Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

I had the pleasure of spending the last few days in Estes Park, Colorado for a work conference and was captivated by the expansive and dramatic landscape. In between workshops, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours (I know, not nearly enough time, but it’s all we had!), in Rocky Mountain National Park where we hiked to Dream Lake, a very busy and popular place to explore.

The hike was a short 2.2 miles round trip with about 500ft of elevation gain. Despite this relatively easy distance and grade, I found myself quickly winded in the high mountain air (~9,500ft of elevation). The mountains and the lake were stunning in the early morning sunshine and the granite peaks reminded me just how rugged this place was despite the large crowds.

I stayed at The YMCA of the Rocky Mountains and enjoyed seeing the diverse wildlife and spring flowers found throughout the grounds. The groundhogs were particularly charismatic. It was fairly cool and stormy during the visit with occasional thunder storms and rain showers, mostly in the afternoons.

My visit to this area was brief, but full of beauty and wonder. However, I’m very happy to be back at near sea level where my lungs and heart are once again full of oxygen and ready for the next adventure! We leave for Europe and the Via Podiensis in 8 days.