ColoradoTrue

Welcome to ColoradoTrue, a blog featuring all things Colorado, but mostly western Colorado (and occasionally eastern Utah).

It's officially summer and hot, cloudy, and windy. Can't remember a season that's been this windy and cloudy where I live. So, I'm heading for the high country. I'll be driving Camp Bird Road in the coming week, and then spending some time in Leadville searching for some old mines. Not much else to say. Everyone have a great Fourth and be happy, stay safe.

Posted July 1, 2022.

COLORADO PLACES

Still in the High Country. This month we're going to Silverton.

This Month's Colorado Place

Last Month's Colorado Place

You say you missed some of the past Colorado Places? No problem! All of the Colorado Places that I haved presented here are archived at Highways-Byways.com.

"....get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space..."

Edward Abbey

Upcoming Events

Cirque Italia Water Circus Mesa Mall parking lot - Big Top Tent June 30 - July 4, 2022
Bob Dylan Las Colonias Ampitheater July 1, 2022
Glade Park Movies under the Stars 16400 DS Road Glade Park July 1,8,15,22, 2022
Lyle Lovett Avalon Theater July 2, 2022
3RD of July Fireworks Snooks Bottom, Fruita July 3, 2022
Downtown Fourth of July ParadeE Downtown Grand Junction July 4, 2022
Downtown Market on Main Downtown Grand Junction July 7,14,21,28, 2022
Don McLean Avalon Theater July 8, 2022
Cowboy Junkies Avalon Theater July 14, 2022
Shakey Graves Las Colonias Amphitheater July 14, 2022
The Dead South Las Colonias July 22, 2022
Music in the Grapevines prsents Quemando Grande River Vineyard July 23, 2022

COLORADO PHOTOS

Mountain wildflowers start blooming the first couple of weeks in July, and here are six of them.

Fireweed

Colorado Columbine

Indian Paintbrush

Golden Columbine

Deset Phlox

Explorer's Gentian

COLORADO ADVENTURES

Hikes, camping trips, road trips, off-roading, and other adventures. I'm featuring a river adventure this month, one the whole family can take.

Morrow Point Boat Tour

Welcome aboard the Morrow Point Boat Tour. This is a fun half day adventure that the whole family can enjoy. So buckle up your life vest, sit back, and enjoy all the ambience the Gunnison has to offer.

The Morrow Point Boat Tour is a 1½ hour round trip excursion on the Morrow Point Reservoir in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The boat tour is provided by the National Park Service for a nominal fee ($24 for adults) and reservations are required. They make 2 trips a day, one at 10:00 AM and another at 12:30 PM. The boat tour is accessed from the Pine Creek trailhead at mile marker 130 on US Hwy 50. After a couple of short switchbacks you will arrive at the parking lot.

Sign on Brick Outhouse

Stairs down to the river

After parking, descend 230+ stairs into the canyon and take a leisurely 3/4 mile stroll along the Gunnison to reach the Morrow Point boat dock.

End of stairs
Start of trail

Gunnison River below Blue Mesa Dam

Trail to the boat dock

The trail to the boat dock is all that is left of the rail bed of the Denver and Rio Grande narrow gauge railroad. The tracks were removed in 1949, and most of the rail bed has been submerged by the reservoirs in the Black Canyon.

Tour Boat

Morrow Point Boat Dock

There were two park rangers on the tour. Ranger Ed drove the boat and Ranger Curt did all the talking, giving an excellent presentation. I learned a lot of geologic and human history about the Black Canyon and surrounding areas.

Our tour guide and narrator
Ranger Curt

Under way

Chipeta Falls

Curecanti Needle and Blue Creek

There is one waterfall on the tour, Chipeta Falls, named after the scond wife of Chief Ouray of the Uncompahgre Utes. Aside from the sheer canyon walls, the most significant geological feature on the tour is the 700 ft granite spire called the Curecanti Needle.

The return trip presents the opportunity for lots of photos, questions, and taking in any sites that may have been missed on the outbound part of the trip. It's a good time to eat the lunch you may or may not have brought.