On the way we passed the stately Stanley Hotel which is the hotel they used in filming The Shining. We did not take the tour as time was short, but it was fun to see and a little creepy.
We drove up Highway 34 into the park and stopped at the huge visitor center and talked to Mario for advice on a plan for the day.
He suggested the one way gravel Old Fall River Road up to the visitor center. Then we could take the paved road down to the meadows to watch for elk and moose and come back into town on the lower paved road. It all sounded good to us. He warned that the gravel road was quite narrow and we might have a little trouble with some of the tight curves, but he thought we could manage. We had no idea!
Our first stop was a short hike down to Chasm Falls which was quite pretty, but we just clicked some pictures and hurried on as we wanted lots of time up in the mountains.
We began to climb and curve with no guard rails and straight drops to the valley far below. I thought we had been on steep, but nothing compared to this. No wonder it was one way. There were times that we had less than two feet from our tires to the edge. For some reason I felt if I leaned towards the mountain wall it would help. The other cars we saw were either compact or Jeeps. Bob admitted that even he got a little nervous.
At one point we slowed to navigate a curve and heard a kind of rusty squeak and I thought maybe it was an elk bugle and Bob said maybe it was just our brakes and then he yelled, "Oh look!" There in the middle of the road in front of us were two beautiful big elk cows.
There were other cars slowly coming up behind us and we motioned that we couldn't move with the elk in the road. About three cars stopped behind us and came up to have a look. At that moment, a huge and I mean huge, bull elk crashed out of the woods right beside our truck bumper.
He walked towards the cows and bugled at them to move on and kept looking over his shoulder at us snorting a warning.
Once they were safely out of the way, he turned and came right at us. Everyone jumped back in their cars. We were not sure if he was going to attack or not and Bob was picturing a punctured radiator. But, he jumped up on a rock right were he had come out of the woods and lowered his head as he broke branches and crashed back into the woods. It was so incredible to have that happen right in front of us. We felt more than blessed and I was choked with tears. Feeling weak with the whole experience, we moved on navigating the tight turns climbing ever higher.
We came out well above the tree line on tundra at the visitor center which was over 12,000 ft above sea level, The hills had paths to walk with indescribable views. It reminded us of some of the scenery we had seen in Scotland. A cute little marmot posed for me.
On a side note, I saw a lady a bit younger than me trying to help her elderly mother into the car. Her mom was shaky and using a cane and the daughter warned her to move closer before trying to step off the curb into the car. The mom kept right on with a determined, stubborn look on her face. The daughter warned, "Mom, that's your weak leg!" But the mom kept on and made it to slide into the seat. The daughter looked up at me and for a second, we connected. I blessed her heart and told her she would never regret the time she was giving her mom. She laughed and said, "Pray for me." Boy did that bring back memories.
Driving down to the meadows, we passed a campground right in the midst of it all. We met some people later who stayed there and they said it is so noisy at night with Elk bugling, you can't sleep. It was called Timber Creek Campground and now it is a goal to one day stay there.
We stopped at one of the meadows that had a ruins of an old hunting lodge and kind of dude ranch owned by a family called Holsworth. It was a lovely path to walk ending in a wooded area with quaint little cottage sized log cabins.
On a side note, I saw a lady a bit younger than me trying to help her elderly mother into the car. Her mom was shaky and using a cane and the daughter warned her to move closer before trying to step off the curb into the car. The mom kept right on with a determined, stubborn look on her face. The daughter warned, "Mom, that's your weak leg!" But the mom kept on and made it to slide into the seat. The daughter looked up at me and for a second, we connected. I blessed her heart and told her she would never regret the time she was giving her mom. She laughed and said, "Pray for me." Boy did that bring back memories.
Driving down to the meadows, we passed a campground right in the midst of it all. We met some people later who stayed there and they said it is so noisy at night with Elk bugling, you can't sleep. It was called Timber Creek Campground and now it is a goal to one day stay there.
We stopped at one of the meadows that had a ruins of an old hunting lodge and kind of dude ranch owned by a family called Holsworth. It was a lovely path to walk ending in a wooded area with quaint little cottage sized log cabins.
Also, we crossed a stream on a little bridge and saw that it was the head waters of the Colorado River.
Looking for elk or moose farther up, we met a lady who volunteers here in the park who was originally from the Upper Peninsula in Michigan. Her husband had managed the Seney Wildlife Refuge. She gave us advice and told us we really needed to stay until at least six o'clock for the best chance of seeing elk and moose.
We drove back up the road and pulled off at the Beaver Creek stop. There were two picnic tables there and we thought we might relax for a while and watch the meadow.
Looking for elk or moose farther up, we met a lady who volunteers here in the park who was originally from the Upper Peninsula in Michigan. Her husband had managed the Seney Wildlife Refuge. She gave us advice and told us we really needed to stay until at least six o'clock for the best chance of seeing elk and moose.
We drove back up the road and pulled off at the Beaver Creek stop. There were two picnic tables there and we thought we might relax for a while and watch the meadow.
There was another couple at the other table and the man looked so much like Willie Nelson. Soon they joined us and they were retired teachers from New England who had moved out here several years ago. The time passed quickly as we chatted with them talking about everything under the sun. Several more joined us and it was great fun. We were beginning to hear elk bugle and the excitement was growing.
Eventually we all left that pull off and moved to where we saw several cars gathering and it was an amazing sight! A large bull elk had 27 cows grazing in a field by the road. Across the road, were two younger, but still impressive bulls.
Eventually we all left that pull off and moved to where we saw several cars gathering and it was an amazing sight! A large bull elk had 27 cows grazing in a field by the road. Across the road, were two younger, but still impressive bulls.
They kept trying to cross and entice some of the cows to run off with them.
They would not give up, but as soon as one of them crossed the road, the big elk would call his ladies to him and then charge the young bull sending him running back to the other side.
This happened a few times as we watched. It was fascinating. Three Rangers were there keeping order and making sure everyone was safe. At one point as the large bull chased off the young one, it ran right at us as we stood taking pictures. I wish I could have gotten a picture of that as all of us scattered to get behind cars. I know my only thought was to get out of the way as I slid in gravel on the steep ditch behind someone's car giggling with two other ladies. It was a great group of people to share this whole adventure with and all of us talked like we were old friends. It was hard to leave, but darkness was approaching. Oh, and we did see one moose in the distance that I took a picture of, but, it is just a dot. I saw it later cross the road, but not in time to get a better picture.
To get back to camp, we had to drive back up to the visitor center on the tundra at the top and then take the paved road back into town. It was getting dark and we were awed by the scenery with the moon coming out and clouds in the purple mountains. We were concerned navigating the tight curves and with the dimming visibility.
To get back to camp, we had to drive back up to the visitor center on the tundra at the top and then take the paved road back into town. It was getting dark and we were awed by the scenery with the moon coming out and clouds in the purple mountains. We were concerned navigating the tight curves and with the dimming visibility.
It was not as bad as the one way gravel road we came up on, but it surely was worse than we expected. It was tense. Once on a 15 mile an hour hairpin curve, we surprised a young spike elk crossing in front of us. I don't know who was more scared. Twice coming around curves we had deer in the middle of the road. I was glad we were going slow and I was very glad to finally see the lights of town in the valley.
We had packed our lunch but not dinner as we had no idea we would stay that long, but it was worth every minute. We came home ready to relax and were more than happy kids with a dinner of a beer, cheese and crackers. This was our best day yet!
We had packed our lunch but not dinner as we had no idea we would stay that long, but it was worth every minute. We came home ready to relax and were more than happy kids with a dinner of a beer, cheese and crackers. This was our best day yet!
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