On The Road to (our last day at) Rocky Mt. National Park

After taking a day off for some touristy sightseeing at Estes Park, and dinner with a cherished, long-time friend, we drove through the mountains one last time to explore RMNP.

We really enjoyed the Bear Lake area, so we returned to see more of the sight - within minutes, we came across a young bull grazing along the road, much to the delight of my husband who was on the lookout for moose from the moment we arrived!

Our first stop was Horseshoe Park, a valley that was once covered by a 500-foot glacier. As the glacial ice began to recede some 15,000 years ago, it eventually formed the moraines that became the meadows of Horseshoe Park.  The scenery was breathtaking.

We stopped at the Moraine Park Discovery Center (so Sara could get her own hiking pole) and then found a quiet overlook to stop for our picnic lunch. We then made our way back to the hiking area near Bear Lake - but this time we planned ahead!

As moderate of a hike as it was, we were still pretty tired, and had to get back to the campsite, make dinner and get ready for our next leg of the trip tomorrow - Arches National Park in Utah. Until then, goodnight Rocky Mountains, Goodnight Colorado, Goodnight Moon!

Courtesy Sara Janz