​​In The Shadow of Longs Peak

​Banner Lakes

27 September 2022 and 30 September 2022

Banner Lakes is written up in on the Colorado Birding Trail Website.  It’s about an hour from Longmont on CO 52 east of Hudson.  The area does allow recreation outside of hunting and fishing boats but does not allow biking or camping.  There are seasonal closures and restrictions property which differ between the properties on the north side and south side of CO 52. 

​There are a couple of benches just beyond the parking area and restroom (which had an out of service sign but was open, clean and well stocked).  The near field just beyond the restroom rolls down and away with a ridgeline separating it from the next field.  Beyond is an area of wetlands and then ponds 5 & 6. 

Off to the east is a field of rows of cut grain, then the highway, then light clouds off on the horizon.  

There are 9 ponds on the north side of CO 52, numbered 5 to 13.  A heron is flying away from Pond 6.   Pond 7 appears to be dry.  Ponds 8, 9, and 10 have water.  After an hour, I turn around at the sign for Pond 10 and did not reach Pond 11, 12 (west of Pond 5) or 13 (east of Pond 7).