The Drama of Colorado National Monument

We’re at the very western edge of Colorado, at another amazing national monument. Feels like we’re seeing one after another of these places while they’re still protected.

From Our Campsite

Tracy scored a spot at Saddlehorn Campground, which is in the monument and therefore tricky for two reasons. You have to pass through roughly blasted tunnels to get into the monument (we barely made it through the height limit), and the campground is on top of a mesa (it’s all mesa and canyon here) and it’s fairly tight. We’re wedged into our site, but man is it worth it.

Tracy sitting outside the trailer one evening.

If you can zoom into this picture of Banjo standing on the ledge, you’ll see the road below her on both sides, plus one of the tunnels.

Here’s the view if you turn your head slightly.

And if you walk a few minutes, you get this view of Book Cliffs.

Still near the campsite. This place just keeps going.

No Thoroughfare Canyon Trail

All in a morning’s hike along this green canyon floor.

To a waterfall (that was a dramatic trickle at the time.)

When we set out in the morning, the patches of cacti were only threatening to bloom.

But when we hiked back in the afternoon, they were open in all their drama.

Including that red one with a butterfly pollinating it. Check out the bit of blue on the butterfly.

This is an eastern collared lizard.

He did not give way as we walked by.

On the Rim Rock Drive

The sheer scale of the canyons and cliffs is all impossible to capture (by me, at least).

A cleft in the rock seems small from a distance, until you drive through it.

The highest point is 7,000 feet.

There are 11 canyons in the monument.

There are 20 named rock formations.

Staying amazed.