There are several cities with wonderful botanical gardens, but we believe that the Denver Botanic Gardens is one of the best. Between the tropical flowers, rotating art displays, and special events, there is always something interesting to see at the gardens. We especially enjoyed the variety of colorful orchids that we saw during our visit there. It is a great way to spend a summer afternoon, walking the flower lined paths and seeing the gardens dedicated to different regions around the world.
One of the Garden DisplaysLily PondOrchid in the Hot HouseWalking the Grounds of the Botanic Garden
The Denver Botanic Gardens will often create displays on the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver to allow shoppers to see some of the wonderful flowers that can be found there. The colors are definitely amazing and the time spent there is very relaxing. If you are planning a trip to Denver, we’d definitely recommend that you consider adding the Botanic Gardens to your itinerary.
Colorful FlowersAnother OrchidBridge Over the WaterReflections in the PondStatues Made of Drift WoodWalking Through the Hot HouseVictorian Secret GardenWater Feature in the GardenGarden Outside of the Hot HouseUnique Tropical Flowers
The mountains of Colorado are certainly quite stunning and there are lots of destinations to head to where you can be surrounded by incredible views. As the saying goes, it isn’t always about the destination, but about the journey as well and that is certainly true when the journey includes a drive through Colorado’s high country. There are some areas that aren’t particularly that interesting, but for much of it there are literally beautiful scenes around every corner.
Driving Through the MountainsLooking Up from the RoadBoats on the LakeMountains in the Distance
During our drive to Telluride not that long ago, we captured as much of the drive as we could. It was a long drive, so we didn’t stop to take photographs, so all of these images were taken through the windows of our car as we made our way through the different mountain ranges until we finally reached our destination. Along the way, there were mountain peaks, national forests, as well as lakes and rivers. Seeing the rafters navigating the white water of the river certainly reminded us of our times rafting here in Colorado.
Rafters on the RiverColorful Rocks and No Traffic Rocky HillsDramatic Mountain Peaks
The scenery of Colorado really starts with the Front Range and then heads west towards Utah as the drive eastward towards Kansas is certainly nothing to look forward to. Whenever driving through Colorado’s high country, it is important to be sure to be aware of weather conditions from rain and snow as well as potential fires that might be in the region. Fortunately we had beautiful weather during our drive, which made the scenery that much more enjoyable.
The Start of Our DriveEven in July, You’ll Find Snow on the PeaksBoulders on the HillsideRed RocksWe Truly Enjoy Driving Through the Mountains
Located about 30 miles outside the town of Alamosa in Colorado, the Great Sand Dunes are a fascinating feature that has been created by nature over thousands of years. The giant sand dunes sitting at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains highlight the diversity of habitats in southwestern Colorado, which ranges from wetlands, prairies, mountains, and forests. The sand dunes seem oddly out of place, it is almost as if a piece of an African desert was scooped up and dropped in the mountain valley. The reality is that they were created after a large lake dried up thousands of years ago and the wind drove the sand to the base of the mountains.
Sand Dunes and Mountain PeaksThe People Give Perspective to the Size of the DunesThe Size can be DeceivingHiking the Sand Dunes
Although this year the mountains did not receive a lot of snow and therefore the runoff was minimal, usually there is a river or stream running at the base of the sand dunes, making the contrast even more interesting. One of the good things about the stream not being there was that we didn’t have to get our feet wet in order to get to the base of the dunes, but the bad part was that it was even more sand to walk through in the heat of the sun. It is not easy walking in the sand and even harder walking up the steep sides of the dunes. They may not seem as large from the distance, but the actual peaks of the dunes can be as high as 750 feet (230 meters).
First View of the DunesA SandboarderPeople at the PeakAt the Base of the Sand Dunes
As more and more people visit the dunes, one of the most popular things to do is to bring a sandboard and go sandboarding. People will spend hours climbing to the top and then boarding their way back down. Just to reach the top is difficult, so to do it over and over again in order to shred the sand is a real achievement. It also means that you will be surrounded by plenty of crowds as people flock to the area. There is camping nearby and you will find and endless array of motorhomes and RV’s. Since it is a national park, you can expect to pay $20 per vehicle to get into the park, which is good for seven days.
Walking to the DunesLike Walking on a Strange PlanetPrairie, Dunes, and Mountains
It took us about three hours to drive from Colorado Springs to the Great Sand Dunes, but it is well worth the drive. We hadn’t been to the sand dunes for over twenty years, so it was also a little bit nostalgic for us as we remembered bringing our young children there to play in the sand. We only spent a couple of hours at the sand dunes as climbing the hills is very exhausting and hard on the legs. Even though we were walking in the Sahara Desert only a few weeks ago, visiting this unique place in Colorado was really something special.
The Struggle to Reach the SummitA Sense of ScaleLooking Away from the Dunes
