decision to go to Colorado was spontaneous, although any trip is a great pleasure for me. And even more so to see the Rocky Mountains! A young Muscovite, a geophysicist, who worked on a business trip in Houston for 3.5 months, decided to take a short vacation before returning home and see interesting places in the states. She needed someone for the company - after all, traveling alone in a foreign country is not very comfortable. As the least burdened with work among her friends, I agreed with great pleasure to go for four days. I’ll note right away that during the trip we made a colorful couple with her - grandmothers and granddaughters, and everywhere we were treated very well. Two weeks before the trip, they began to carefully develop the route, where it is best to go and what to see, based on the availability of time. All the worries about tickets, hotel booking and car rental were taken over by my son, as an experienced person in these matters. He made us printouts from the Internet of all the necessary maps with a detailed indication of the turns and exits to this or that road or street. God, bless the Internet - the most wonderful travel assistant! On the Internet, we have gathered the most necessary information about the state of Colorado.
The area of \u200b\u200bthe state of Colorado is 269.7 thousand square meters. km - the 8th place in the USA in terms of territory. And in terms of population it is only 24th, only 4, 3 million people live there, less than in “big” Houston! The capital of the state is the city of Denver, with a population of just over 600 thousand people. Colorado is the "highest" state in the USA, its entire territory lies at an altitude of more than 2000 meters above sea level. If you look at the map of the United States, then on it Colorado has the shape of a regular quadrangle, its borders are parallels and meridians, i.e. it is located between 41 and 37 degrees north latitude, and from east to west stretches from 102 to 109 degrees west longitude. Only the states of Wyoming and Utah have similar borders. The state got its name from the Colorado River (Colorado), which in Spanish means "painted in red", as the river flows among the rocks with a reddish tint. Yes, there are many red rocks among the mountains in Colorado! The nickname, or, as they now say, "nickname", Colorado has - "The Century State", since it became part of the United States in 1876, on the hundredth anniversary of the adoption of the "Declaration of Independence."
In the middle of the 19th century, since 1850, Colorado "got sick" of the gold and silver fever described in many works. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe city of Aspen in 1894, the largest silver nugget was found, weighing 835 kg. It is still the largest nugget in the world. In the mines of the state, gold and silver are still mined, and Colorado ranks first in the United States in the extraction of molybdenum and the production of steel. It is no coincidence that a pickaxe and a hammer are depicted on the state coat of arms, symbolizing the mining industry - the basis of the economy. And the golden ball inside the letter "C" on the flag indicates the presence of gold mines. There are two mints in the United States, one in Denver and the other in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Colorado is one of the most beautiful states, as we have seen. Two-fifths of its territory is occupied by the Rocky Mountains, in which 55 peaks are more than 4200 meters high, and the highest Mount Elbert rises to 4399 meters. And so we fly to admire the mountains, because as V. Vysotsky sang: "Better than mountains can only be mountains, which have never been before ..."
Day one, Monday, September 29.
The plane from Houston to Denver covers the distance of 876 miles (1410 km) in a little over two hours. Departure on Monday, at 6-20 am, and in Denver, the state capital, taking into account the time difference of one hour, we will land at 7-40. Denver Airport is very comfortable, clean, spacious. Lots of cafes, in one of which we drank coffee and had breakfast, as American domestic airlines do not provide food on the planes. Having received the luggage, we went to the information desk. There we were given a large Denver guidebook and a detailed map of the city for free, and they explained how to get a shuttle bus (also free) to the company in which we ordered a car for rent. Registration and receipt of the car took no more than 15 minutes. How wonderful and well-organized everything is! Here we received another map of Denver, although we already had our own printouts of the main routes. And the employee who gave us the car, also in words explained how best to leave the parking lot and get to the hotel. And here we are in a small car of the "KIA" brand (we chose this one ourselves, it is very economical) driving along the highway towards the city. The terrain is flat and only in the distance we see the silhouettes of mountains in the haze. To the hotel in the northern part of the city 18 miles, in 25 minutes we, having overcome a rather difficult road junction, are already in place. I admire my young companion, at 23, with just over a year of driving experience, she drives a car beautifully. After checking into the room and settling down, we decide to go to the parks closest to the city. First to the park and the intriguing name "Dinosaur Ridge".
Dinosaur Ridge Park is located about 10 miles west of Downtown Denver or 20 from our hotel on Highway 70 near Morrison. Colorado has another huge dinosaur bone and skeleton park called the Dinosaur National Monument, but it's on the Utah border in the far northwest, more than 300 miles from Denver. The same park is small. The entrance car park is decorated with the silhouette of a dinosaur. There is a small information center, a souvenir shop, and various snacks. Once upon a time, 100 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed here. The bones of the dead animals were covered with mud and sand, saturated with silica, as a result they hardened and became like the surrounding stones. About 70 million years ago, active processes of displacement of rock layers began, as a result of which part of the rocks unfolded, split and exposed the inner layers, which made it possible to see fossil bones. A small bus, driven by an amateur tour guide, keen on geology, for three dollars, takes us up the mountain for a mile and a half, stopping at interesting places and talking about the many finds of fossilized dinosaur parts. There are many schoolchildren here, school buses bring them on excursions. From the upper border of the park we go down on foot, constantly taking pictures and admiring the surrounding landscapes. Most admired by the prints of the footprints of dinosaurs, which are naturally tinted to make them more noticeable. Through a narrow hollow behind the "Dinosaur Ridge" you can see bizarre red rocks. The guide says that this is another park called Red Rock. No more than 4 miles to go there. And of course we go there immediately.
Red Rocks delight! Here the mountains are composed of red sandstones, which, as a result of long processes of weathering, have acquired bizarre outlines. On the road that winds between the rocks, in especially beautiful places, there are small platforms for you to stop and take pictures. There are no guides here, we drive ourselves. In some places of this park there are small houses. Perhaps people just live, or maybe for service personnel. A variety of vegetation, colored with the colors of early autumn, adds beauty. It is amazing how pines, shrubs and even small deciduous trees grow on the rocks, with practically no soil. Everywhere is very clean, all mini-parking lots have garbage cans, and we have never seen any litter anywhere. And what a delightful air here! And there is no sweltering heat like in Houston. But, the day was drawing to a close, we were saturated with impressions, and decided to return to the hotel. We will continue our journey tomorrow!
Day two, Tuesday, September 30.
During the trip, I play the role of a navigator, sit next to the driver (or, more correctly, the driver) with a map in my hands and suggest all route changes, road turns. Therefore, on Monday night I carefully study our way to the largest National Park of Colorado "Rocky Mountains" - "Rocky Mountain" on the maps. The park is huge, its area is 1075 square kilometers, and you can enter it through the Visitor Centers both from the west, near Grand Lake, and from the east, from the town of Estes Park. In fact, the entire Rocky Mountain Park is often referred to as Estes Park. We drive about 70 miles from Denver to Estes Park, through the city of Boulder, on federal road 36. We leave at 8 am to return before dark. While driving along the city highway, we have to stand in traffic jams, the highway within the city is crowded with cars.
But now the suburbs have gone, it has become more spacious. The mountains are getting closer and higher. Autumn forests on the slopes of the mountains delight the eye with bright colors. We pass small lakes and towns. I especially liked the small town of Lyons with a variety of cafes and shops along the road, where they sell wooden sculptures, souvenirs, flags of countries of the world, tree seedlings and potted flowers. The last part of the road goes through the huge Roosevelt National Forest, which runs along the eastern edge of Istes Park. After two hours of travel, we are already in the town of Istes Park. It is located on the shores of the lake of the same name, very picturesque, from which the Thompson River and several streams (Creek) flow. The height above sea level is 2,700 meters. Near the road there is a large parking lot and a tourist information center. And on the beautiful square by the river, there are a lot of various shops and cafes, even a mini confectionery factory where sweets and chocolate are made by hand. And here various chocolate sweets are very expensive, three times more expensive than usually in stores.
In the information center, we are provided with a detailed map of the park, which shows all the sights, parking lots, places for recreation and picnics, lakes, main peaks and all roads and trails. The map told us everything a tourist needs to know about the park. The abundance of routes and interesting places scatters eyes - there are a huge number of them, for all tastes - the total length of roads and trails is more than 640 km. There are trails for hiking, for cyclists, special horse trails, and of course, one of the highest highways Peace, No. 34, or Trail Ridge Road. It encircles the entire park along the perimeter, branching off to the east of Highway 36 at an altitude of 2300 meters above sea level, and most of it runs at an altitude of over 3000 meters. Certain sections of the road in the north and west with an excess of 3000 meters above sea level are closed for passage for the winter, from mid-October to early June. So we are lucky, we can still drive, and go west, deep into the park, to the peaks!
But first, on the advice of a travel agency worker, we go to the small but picturesque Lake Mary, where you can see the pipes of the mountain water pipeline laid in the tunnel. Almost diagonally across the entire park, from Grand Lake to East Lake, there is a water tunnel with large diameter pipes called the Alva Adams Tunnel (Water diversion structure). Lake Mary is just 4 miles from the town, slightly off the main road 34. Around the lake there are cottages, houses, small hotels, a power station on the mountain is visible. Fishermen with fishing rods were seen on the shore. After taking a few pictures, we decide to go up to the peaks of Istes Park, along Trail Ridge Road.
The entrance to the Rocky Mountains Park is paid, it costs $ 10 per person, or $ 35 for a family up to 7 people, and is given for a week. You can leave and come back again, or settle for the night right in the park, where in the intermountain valleys there are small hotels, wooden houses, camping sites for tents. The road is great! With a dividing strip, there are speed limit signs at every mile - depending on the steepness of the road, from 10 miles per hour, up to 20 on the most flat sections. Although there are few cars, no one breaks the rules, does not try to overtake. Altitude indicators are set at regular intervals, sometimes only in feet (1m \u003d 3.28 feet), more often in meters too. The weather is sunny and bright. Nature is amazingly diverse and unusually beautiful, and my young companion constantly exclaims: "Awesome !!!" This is now the highest assessment of beauty among young people. For the convenience of tourists, in the most picturesque places, where everyone wants to take a picture, there are small "pockets" for stopping for one, sometimes for two cars.
About every 2-2.5 miles there are large areas with toilets and sometimes a picnic area. It is surprising that at a high altitude, where there is no running water, dry closets are installed, but not in plastic or metal standard cubicles, but in wooden houses, it is very clean, there is no smell, and there are vessels with sanitary liquid for hands. And even, as, indeed, throughout the country, there are large toilets for wheelchair users, because they also travel here in cars. The care for the convenience of travelers is simply amazing! I really liked the recreation area in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Falling River - Fall River. The height there is 2511 meters, a small dam was erected on the river. Again, a small information center, as the road forks soon. There is a souvenir shop and a cafe where you can have coffee and eat a donut.
Since the speed of movement in the mountains is low, and the frequent stops for photographing took time away, we drove a little more than 30 miles from the town of Istes Park, and spent about three hours. The higher we climbed the mountains, the more winding the road became. At first, on both sides of the road there was a mixed forest, pine trees, just like ours, European, multi-colored aspens, from a distance very similar to birch trees with their almost white trunks, shrubs, rare spruces. When they crossed the mark of 3000 meters, a solid spruce forest began - the trees are tall, with sharp peaks and an abundance of cones. And at an altitude of 3500 meters, the tundra zone began, which was announced by another sign by the road. But even without a sign it was clear. Like A.S. Pushkin in the poem "Caucasus": "skinny moss, dry shrub ...", stunted herbs, low flowers. Of course, the vegetation here is richer in spring, but autumn is already ... There are many basins covered with rubble, devoid of any vegetation. In many places the road ran along the edge of deep gorges and cliffs. To be honest, I was scared. Look back, and below us is a whole mountainous country, lakes, rivers, winding roads, as you look from an airplane!
Another sign announced that we were in the Alpine zone, and reached the highest point on this Trail Ridge Road - 3713 meters! We arrived at the next tourist center "Alpen Visiter Center", after which the road turns south to the Grand Lake. It is still almost 30 miles away, but we decided to return. We still had to do not only the way down to the town of Istes Park, but also return to Denver. We drove back almost without stopping to the town of Lyons, where we had a delicious lunch in a Mexican restaurant. They did not stay in Bolder, after the mountain beauty the city did not attract, although in guidebooks it is called cozy and very beautiful. After visiting the Rocky Mountains National Park, we concluded that we need to come there not for one day, but at least 3-4 days, in order to fully enjoy the beauty and relaxation.
Day three, Wednesday, October 1.
For this day, we are planning a trip to Colorado Springs, which is 70 miles south of Denver, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, at the foot of Pikes Peak. Pikes Peak is the third highest peak within the Colorado Rocky Mountains at 4301 meters, or 14110 feet. The area around Colorado Springs is one of the most scenic in the state. It is a balneological and climatic resort with many healing mineral springs.
The city was founded in 1871 by General William Jackson Palmer, the builder of the Denver to Rio Grande railroad. Gold and silver deposits were intensively developed around the city in the 19th century, which attracted settlers. Especially a lot of immigrants from England came here, so the city even received the nickname "Little London". Now Colorado Springs has 372 thousand inhabitants, and together with the suburbs - 525 thousand. It is one of the main centers for winter sports. It is no coincidence that the National Ski Association and the US National Olympic Committee are located in Colorado Springs.
We leave Denver at 8-30 am and head south on federal highway 25. The highway is fine, the speed limit is 65 mph. And every time I remember the phrase of our wonderful journalist Vasily Peskov: “Roads are the best thing in America”. Almost half of the way, passenger trains run parallel to us, although they are small, only 3 carriages, white and beautiful. Then the railway goes to the side. From the west side, i.e. to the left of us, stand alone mesas, with flat peaks, not very high, overgrown with trees and bushes. These are outlier mountains formed as a result of weathering processes. Sometimes they have a bizarre shape. Particularly memorable was the mountain called "Castle Rock", near which there is a town with the same name. Until we got close, it seemed that there was an ancient castle on the top of the mountain. In the west, the Rocky Mountains are visible in the haze.
Pikes Peak.
The main natural attractions are located southwest of Colorado Springs, and before reaching Downtown, we turn onto road 24, in the town of Manitow Springs, very green and cozy. To the north of the road we see red rocks among the greenery, and we guess that this is the famous "Garden of the Gods". But here later, and now the way to the top of Pikes Peak! We find the information bureau, the ubiquitous Visitоr Center. A lady, obviously of retirement age, cordially tells us what and how best to see. There are a lot of booklets on the sights around Colorado Springs on the stands, everything, like everywhere else, for free.
We were told that there are several ways to get to the top of Pikes Peak.
The first, easier way is to take a train. It has been here for more than a hundred years, since 1891, the highest-altitude railway in the United States, comfortable and safe for passengers, has been operating - Pikes Peak Cog Railway. By the way, before the opening in 2007 of the world's highest railway in Tibet, Qinghai-Tibet (the highest point of which is 5072 meters), the road to Pikes Peak was unrivaled, the highest in the world. There are three flights per day, the duration of the round trip is four hours, the cost is $ 30 per person. On the way, they make two short stops, and at the final point, at the top of the Peak, at the meeting house - Pikes Peak Summit House, half an hour is given for photographing and viewing.
The second way is by your own car. You can get to the top if you don't stop anywhere in a little over an hour. The road, the highest alpine toll road in the world, is 19 miles long, starts about 2 miles from the information center, you are unlimited in time, you can stop as many times as you like.
The third way - inaccessible for us - is the conquest of the summit by bicycle. One way, upwards, they take a special bus, which also carries bicycles. And from the top, tourists make their way back in their two-wheeled cars, although this is also not easy. We conferred a little, decided that we would go on our own, by car. We were already late for the next train trip, and, as it turned out, there were no tickets for it. And the next one was too late, before they could get back to Denver.
The information center worker gives us a very detailed plan the road to Pike Peak, and also gives out two coupons for free donuts that we can get in the cafe if we get to the top, to the meeting house. Leaving Monitou, after 10 minutes we turn off the 24th road, drive up to the gate to the toll highway. The fare is $ 10, the same as in the Rocky Mountains Park. Yes, here we were warned that we must switch to a manual gearbox, remove it from the machine. And don't use the air conditioner (though we didn't understand why).
The first six miles delight us with magnificent autumn landscapes, the road is smooth, there are few cars, the speed is limited to 15 miles per hour. There are distance markers at every mile, and after about a mile, there are altitude markers. There are many stops again. I was especially pleased with one, not far from the "Cristal Creek Reservoir" lake, six mile away. There is another Visitor Center with a shop, a small washing device is equipped on the site, those who wish can be in the role of gold diggers. The road then begins to climb sharply, and the subalpine zone begins in the middle between 9 and 10 miles. There is also a large picnic area and a small house.
Already on the way here, my heart began to swoon with fear - the road went higher and higher, often along the edge of the cliffs, the turns were steep and dangerous. I really wanted to turn back. But my companion is great, she said: “Don't squeak! Only forward! And don't look back! " And the truth is, as you look back - the whole world is below us.
The mountains are almost bare, without vegetation, and there are many stony taluses. Twelve miles away, the asphalt disappeared - it was buried under a layer of sand and gravel, apparently after landslides. And there was no dividing line. Sometimes it seemed like we were going straight to heaven! Round after round and closer to the top! Closer to mile 18, there is a rather wide platform and a sign on it calls out: "Be especially careful!", The pointer shows an altitude of 4078 meters, here is the peak of Little Pikes Peak - Little Pikes Peak. Light brown rocks, rare lichens, in some places, in depressions, the remains of snow. A minute's break, it's pretty cool outside, the wind is strong, so we put on jackets. And below, when we were leaving, it was + 26 degrees.
Another 10 minutes of hard road and in front of us is the peak - 4301 meters! An indescribable feeling! We arrived! The soul is freed from fear and rejoices! Here is a fairly flat area, not small, perhaps the builders have worked. Large parking lot, where there are at least a dozen cars. A low, squat building called Summit House - Meeting House. There is a large shop with souvenirs, memorable T-shirts and a cafe. In the cafe we \u200b\u200bget donuts and take hot coffee. At the top there is also a memorable pedestal or column, I don’t know what to call it - there is an inscription on it praising America - “America is beautiful!” There is a weather station on a steep slope. And along the very edge of the mountain there are railroad rails. It is unusual that there are three rails - in the middle there is another rail - a gear transmission, thanks to which the train rises to such a great height. We take many different pictures. A short rest and heading back. If the upward journey took us more than two hours, then back in an hour and a half (the first 6 miles descended very carefully, at a speed of no more than 10 miles per hour) we were already in Manitow Springs. And we still have time to explore the magical "Garden of the Gods".
"Garden of the Gods".
When we were just discussing the plan of the trip to Colorado, my attention was attracted by the intriguing title - "Garden of the Gods". And who would refuse such an opportunity - to visit the "Garden of the Gods"? Therefore, returning from the "ascent" to the top of Pikes Peak, we stopped at this amazing park, created not by people, but by the forces of Mother Nature. We got the guide to the Garden of the Gods at the same Information Center in Manitow Springs when we took the road plan to Pikes Peak. Although at the entrance to the "Garden of the Gods" has its own information center. The Garden of the Gods is located on an elevated hilly plateau east of Pikes Peak, in fact, at its foot. The park was created in 1909. Admission to the park is free, this was the will of Charles Elliot Perkins, whose children, according to their father's will, donated the land of the current park to the city of Colorado Springs. This is reported by a commemorative plaque at the entrance to the park.
The park has an area of \u200b\u200b1,300 hectares (3,300 acres). The winding asphalt roads, mainly with one-way traffic, allow those who have little time, or who do not like to walk, drive around the entire perimeter of the park in an hour, admire the outlandish "sculptural" structures, making stops for photographing. In general, townspeople come here just for a walk, there are a lot of hiking and horse trails, you can ride bicycles. There are even a few hard rocks here, which are allowed to climb with the help of climbing equipment, but for this you need to obtain a special permit from the Visitor Center. The inscriptions warn visitors to be careful, as there are many venomous rattlesnakes in the park, especially in the hot season. There are many different animals, we saw one deer, he calmly crossed the road, but we, unfortunately, did not sing to photograph him. Squirrels and chipmunks are running around in abundance. The air is very clean, conifers - pines and cypresses - prevail here. One can only envy the residents of Colorado Springs and neighboring towns, who can come here regularly and enjoy the outlandish beauty of nature.
Day four. Thursday, October 2nd.
Our journey is coming to an end. At 15-30 you need to return the car, and to the airport by plane. Therefore, it will not be possible to go outside Denver, and we hardly saw the state capital, we only crossed Downtown on the first day along 17th Street. The downtowns of American cities, in my opinion, differ little from each other. Several dozen skyscrapers, narrow streets, often with one-way traffic, the presence of a pedestrian street or boulevard with various shops, cafes, restaurants, clubs, bars. After circling the center by car, we decided to visit the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, one of the largest not only in the United States, but also in the world.
The museum is located in City Park, between Colorado Boulevards and University Boulevards. In the same park there is also a Planetarium, a Zoo, and a huge IMAX cinema adjoins the Museum of Nature and Science. The museum opens early, at 9 o'clock in the morning, the entrance cost us $ 6 per person. Here you can buy annual family passes, it turns out very cheaply, and bringing your children here is a joy and great pleasure. The museum impressed me with the abundance of exhibitions and exhibits, the beautiful design of dioramas - there are more than 80 of them here! I love nature museums, I have visited the Zoological Museum in St. Petersburg and the State Darwin Museum in Moscow (on Vavilov Street) many times, and my companion a year ago visited the Natural History Museum in London. So, according to her, the Denver Museum of Nature is comparable to the London one, in some ways even surpasses it. And ours, especially the Zoological in St. Petersburg, are still very far from them. I cannot say that the Darwin Museum in Moscow is poor, there are many, many interesting things. But dioramas are boring, they are few. You can take photographs in our museums either for an additional fee or not at all.
And there are no restrictions here. The glasses in dioramas are so clean that the pictures are taken as if they were filmed in nature, and not in a museum. The Denver Museum houses an extensive mineralogical collection of gemstones on the ground floor. Here are minerals, precious stones, gold and silver nuggets that were mined or found in the mines and mines of Colorado. On small displays, videos are constantly played, telling how, where and when minerals were mined, and how stands and collections for the museum are prepared. And what is interesting is that there is no protection, at least not visible.
Then we went up to the second floor, there is a huge exhibition of life-size dinosaur skeletons. This is a museum within a museum. In one of the halls for children, a semblance of a plateau was made, everything was covered with sand and the children "are excavating", with small brushes they are clearing the remains of the "skeletons" of fossil animals. Nearby is a table where children, with the help of women workers, can make castings of bones from plaster as a keepsake. Several monitors show and tell where and when strange animals - dinosaurs - lived. For children, this is a real school of nature.
Several more small halls of the museum are dedicated to the study of the mummies of ancient Egypt. In a hospital at the University of Colorado, they made tomography of ancient Egyptian mummies from different sarcophagi - one mummy - a rich woman, the other - the remains of a poor woman. It turned out that mummies are very different in the way of mummification and, as a result, in safety. After all, class differences and many thousands of years ago divided people! We liked the exhibition very much.
But the most delightful halls are those that show wildlife North America, from the Pacific coast and islands, to the Atlantic, from Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico. And all this in magnificent dioramas, with excellent artistic performance. It is simply impossible to see everything in one visit. I hope that someday I can come to Denver and visit this museum.
It was time for us to return home to Houston. But there were wonderful impressions of the wondrous state of Colorado and several hundred photographs.
In Colorado, right in front of the mountains is a huge flat plain. But it is worth driving an hour west from Denver, as the Rocky Mountains begin. It was for them that I came to Boulder. This ridge divides the continent of North America in two, and in the past, people spent tremendous effort and risked their lives to cross it. Today, one of the most beautiful roads in USA.
About the Rocky Mountains and about this road today post.
In fact, I flew to Boulder (Colorado) to combine business with pleasure. There we have a branch where several people work with whom I had to meet. For two days I worked from the office with this view:
Yes, unlike neighboring Denver, the mountains here begin right outside the city limits. Let's get closer - here is a street with houses on it, and beautiful rocky formations rise right behind them.
Because of their shape, they are called "Flatirons" - flat irons, or pieces of iron. If you come closer, you can see that they are of a beautiful yellowish color, and are covered with coniferous forest.
When I finished my working week friends came and we made a march on these "pieces of iron". After one and a half hours of tiring ascent along a rather steep path, our award was a beautiful natural arch - Royal Arch. And a small bottle of sake.
From this place, a beautiful view of the entire town of Boulder opens. Only I won't show it to you. Go and see for yourself.
By the way, in Boulder there are not only beautiful mountains, but also awesome sunsets. This happens because mountains rise immediately to the west of the city, the sun hides behind them a little earlier, while continuing to illuminate the sky. At Burning Man, which is completely surrounded by mountains, you can see similar things.
But that I am fixated on Boulder. After all, we came to see the real mountains, and those that are next to Boulder are so, slides. Let's go to Rocky Mountain National Park!
The road we are interested in is called Trail Ridge Road and is part of the first American highway system that existed before the creation of Interstate Highways. It got its name because it passes next to the old path, along which Indian tribes crossed these mountains. Trail Ridge Road - section of highway 34. Actually, this is the "highest" highway in America! (There are paved roads going up a little higher, but these are not considered highways.)
The road was built in the 1930s, this section of 77 kilometers is partially closed for the winter, there is a lot of snow here. But this is later - while it is open here. Since today the road is entirely on the territory of the National Park, you will have to pay an entry fee - $ 20 per car per day, or you can buy a subscription for the whole week for $ 30.
Do not think that 77 km can be covered in an hour or even two. That is, it can theoretically be possible, but it is better to take at least half a day (and, for good reason, all day) to this road, leaving yourself time for all kinds of stops and walks. The first few kilometers we drive on flat terrain, around the tree, mountains are visible in the distance.
When deciduous trees come across, we understand that we have arrived in time for the incessant autumn colors. The leaves shimmer in colors from green to pale green to light yellow with hints of orange. But among the trees, for some reason, there are many dead trees.
A snow-capped peak is visible ahead. This is Longs Peak, 4,300 meters high.
The road goes up, goes along the slopes of the mountains. In many places it twists like a serpentine. From here you can clearly see how she cuts the coniferous forest on the slope.
The beauty of this road is that there are parking lots near all the beautiful places. You can park your car and walk around the neighborhood, see the views. You can even climb a little over the cobblestones to take a picture.
In fine weather, there are wonderful views of the surroundings. A forest-covered relief landscape recedes into the distance. It’s not even clear where all those plains that seem to be very close here are.
In the lowland, the river draws very sophisticated zigzags.
Meanwhile, the highway rises higher and higher. At such a height, it becomes cool, and at some point the road crosses the border of the forest. Above this line, trees no longer grow.
But now there is excellent visibility from anywhere!
In some places in the highlands, hiking trails leave the parking lots. You can walk around this desert area.
These landscapes reminded me very much. Although the whole tundra probably looks like that.
But here you will walk a little, and you will have views of the mountain ranges.
Now they are not yet completely covered with snow, it lies only in separate crevices, giving the mountains the effect of "gray hair".
There are also such islands of snow near the road.
Did you notice the deer in the previous photo? And they are there. But let me show you more closely. Here they are accustomed to the fact that cars are constantly passing by. Mostly animals ignore traffic, but if you try to get closer, they run away.
Clouds creep between the mountains, creating a beautiful layering of peaks that disappear into haze.
The road reaches a maximum height of 3,700 meters. This is certainly not Everest, but if you go up here by car in a couple of hours, then the body begins to feel this difference. The air here is noticeably less frequent than below, even people in good shape exhale much faster.
But what views are there - right from the road! Every few hundred meters I want to stop and take pictures!
It is interesting how the nature of the North American mountains differs from the Asian ones. For example, on, (where "") the mountains look quite different. Probably the matter is in the quality of the breed - the Rocky Mountains made of harder stone, because of their ego, though less dramatic in appearance, but somehow more peaceful and stately.
The grass in the highlands is now a beautiful brown color. In summer it is green. Tall sticks stand along the sides of the highway. Do you know why? ..
Okay, I'll tell you. In winter, an incredible amount of snow falls here. And in the spring, when the road is opened, the authorities do not wait for it to melt, but clear the snow with equipment. Sticks mark the edges of the road. Sometimes there is so much snow that the tops of these poles barely stick out of it!
Do not forget that it is much colder here than below. At the beginning of October in Boulder, you can still wear a shirt, but here you need a winter jacket. Not only cold, but also strong wind, piercing to the bone! Here is a man preparing to shoot the sunset.
Another hiking trail. There is a large parking lot, a toilet, a shop and a dining room. But everything except the toilet closes pretty early.
Meanwhile, the road begins to gradually descend.
Soon the trees begin again.
But Trail Ridge Road has something else to surprise us with. Just west of the highest point, the road crosses the North American Divide Line. This line divides the continent into the western part, where all the water sooner or later flows into the Pacific Ocean, and the eastern part, from there the water flows to the Atlantic. In place of this imperceptible but very significant border, a sign has been installed:
In the evening we went down from the mountains. In the Colorado twilight, someone lit a patriotic bonfire next to the national flag.
For some reason, I imagined a classic picture from American films - a family with children sitting around a fire, and dad tells them scary stories ...
Colorado is one of two (together with the state) "rectangular" US states, bounded by two parallels (37 ° to 41 ° north latitude) and two meridians (from 102 ° 03 "to 109 ° 03" west longitude).
The relief of Colorado is extremely varied. Here you can see vast plains and high mountains, canyons and plateaus.
Colorado is the only US state whose entire territory is over one kilometer above sea level (the lowest point in Colorado is 1,011 meters above sea level). The most high point Colorado - Mount Elbert (4401 meters, the highest peak and second highest in the continental United States, after Mount Whitney's).
Numerous ridges of the Rocky Mountains stretch from north to south across the state of Colorado. Colorado is fifty four mountain peakswhich are more than fourteen thousand feet (4 270 meters) high, which are called "fourteen" ( fourteeners).
Up to an altitude of 3,200 - 3,600 meters above sea level, the mountains are covered with coniferous forests, higher are alpine meadows, and even higher are snow-capped peaks. Snow on the tops of the Rocky Mountains typically melts in mid-August, with the exception of a few glaciers.
Along the ridges of the Rocky Mountains passes, separating the river basins of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
East of the Rocky Mountains is the Eastern Plain of Colorado - a vast high (over a thousand meters above sea level) plain that is part of the US region. Although Colorado belongs to, the Eastern Plains area is often referred to.
Here, in the plains and in the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the majority of the population of Colorado lives. Most cities are also located here, the largest of which is the capital of the state of Colorado.
The largest rivers in eastern Colorado are Arkansas and South Platte.
The climate in eastern Colorado is temperate continental, semi-arid. Most of the precipitation occurs from April to September, with an alternation of dry periods and heavy thunderstorms.
The region is characterized by large daily temperature drops. The average July temperature is 13 ° С at night and 27 ° С during the day, January -12 ° С at night and -1 ° С during the day.
West of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado is the Colorado Plateau, part of the region
In the heart of the famous Rocky Mountains, or, as Americans easily say, The Rockies, four of the most picturesque American states are nestled: Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Colorado. Translated from the Spanish language, "Colorado" means "red hue" - the Spanish discoverers of the 16th century painfully tried to find a suitable definition for the complex color of the local rocks and river. The most mountainous state in the United States, Colorado became American in 1896, and is now called the ski capital of America. Here are concentrated the most best resorts hemisphere, but before heading to Aspen or Vail, skiers are strongly advised to make a short stop in the state capital, Denver. Firstly, it is from here that a small airplane starts to the desired ski resorts, the travel time is only 25 minutes. Secondly, Denver is notable for its parks and museums - we advise you to visit the Museum of History of Colorado and the home of Molly Brown - a resident of the state who miraculously escaped from the sunken "Titanic". But the mountains are the main sign and pride of the state. In the Rocky Mountain National Park, tourists are proudly shown natural resources Colorado - Locals claim that the most beautiful mountain panorama in the United States can only be seen here. Traces of the Colorado Gold Rush are preserved in Manitou Springs, a charming town renowned as a spa resort for its natural mineral springs, aptly discovered there. And Colorado Springs is a resort town called "Little London" because of its popularity with British tourists. Colorado also has its own "Grand Canyon" - the whole Canyon City, famous, however, not so much for its picturesque mountain decays as for the museum ... of local prisons. AND sand dunes, and rivers and forests - whatever you want, there is in Colorado, but none of the above can compare with the eternal and unshakable, like a rock, glory of the local mountains.
Aspen and others
First "steps on alpine skiing"made in Colorado in 1935, when pioneer skiers began to ride in the Rocky Mountains: remember the movie" Serenade of the Sun Valley "? .. Business almost immediately went" uphill ", and many small towns declared their desire to become ski resorts: this is how the world fame of the Valley of Vail, Aspen and other, now famous all over the world, resorts began. The very word "Aspen" for Americans sounds like "success" - the point is that the richest and most famous Hollywood stars, famous athletes and millionaires actually meet and rest here. And you can easily join the chosen society! Aspen is the main resort in Colorado, which every self-respecting skier should get into at least once in his life. The town of Aspen itself is built in a typical Victorian style, there are a lot of restaurants, shops and other "non-ski" activities and entertainment. For those who stand firmly on skis (or dream of getting up and standing on them), there are four ski areas, in other words, four mountains, for which they sell a single pass - a "ski pass".
Four mountains
Aspen Mountain (or Ajax) with a height of 3.418 m is best suited for experienced skiers and those who have skated at least a couple of seasons, there are practically no easy trails here. But experienced riders will appreciate the local slopes and scenic views; fans of extreme are waiting for virgin lands and descent from the peaks into the gorges. Snowmass (height 3813m) is a completely different matter, there are most of the slopes for skiers with not the richest experience, there are long gentle slopes, but there are interesting offers for experienced skiers (there are 83 slopes on Snowmass, so there is plenty to choose from!) ... As for those who do not ski or snowboard and are not fundamentally going to change the situation, Snowmass invites them to take a break in one of 11 mountain restaurants and relax at their own pleasure, admiring the snow-covered mountain views.
The trademark of Colorado resorts is that it is customary to take into account even the most unusual and difficult wishes and requests of vacationers. They will pick up your skis, adjust your ski boots to your feet, if necessary, teach you and your children to ski, and if the children learn skiing early, they can be entrusted to experienced baby sitters (while mom and dad are conquering the mountains). Aspen Highlands (3, 559 m) offers 131 slopes, most of which are for advanced skiers, and the Buttermilk Ski Area (3.018 m) has made history as the capital of the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Extreme Winter Games. That being said, Buttermilk is considered an ideal destination ... for beginner skiers. As for the weather, it seems to be specially adjusted to the needs of winter lovers. The days are usually sunny here, and it snows only at night. Locals joke that the mayor of Aspen secretly turns on a special switch every night to add fresh snow, and turns it off at dawn. A "post-ski" vacation, or, as it is commonly called, apres-ski, in Aspen will give a hundred points ahead of any European resort in terms of diversity - you will find cinemas, discos, art galleries, gourmet restaurants, and clubs with live music ... Be sure to check out The J-Bar, which has been in operation since 1889. It is on the National List of Historic Landmarks. For children, Aspen offers dog sledding, special children's trails, an indoor ice rink, a swimming pool, a skate park, a Western entertainment center at Buttermilk and a nightly comedy show in Snowmass. If, despite the abundance of local entertainment, you need additional impressions, from Aspen you can go on an excursion to the picturesque Lake Maroon or to the famous balneological resort of Glenwood Springs.
All inclusive
Vale Valley, Colorado embodies a slightly different approach to ski vacationand while this place is not as well known in comparison to Aspen, we advise you to definitely explore the local resorts. They are famous for the variety of trails and the cozy atmosphere of the villages at the foot of the slopes. Here skiers and snowboarders have a huge skiing area and not the highest prices, in addition, the ski pass of the Vail Valley resorts is valid for skiing in the resorts of the nearby Bivercreek, famous for its well-groomed trails and a village like two drops of water resembling an illustration of an alpine winter fairy tale. However, Beavercrick also has typical American features, such as outdoor escalators that take guests to the doors of the shops they need, and heated walkways. And also a comfortable ski-concierge system: after skating, you can not worry about equipment and get to the hotel light. Dedicated personnel (ski concierges) will not only help tired skiers take off their heavy boots and wet overalls, but this is especially convenient for beginners and youngest mountain climbers. Your skis and suit will be put in order, and the next day, prepared equipment will be waiting for you at the slope chosen the day before.
Family values
Families with children are welcome here - young guests are offered a trip to an amusement park with a bear den and an Indian village, and in a special school for little ones, babies from 2 months to 6 years old are supervised. Parents can ride safely knowing that qualified staff will take care of the kids. Children from 3 years old are taught to ski, there are lifts, equipment, and tracks designed specifically for kids. And after training, girls, again starting from 3 years old, can relieve stress in a special children's spa, decorated in a style reminiscent of a Barbie dollhouse. Apres-ski in the city center - Vail Village - includes all imaginable and unimaginable leisure options: from shopping and visiting galleries to daytime spas and street concerts. In the small town of Breckenridge, we recommend visiting a museum dedicated to gold miners. And for those who are not indifferent to shopping, we advise you to look into the shopping complexes of the model of the already familiar megamalls, located here, nearby. Famous brand stores selling the latest fashion collections will delight even the most fastidious customers. Here you can buy luxury items about 7-8 times cheaper than items of a similar class in Moscow!
Hotels in the mountains
In Aspen and the Vail Valley, you can find a variety of hotels - from "star", off scale for every imaginable level of chic and luxury, to quite affordable, but outstanding in quality, where all the needs of vacationers are taken into account - from ski storage to barbecues. street. Situated at the foot of Mount Aspen between the two main ski lifts, The St. Regis is renowned for its splendid window views and exceptional customer service, as well as home to a popular spa for back and spine problems. One of the best hotels in Aspen is The Little Nell.
Hotel, it is relatively small - only 92 rooms, but equipped with the latest technology. For the guests' special comfort, we provide individual service in accordance with all their wishes and the most exquisite cuisine. No wonder 60% of those who have been here become regular guests of the hotel. The Hotel Jerome is an Aspen landmark. Individually decorated apartments with huge bathrooms are designed for people who prefer to combine the full joys of winter holidays and sports with business. Special rooms are equipped with the latest equipment and satellite communications. At the request of the guest, they will deliver everything he needs for rest and work. The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch in Beavercreek embodies a classic approach to welcoming guests. They offer spacious and stylish rooms, relaxation in the spa and fitness center, excellent cuisine and the highest level of service.
