Rocky Mountain National Park
I planned a busy two weeks in Colorado. I was going to attend the Great American Beer Festival with my friends, Elizabeth and Lauren, who lived in Longmont. I wasn’t going to go all that way just for a day of drinking, however, so planned time in Denver and Rocky Mountain National Park, too.
I left Thursday, September 29th, for the Quad Cities and had dinner with my daughter, Alex, and her boyfriend, Mike. I spent the night there then got an early start the next morning.
I drove straight through to Estes Park. I spent 4 days and nights visiting Rocky Mountain National Park.
With all that time, I was able to drive all over the park and do lots of trails. I hiked Chasm Falls, Lite Meadow, Beaver Meadows. I visited Grand Lake, Glacier Basin, Medicine Bow Curve, Bear Lake, and Twin Sisters. Late September, early October was just perfect weather. Clear and sunny but lower temperatures to hike in layers, and, of course, amazing fall colors.
The NPS was celebrating 100 years in 2016 and they had some special exhibits at the Falls River Visitor Center. The drives and scenery were absolutely amazing. Being at the park in autumn also meant I was there for the elk mating season and I saw 100s of them moving from the high country to the meadows; I spent about an hour watching them, along with several hundred others, crossing the Upper Beaver Meadows.
After leaving the park, I went to Denver for 3 nights. On the drive there, I stopped in Boulder for a tour of the Celestial Seasonings factory. I stayed right downtown and was able to walk almost everywhere. I did a walking tour one morning; can’t remember the company but think I used Free Walking Tours. I had a good guide and learned a lot about town, a brief history of the area, and saw some great architecture.
I had never seen it but wanted to visit Red Rocks Amphitheater. I had picked up concert tickets but went out early to walk around the venue and trails around the area. So beautiful.
I visited the Molly Brown House Museum (AKA “The Unsinkable Molly Brown of Titanic fame). I had the best hot dog I have ever had at Biker Jim’s Dogs. They have an amazing and unique selection and it was hard to choose, but I had the jackalope dog with cherries and habanero.
On the way to Longmont to Elizabeth and Lauren’s house, I stopped by Hammonds Candy and took their tour. I picked up a big jar of ‘Eliza Jane’ candies as a gift for Elizabeth Jane. I spent 2 nights in Longmont with them.
I’ve been reading about this festival for years and thought it would be great. Tickets for the event do sell out fast once available on line, so we decided to join the American Homebrewers Association for the year, before the tickets went on sale. Members get advance tickets, plus there is a special session. We purchased tickets for the Saturday afternoon session, members only. We drove to Denver Saturday, October 8th, for the GABF at the Convention Center and found long term parking as we were going to leave the car overnight.
We were in line early, we wanted the entire four hours to drink! This is a great festival, crowded with tables from brewers across the nation, a food court, musicians, from Scottish Bagpipers to rock and country, some game areas and more. I had time to try 50 different beers. One ounce pours only, so basically 3 pints, not nearly as bad as it sounds! I recommend to anyone who enjoys trying different beers, it’s a really fun time. They have wine and other drinks for the non-beer drinkers in your life.
After leaving around 4, we walked up to Biker Jim’s. Elizabeth and Lauren had never tried it despite living in town for a couple years. I was happy to try more of their food, and ordered the Elk Jalapeño. We ordered an Uber to get back to Longmont. The next morning, I drove all of us back to Denver to pick up their car and we had brunch at Snooze. After a long wait for a table, they got our order wrong plus Elizabeth’s eggs were cooked incorrectly, twice. It made me wonder why they get such good reviews.
After brunch, I said goodbye and I drove to Steamboat Springs. It was about a 4 hour drive but beautiful scenery the entire way. I had never been there so it was a nice opportunity to visit. I spent two nights here. I did several hikes, Fish Creek Falls, walked all along the Yampa River. I tried Butcherknife Brewery and Storm Peak Brewery while in town.
