In The Shadow of Longs Peak
Sunday, October 22, 2023
I sleep well again. I get up around seven, make coffee. Breakfast is the various lunch items, since it turns out that I forgot the eggs. Then begin the process of breaking camp and packing.
Before driving away, I check out the reservoir. It would be cool to come here and paddle but it could definitely be windy.
First, I head east to photograph an old stone school house. Then west again to La Junta. I decide to skip both the bicycling outing at Vogel Canyon and a visit to Bent’s Old Fort.
So, west again to Rocky Ford and a bit further to CO 71 where I head north. It’s the first time on this road, it’s flat. open and sparsely populated and there are lots of cultivated fields.
Eventually I am back in Limon and pick up I-70 West to Bennet, north to Prospect Valley, then west on CO 52.
It was a good trip. I was not very active but I did enjoy a chance to just chill!
I am not sure I captured the sense of the landscape. For future trips, I need to write daily, which my memories are still fresh!
John Martin Reservoir
October 20, 2023 to October 22, 2023
My solo outing this fall is to John Martin Reservoir, in Southeast Colorado, west of Lamar, east of Las Animas and just south of the small town of Hasty,
This is the third time I’ve taken a solo trip in October the last few years. The first was to Vedavoo and Granite Reservoir in 2015. Last year, I went to Eleven Mile Reservoir, southeast of Fairplay, mainly to see if the camping areas on the west side of the reservoir afforded better protection from the wind, which it did not and I was glad to have my 4-season tent along.
This outing to John Martin Reservoir was a history outing. Besides camping, I was hoping to visit the site of the Sand Creek Massacre, the site of the Amante Internment Camp, Bent’s Old Fort, and Bent’s New Fort.
And, instead of doing a trip report, I am going to try and capture the gist of this outing.
Thursday, October 19, 2023
I decided to precook my meals and worked on making a chicken, onion and mushroom dish, rice, and the ingredients for a stir-fry soup. This turned out to be well worth the effort as I did not have to cook at camp and was able to treat myself to home cooked meals.
Then there was packing.
Friday, October 20, 2023
After doing chores and loading the cooler, I was on my way by 11 AM, under a blue sky, lots of sun and no wind. My first stop was to Safeway where I celebrated my 69th birthday with a chocolate frosted cake donut.
Last spring, when I did this outing, I took C-470 to I-70. Today, I go east on CO 52, past FT. Lupton, Banner Lakes, and Hudson to Prospect Valley then south to Bennett and I-70 which I take east to Limon where I exit and get on US 40/US 287 which travels southeast. I stop in Hugo for gas. At Kit Carson, the road diverges, with US 40 continuing east to Cheyenne Wells and US 287 south.
My idea was to take US 287 south to Lamar, stopping at the Sand Creek Site which is east of Eads. The weather is wonderful! The fields, open and wide, are browning but under a bright blue sky are neither drab nor dreary nor lonely.
I thought there was a visitor center in Eads related to Sand Creek but I did not find it. I continue south on US 287 to the intersection of CO 96 then east. There is a railroad track on the north side of the road which appears to be still used.
At a small settlement named Chivington with a few homes but did not seem deserted. Just past town, at a sign for Sand Creek, I turn north. I have another 10 miles to go and it seems like a long ways. There is a parking area where I put in, but this is not the actual site, so I continue north, then east, then north again. The gates are open, but close at 4 and it is after 3. I drive in. There is another car or two, a grove of cottonwood trees, a picnic table, a trail, and a visitor center.
I get out to explore the trail. The ranger appears and mentions they are closing soon. I take a photos, and decide to come back tomorrow.
I am headed to John Martin Reservoir and want to be there is plenty of time to setup, cook, and relax. I head back to US 287, then south toward Lamar. There is a point where the land changes, becoming greener and more rolling as I enter the Arkansas River Valley. Just north of Lamar. I get on US 50, heading east to the town of Hasty. Here I turn south, but like last year, I turn south a block early and end up at a dead end. No worries, I am only a block from the main road that goes to the reservoir and soon enter the park. It does not seem crowded but most of the campsites are taken.
I find my site, setup the tent and sunshade, make supper, then read a bit. It’s getting dark and a little chilly so I crawl into the tent and continue reading. I have yet another good book, “Go As A River”. There is traffic on the road just outside the campground and decide to investigate that tomorrow.
Saturday, October 21, 2023
I sleep soundly overnight. In the morning, I head water for coffee. Skip cooking a breakfast and have snacks instead.
Then I head back to Sand Creek, arriving at 9:40. The ranger comes over and mentions he will be giving a talk in 10 minutes at the upper site. I will join him, but want to hike over, a half-mile on the trail so I head that way.
We walk up to the covered seating area. He mentions that at the time of the massacre, there would not have been the Cottonwoods we see now, as horses and deer would have trampled the saplings.
The stream may not have been running at the time but people would have dug down and pooled water for animals. There was a spring nearby that provided water for people.
Coming back, I noticed a hiking trail. After filling my water bottles at the visitor center, I drove up to the other parking area. The trail is 3 miles round trip and I decide to skip it. I head back out the entrace gate, then east and south on a series of gravel roads to CO 96. Once there, I head east again to US 395 (which feels really narrow for a US highway) near Sheridan Lake, then south toward Bristol and Granada.
Once at Granada, I head west on US 50. The Amache site which is just west and south, outside the town of Granada. I did not research this site beforehand. At the parking lot are informational billboards and a roll of who was there. But no buildings as the site was dismantled shortly after the camp was closed. I drive around the area where the buildings were but do not get out to explore. CPR had a segment on roses that were found, but discovering them would take knowing where in the compound they are.
I head back to US 50 and west to Lamar where I get gas, then head back to camp. On the way, I head south at a sign for Bent’s new fort and drove south, then east, then south again to a small parking pull-out but do not get out to explore.
I return to camp and first explore the road just outside camp. It goes over the outlet to the dam and to a small town of Caddoa. Later, looking at the map, this road goes the length of the reservoir on the south side. Something to explore next time. Back to camp I go and heat up supper. It’s a bit windy, enough to deform the sunshade so I take it down. It’s warmer tonight and I stay up reading till dark. And, someone has a fireworks display so that is a nice treat!