Hays Creek Falls, also know as Hayes, is a waterfall along Hayes Creek that flow into the Crystal River. There is a short dirt path off of Highway 133 near Redstone, CO. The sign for “Hays Creek Falls” faces South bound traffic heading toward Marble on the right.
The Redstone Coke Oven Historic District is located at the intersection of State Highway 133 and Chair Mountain Stables Road outside Redstone, Colorado. It consists of the remaining coke ovens built at the end of the 19th century by the Colorado Fuel and Iron. In 1990 it was recognized as a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Two hundred were built because the coal in the surrounding mountains was ideal for refining into coke. At their peak they were producing almost 6 million tons a year. The development was the beginning of the modern settlement of Redstone. The ovens are the only remnant of the sizable coking operation in the area. It was the largest at the time in Colorado.
Within ten years of their construction the ovens fell into disuse when the mines closed. Their support steel was removed during the scrap metal drives of World War II, and later they were used as living space by hippies who moved into Redstone. The possibility that some might be demolished to build a gas station eventually led Pitkin County to acquire the land in the mid-2000s, and since then some have been restored. ~Wikipedia
Redstone is a lovely small art community on the banks of the Crystal River. You can spend some time here browsing the shops in town. Don’t miss out on an ice cream cone from Redstone General Store. There are also several lodging options, outfitters and a cafe. To my surprise, there was a walk bridge over the river made by Continental Bridge from Alexandria, MN.
High Canyon Adventures and Bair Ranch offer an authentic Western Colorado ranch experience for families and groups. Bair Ranch is one of the oldest family-owned and operated working ranches in Colorado. The Ranch is located 12 miles east of Glenwood Springs, making it easily accessible from both Aspen and Vail.
Glenwood Springs
Glenwood Springs is located at the confluence of the Roaring Fork River and the Colorado River, threading together the Roaring Fork Valley and a series of smaller towns up and down the Colorado River.
Roaring Fork Valley
The Roaring Fork Valley is a geographical region in western Colorado in the United States. The Roaring Fork Valley is one of the most affluent regions in Colorado and the U.S. It is one of the most populous and economically vital areas of the Colorado Western Slope. The Valley is defined by the valley of the Roaring Fork River and its tributaries, including the Crystal and Fryingpan River. It includes the communities of Aspen, Snowmass Village, Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs.
Set between cascading groves of Aspen trees in the White River National Forest and striking canyon walls, Bair Ranch is no doubt one of the most breathtaking places in Glenwood Springs. ~glenwoodadventure.com
Two hours in the saddle is the ideal way to enjoy the majestic Western Colorado Rocky Mountains. From the stables at ranch headquarters you will climb in elevation. You will cross a natural mesa meadow which provides opportunities to overlook the Colorado River and Glenwood Canyon. As you leave the meadow and continue to ascend, the mountain trail vistas of the Glenwood Canyon expand as the Colorado River snakes lazily through the canyon floor. ~highcayon.com
Our guide was wonderful, the horses gentle and the views were amazing. There was one other couple scheduled for the ride. After waiting a bit, the other couple didn’t show. We had the whole trail to ourselves. Here are some photos from the ride. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting the area.
The mighty Colorado River that carved the Grand Canyon has its headwaters on the west side of the Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park. The route begins at Grand Lake, western gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. It ends on a gravel road through spectacular Gore Canyon.
This scenic byway follows the magnificent Colorado River through Colorado as it begins its journey west through the Grand Canyon and flows to the Pacific. The byway passes mountain valleys, canyons, lakes, historical ranch lands and high-country communities.
In the Park about 9.5 miles north of Grand Lake, you can get closer to the source by hiking from the Colorado River Headwaters trailhead. Lulu City, an 1880’s gold mining camp sited along the banks of the Colorado, is now just a green meadow next to a stream in the Park. You can hike or backpack to the site of Lulu City.
We did not make the hike to Lulu City on this trip. It is definitely on the to do list for a return trip. The trail is a little over 7 miles round trip with very little elevation gain (350 ft.). I really enjoy the meadows on the western side of the park. I have read that there is a good chance of seeing moose in this particular area.
On this particular trip, we used a pull-off alongside the road, and stretched our legs a bit. An unnamed trail along the Colorado yielded some amazing views. The bright blue skies and crystal clear water went on endlessly. The smell of fragrant pines surrounded you. I could have sat by the river for hours.
Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park’s heavily traveled highway to the sky. It inspired awe before the first motorist ever traveled it. “It is hard to describe what a sensation this new road is going to make,” predicted Horace Albright, director of the National Park Service, in 1931 during the road’s construction. “You will have the whole sweep of the Rockies before you in all directions.” ~National Park Service
From Kawuneeche Visitor Center at the park’s Grand Lake Entrance, Trail Ridge Road follows the North Fork of the Colorado River north through the Kawuneeche Valley. There are several trailheads along this section of the road, notably the Colorado River Trailhead, which is the western terminus of the road segment closed during the winter.
The road crosses the Continental Divide at Milner Pass (elev. 10,758 ft or 3,279 m) and reaches a maximum elevation of 12,183 ft (3,713 m), near Fall River Pass (elev. 11,796 ft or 3,595 m). Near the highest point on the road is another pass, Iceberg Pass (elev. 11,827 ft or 3,605 m).
Trail Ridge is a high flat spur range extending east from the main range of the Rockies between Fall River in the North and the Big Thompson River in the South. The road follows Trail Ridge from the Fall River Pass near Alpine Visitor Center to the Deer Ridge Junction. ~wikipedia
Rocky Mountain National Park
The map below indicate the location of where the photos below were taken. GPS coordinates from you smart phone photos are very handy when you return from a trip. You can load your smartphone photos into Lightroom and plot out your whole trip. This is exactly why I try to take a photo with my phone every time we stop. Even if there really isn’t anything picturesque…it still plots the course.
We entered RMNP from the east at Estes Park. The photos will flow in order from east to west; A-H. I have yet to travel Old Fall River Road (see video below); it’s on my list for the next visit to CO and RMNP.
Just down the road from Sprague Lake is a short hike and a beautiful waterfall. At just over eight-tenths of a mile hike in, Alberta Falls is one of the more popular hiking destinations in Rocky Mountain National Park. The scenic 30-foot waterfall thunders down a small gorge on Glacier Creek. This trail offers hikers an excellent spot to view the waterfall and enjoy the surrounding scenery.
The waterfall is named after Alberta Sprague. Alberta was the wife of Abner Sprague, one of the original settlers in the Estes Park area. The Sprague’s began building a homestead in Moraine Park in 1874. This home eventually become a lodge that was used for hunting, fishing and dude ranching. The property was sold to James Stead in 1900. It remained in business as the Stead’s Ranch and Hotel until 1962. In 1910 the Sprague’s built another lodge near the current parking area for Sprague Lake. The National Park Service purchased that property in 1932 and razed it in 1957.
Abner Sprague would go down in Rocky Mountain National Park history once more when he became the first visitor to pay an entrance fee in 1939.
It was a lovely hike to the waterfall in September 2016 in late afternoon. We were delighted to meet some wildlife along the path as well. This is such a beautiful place to hike around and explore.
Sprague Lake is a scenic lake in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), located on the south side of Glacier Creek, about two miles south of the Hollowell turnoff. The .9 mile walk around the lake features boardwalks and bridges with views of Flattop Mountain and Hallet Peak. The area is named after Abner Sprague, who started a homestead there in 1874. The area became part of Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915.
Sprague Lake is a special location in Colorado’s RMNP for my wife and I. We were married there November 18th 2013. Marry me in Colorado made the arrangements very easy. The setting could not have been more perfect. The weather was surprisingly nice for November.
The following photos are from our visit in September of 2016. Sprague Lake Loop is a lovely trail to hike around this picturesque location. The view of the mountains is truly breathtaking.
Howth is a village and outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, forming the northern boundary of Dublin Bay. Originally just a small fishing village, Howth with its surrounding once-rural district is now a busy suburb of Dublin, with a mix of dense residential development, quarries and wild hillside. The only neighboring district on land is Sutton. Howth is also home to one of the oldest occupied buildings in Ireland, Howth Castle. It has been the site of filming for many films.
Howth Castle
Howth was the last stop on our whirl-wind, all the way around the emerald isle, Ireland vacation. We didn’t get to explore the area much as we had just checked into our B&B and were in search of dinner. We were not disappointing with our choice to dine here. Crabby Jo’s seemed like a fitting establishment to find seafood. The lobster and chips were divine.
After a delicious dinner we did have an opportunity to walk around the wharf. It was quite chilly that evening and the wind was coming off the water 25 mph sustained with gusts a wee be more fierce. That was no deterrent for us Minnesotans. There was so much to look at and take in. The colors and textures of the nets, rigging and boats were quite captivating. We were delighted to see a seal in the harbor loitering about with not a care in the world. Feeding the seals is not allowed for fear they will become dependent on humans for food. Here are some photos from our walk around the wharf.
On our way back towards Dublin from the Wicklow area, we chose a path around the city to the west. We had no destination in mind and didn’t plan on visiting the landmark know as The Wonderful Barn ( See drone footage below for a birds-eye view of the grounds). This unique structure was quite impressive in person. There are a few different notions regarding its shape – a dovecote, gamekeepers tower, folly or a more practical explanation, a granary. There was a center hole in each floor to support this theory.
The Wonderful Barn is a corkscrew-shaped building on the edge of Castletown House Estate, formerly of the Conolly family, in Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland.
After checking into Ard Cill B&B (we chose this B&B for its close proximity to Dublin Airport), we headed out for one last little adventure. We headed for the cost along the Irish Sea. R106 brought us south through Laytown. A picturesque beach meets you at the edge of the road.
Bremore Castle
A wee bit further down the road you will pass Bremore Castle. See video below for additional views of this restored castle.
Bremore Castle is a large tower house located north of Balbriggan, County Dublin. Estimated to have been built in the 14th century, the Norman Barnewalls family held it from the time of construction till 1727, the year in which it was sold. However, the first mention of this castle or its location was in reference to William Rosel De Brimor, who held land in England and Ireland in the end of 13th century. Its deterioration began much before the sale, and by 1783, it was termed as “not many years ago inhabited” by Austin Cooper, a prominent antiquarian of that time. Presently, this grand structure has been reduced to ruins, with the remains standing in place since the mid and late 16th century.
We continued our journey north along the SE coast of Ireland, in County Wicklow. Our trip was coming to a close and we were making our way back toward Dublin. We stayed at Ashdene Country Home B&B just a wee bit NE of Avoca. The breakfast the next morning did not disappoint. Not 1, not 2 or even 3, but 4 varieties of toast! It appears that they have closed for good as of the writing of this post.
The area has been associated with its famous copper mines for many years and the valley has been celebrated by Thomas Moore in the famous song “The Meeting of the Waters“. The name of the song derives from the meeting of the Avonmore and Avonbeg rivers, about two miles from the village of Avoca. The song is said to have been written under a tree, the stump of which remains by the Meetings. Avoca is also famous for its handweaving. – wikipedia
A perfect example of a quaint Irish town. On main street you’ll find Hendley’s, a general store; Fitzgerald’s, a pub; a pharmacy and Lett’s Family Butchers. There are a few parks in town as well; the Red Kite Walk is located on the NE side of town (link below). Its main attraction is the mill. The tour was fantastic. The videos below will expand upon the photos below.
Avoca Handweavers
AVOCA HANDWEAVERS
AVOCA HANDWEAVERS
AVOCA HANDWEAVERS
AVOCA HANDWEAVERS
AVOCA HANDWEAVERS
AVOCA HANDWEAVERS
AVOCA HANDWEAVERS
In the parking lot I noticed something I had seen a few times during our travels in Ireland. The roads are very narrow and if you are not careful, you’ll damage the driver-side mirror. I saw several taped up or missing.
