Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Great Sand Dunes

Mesa Verde
When I got to Mesa Verde, in southwestern Colorado, it was getting dark, and it looked like it was going to rain. I looked for a campsite, but didn't find anything I wanted, so I decided to go to the museum and see if I could still see any of the Indian dwellings. I could always think about sleep later. There was one dwelling near the museum, so I hiked down for a closer look. When I got to the bottom, the ranger told me that the gate to the trail was closing in 15 minutes, so I only had a few minutes to look around and then go back up the hill before they closed the gate. Bummer. Sometimes this happens when you don't plan anything. I got a few pictures, it began to rain, and I left.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison
I got to Black Canyon very early; I think I was the first person in the park that day! I hiked for several hours, during which I probably saw seven people total. The canyon is beautiful, and you can hear the roar of the rapids more than 2,000 feet below. I can only imagine how deafening the river must be down there. The only unfortunate thing was that since it was so early, and I was on the south side, I think most of my canyon pics came out washed out, with too much sun. Or it's my outdated camera's fault.

Great Sand Dunes
After the sad and emotional parting with Dan and Laurel, I drove down to southern Colorado for Great Sand Dunes National Park. Of the parks with an entry fee, this one would have been the cheapest, at $3, had I not had my annual pass. The park name pretty much says it all-- this is just a huge freaking pile of sand. The best thing about it is that even though it was crowded, the dunes are so huge, and you are not restricted to marked trails, so you can choose your own hiking path away from the crowds. The worst thing about it is, well, it's a huge freaking pile of sand. Climbing up and down the dunes is fun at first, but gets old quick, and the scenery never changes.

I'm actually catching up on these blogs! Score one for Texas and its free wi-fi at its rest stops.