Sunday, March 23, 2014
After a rainy Saturday, Diane and I headed up to the Colorado National Monument on Sunday to get in a little hiking close to home. It’s been a few years since I’ve hiked down Ute Canyon so we decided to make that our destination for the day. Since I wanted to hike the whole trail from top to bottom we left my Jeep at the lower trailhead and then drove up to the upper trailhead in Diane’s car. When we dropped off my Jeep at the Wildwood Trailhead we found the parking lot full and had to park along the road. There were a lot of people hiking up to Liberty Cap today and I’m glad we weren’t one of them. We didn’t see anyone else in Ute Canyon all afternoon, which was nice.
Ready to start the descent from Rim Rock Drive.
Ute Canyon Trail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A view up Ute Canyon as we descended the switchbacks from Rim Rock Drive to the bottom of the canyon. There was a little snow, ice and mud left on the upper sections of the trail, but nothing too serious.
Upper Ute Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane on the trail.
On the Trail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Looking up at a few scattered clouds above the rim of the canyon.
Looking Up by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Following the trail through Ute Canyon.
Ute Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Our first view of Liberty Cap as we reached the mouth of the canyon. If you look closely you can see two people on top of Liberty Cap and a few others next to it checking out the view.
Liberty Cap View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
We followed the trail below Liberty Cap and then took the Corkscrew Trail down to my Jeep parked at the Wildwood Trailhead.
Lower Ute Canyon Trail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
i’m jealous! I want to go hiking in the monument again…..
I wanted to thank you for sharing such awesome pictures I’m in a wheelchair now and unable to get out to hike like you do and for you taking all these awesome pictures that you do and sharing them to allows me to view them all makes me feel so Alive to view them all like I was there doing this myself I miss hiking deeply as I used to hike a lot in Pike National Forest and Crystal Peak area back in the late 80’s and all of the 90’s.I have been all over the South West section of Colorado and other places as well I’d just love to move back to Colorado Western Slope to live there I’d like to be able to get some kind of chains to put on my Wheelchair Wheel’s to allow me to hike in the back Country so I didn’t get stuck in the sand Dunes Thank you so very much for sending these awesome pictures to me and just sharing what you do Best I look forward to every email I receive from you and cant wait to see what you have new to see Makes me feel so alive and to be a part of what you do I don’t think you have a clue to how much good your doing for people like myself who can’t get out to see and feel the great outdoors from the kitchen table in my Cabin in the Backwoods of Ohio where I live at today Please keep them coming in and wanted to ask you if you might be able to get some picture’s of the mighty Arkansas River as it should be gushing with white water rapids at this time of year I know a good area you can get some good shots from too down near the Royal Gorge Bridge Area But I’m sure you have better place’s in mind Thanks again and again for sharing what you do best God Bless Your Heart Thank You Buckskin Warrior (3-27-2014)