Guernsey State Park: Red Cliff and Round Top Mountain

Not the best weather forecast for my days off. Still, I wanted to get out for a hike. I decided to take Rosie out to Guernsey State Park to hike some trails I've noticed, but can't find much information about: The Red Cliff Trail and the Red Cloud Trail. 

After a couple of stops in Torrington for gas and the Bread Doctor, we arrived in the park and parked near the dam for the start of the Red Cliff Trail.

The trail starts along the spillway for the dam, heads into a wooded area and soon reaches a junction with a trail that leads to the museum.

At this point I wanted to continue on the Red Cliff Trail, but it was rerouted to a detour.

I found the detour to be confusing (in retrospect I think I just needed to follow the small flags that had been placed) and so ended up following a road past a small decrepit building,

what I think are the stables that were built by the CCC,

and an area where the park seems to dump old picnic tables and other stuff. Soon, a set of stairs descended to what was labeled as "Round Top Mtn" Trail. I followed this trail through pleasant prairie scenery.

This trail intersected with a two-track road. 

There was no sign indicating which way the trail continued and so I followed the road for a bit, passing early-blooming wildflowers 

and scattered chunks of chert.

At a point where the trail appeared to peter out, I turned around to head back in the opposite direction. I passed the junction with the trail I had followed and took this road to another road that ascended a small mountain, what I suspect is Round Top Mountain. Rosie and I followed the road up the mountain.

There were great views down to the reservoir.

The summit area was relatively flat. There was a solitary picnic table there and more great views.

After a very brief stop on the summit, we started to make our way back down. About 2/3 of the way down I noticed a trail that left the road and so we followed it to the CCC Museum. From there we took another trail to the lower parking area, followed a gravel road for a bit and then traveled cross-country to our original trail. Here, I decided to hike through the closure to see what we had missed. We followed the Red Cliff Trail down into a ravine where a large tree had fallen (probably the reason for the closure), ascended the other side and followed the cliff above the free-flowing North Platte River below the dam. The views from there were awesome!

We even caught a view of a large group of pelicans soaring in the air above the reservoir 

and scared a juvenile bald eagle off its perch on a power pole. Then we returned to the car.

Next, I decided we would figure out where the Red Cloud Trail goes. I parked just off the road and Rosie and I started hiking.

It turns out the Red Cloud Trail doesn't go very far. It led maybe 1/4 mile through a ravine 

and up to a gravel road. I'm guessing it's just a way for the cabin owners who have summer homes along the gravel road to be able to walk down to the water. 

Soapstone Prairie Natural Area: Towhee Loop and Beyond

 I've been itching to get out and go for a longer hike. With great weather forecast for today, I opted to make the drive down south to the Colorado/Wyoming border for a hike at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area. I arrived to an empty parking lot and after a quick restroom break, I hit the trail. My first stop would be the Lindenmeier Site, a place where archaeologists found evidence of a large-scale animal butchering operation. Along the paved trail there were excellent views to the west and the high, snow-capped peaks. 

There are some exhibits at a shelter overlooking the Lindenmeier Site, but not much else. No evidence of the digs that happened there in the past is visible. 

From the archaeological site, I retraced my steps for a bit and then set off on the Towhee Loop Trail. I would be hiking the loop in the clockwise direction. The trail starts with a long, steady climb up a grassy ravine.

I caught glimpses of early blooming flowers, including what appears to be some sort of bluebell,

Townsendia,

and the delicate-looking springtime favorite: pasqueflower.

Near the top of a ridge, after ascending the ravine, I soon found a .8 mile, unnamed connector trail that led to the Canyon Trail. At the Canyon Trail,

I turned to the west and followed a trail/two-track road. 

Again, there were great views off to the west and the high peaks.

I stopped to check out a solar well

and noticed a nice looking elk skull with antlers nearby.

I continued west, into Red Mountain Open Space and turned around at the first trail junction.

Having hiked in both Soapstone Prairie and Red Mountain Open Space, I honestly find Red Mountain a lot more interesting. There are some red rock canyons and more varied topography at Red Mountain. 

It felt like a long hike as I retraced my steps back to the Towhee Loop. Once back on the loop, I continued walking clockwise, 

eventually descending back to the trailhead and my car. I estimate the hike to have been around 10 miles. From there, I headed into Fort Collins for lunch and a beer at Rally King Brewery. 

Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area

Today, Noelle, Mom, Sierra and I took a trip down to Fort Collins for a little adventure. Our first stop was the paved trail at Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area. We parked the car and hit the trail. Almost immediately, Noelle caught a glimpse of a coyote in the tall grass about 100 yards off the trail.

We walked the entire length of the trail to an enclosed observatory. 

From here we could see a prairie dog town and its inhabitants scampering around. Then, we started our trip back to the car, with wonderful views of the mountains off to the west, including the iconic Horsetooth Peak.

After our hike, we ate a very delicious lunch at Young's Cafe. Then we walked around Old Town for a bit, before finishing our day with a beer at Salt Road Brewery. It was a nice way to spend a warm spring day in Fort Collins. 

Prairie Ridge Natural Area

After picking up my boots at Rogers Shoe Repair, I headed to the area between Fort Collins and Loveland to hike at the Prairie Ridge Natural Area. I had never been to this area before, though I've been to the nearby Coyote Ridge Natural Area a few times.

Like the hike at Coyote Ridge, the trail starts down in the plains and immediately heads west towards the foothills. 

 Unlike the trail at Coyote Ridge, this one never climbs up to the ridge, it basically reaches the base of the ridge where you reach an intersection. Here you can head north or south parallelling the ridge. 

I hiked both directions. There were lots of prairie dogs to admire.

I hiked north into Coyote Ridge Natural Area first,

then headed south on a spur that passed agricultural lands

before reaching an abrupt dead end. 

This abrupt dead end makes me wonder if there are plans to extend the trail further south at some point. It was a nice hike, but not the most interesting one in the Fort Collins area. 

After my hike, I headed into Fort Collins for a beer at Maxline Brewery, a pleasant brewery I had not yet been to. 

Running Deer Natural Area

I finally had a day off with a forecast of nice weather for a trip down to Fort Collins. I had dropped off a pair of boots to be re-soled. They've been ready for pickup for a few weeks, but every time I had the time to make the trip down there, we've gotten snow. Today would be my day.

I made the drive down to Fort Collins and arrived before the cobbler opened at 9 am. To kill some time, I opted to go for a short hike at Running Deer Natural Area. I didn't expect much but was pleasantly surprised by how interesting the site is. I parked at the Colorado Welcome Center off of Prospect Street, then hit the trail, an old road.

Almost immediately, I passed one of the many ponds on site. I believe its an old sand pit.

The site is appropriately named, I saw several running deer over the course of my visit.

My first stop was the old fire tower cab that was once located on West White Pine Mountain to the west of Fort Collins.

Interpretive signs in the lookout cab told the story of how the lookout was staffed and its location in Roosevelt National Forest. 

From the lookout, I headed back to the main portion of the natural area where there is a series of trail loops. I hiked all the loops and enjoyed seeing lots of birds, including red-winged blackbirds, belted kingfishers, killdeer, great blue herons, and Canada geese.

For being at the edge of a city, pretty close to an interstate highway, the scenery was pretty nice. Lots of ponds,

and even views of the distant mountains.

I probably spent about an hour and a half exploring, before heading into town to pick up my newly refurbished boots.