Our First Camping Trip

It is never too late, and one is never too old, to learn new things. My husband and I may be in our 60's, and never camped in our lives, but that did not stop us from deciding that it was about time we joined our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter for at least one day and night during their camping vacation. We wanted to challenge our "lifelong city dwelling selves" to an outdoor, under the stars adventure, even though we were slightly nervous about bears and possible lightning and thunderstorms. 

We drove west to central Colorado, and Grand County, enjoying the scenic views as we drove over Berthoud Pass, which crosses the Continental Divide at 11,307 feet (3446 m).  Even in July, there was some snow at the summit of the mountains.

We drove past Winter Park Ski Resort and then Granby Ranch Ski Resort...

...and soon reached Lake Granby, the third largest body of water in the state. It is popular for trout and salmon fishing, and ice fishing in winter.

At this point we turned off toward our daughter's family campsite, driving on a long winding dirt road. We could see some of the high mountains in Rocky Mountain National Park in the distance.

We finally arrived at the campsite! Our daughter and family had been there three days already, and we were joining them for their last day and night. Their tent was very large and comfortable, plus they had a nearby sun shade addition to sit under.  Sadly this camp's pine trees had been hit in prior years by the mountain pine beetle epidemic that was caused by warming trends and extended drought. The forest service cut down many dead pine trees around the campsites and replanted new healthy trees that will now take many years to grow and provide shade again.

Their campsite, however, faced this beautiful view!

There were also many beautiful wildflowers surrounding the campsite.

I had a good time photographing as many varieties of wildflowers as I saw, with the help of my granddaughter. All photos will enlarge when clicked on, for easier viewing.

The flowers were all exquisite!

We even saw a hummingbird feeder near the campsite manager's trailer, and there were many hummingbirds buzzing around enjoying both the flowers and the feeder's nectar

Our hours at the campsite were spent enjoying each other's company, playing by the lakeshore, fishing, going for boat rides and barbecuing lunch and dinner in the fire pit.  Our granddaughter was so excited to show us how to camp!

We also enjoyed just relaxing and watching the weather and sky change during the day. The sunset was magnificent!

As the sun went down we roasted marshmallows over the fire. When it got dark my granddaughter sat on my lap and we snuggled under a blanket.  At our over 8,000 foot elevation, the temperature goes down many degrees at night.   The night sky soon began to display more and more stars. Soon the entire sky seemed aglow with twinkling diamonds and we saw the Milky Way high above us!  That was another first for me, as I never saw such a spectacular night sky!  Soon my granddaughter told us her eyes were sleepy, so we all went into the tent to go to sleep under our down comforters.  We all slept very soundly and happily did not hear a bear or thunderstorm all night  

The next morning, as I headed down the hill from the restroom, I took this photo of the campsite, knowing we would soon have to break it down and pack it all away.  Our first camping experience was so pleasant that now we are excited to go again. It is hard not to want to enjoy the great outdoors when we live in such a beautiful state!

Living in the great state of Colorado gives residents many wonderful areas to camp in.  Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages over 4,000 campsites and the USDA Forest Service manages 53 multisite campgrounds in Colorado.  For a comprehensive guide to campgrounds check out this Colorado Tourism link.

After my husband and I said goodbye to our daughter and family we headed west again, towards the western part of Rocky Mountain National Park.

We stopped briefly at the historic Grand Lake Lodge outside the park. It had a fabulous view of Grand Lake and a wonderful rustic western charm.

When we reached the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park I was able to complete my mission of buying my own lifetime ""America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass. My husband bought his when he reached the age of 62, and I decided I needed my own too, as soon the cost of the pass will be raised on August 28, 2017, from $10 to $80.  It will still be a bargain at that new price, as it will enable a holder with card and ID to enter any National Park in the US for free over the rest of their lifetime.  Our National Parks are our national treasures--59 National Parks and 417 Federal National Recreational Land sites for all to enjoy!  How many National Parks have you visited?

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