Western Colorado to Utah

Happy Monday!  Recapping the last day of the Colorado Road trip today.  

After leaving Denver, we began the long drive back to Salt Lake City.  Our first stop on the journey was about 20 minutes outside of Denver.

Red Rocks Amphitheater.  This was a beautiful area to hike, picnic, as well as see a concert.  We were unable to go all the way into the theatre but I can only imagine how amazing a concert is between this beautiful Red Rock.  They have a great visitors center, restaurant, and museum so even if you are not here for a concert, you can get out of the car and walk around the venue.  

  

After leaving Red Rocks Amphitheater we hit Route 40 for the long journey across western Colorado towards Steamboat Springs.  Along the drive, we came across this gorgeous reservoir. 

Green Mountain Reservoir, Colorado 

This reservoir was called "One of the best kept secrets of Colorado"

Fishing, Camping, Hiking, Boating, this was such a beautiful spot to enjoy the day (if we had time and the weather allowed).  Places like this are kind of the best part about road trips.  Unplanned, had no idea this place existed, but what a beautiful sight traveling across 40. 

Green Mountain Reservoir, Colorado 

Route 40 and Green Mountain Reservoir, Colorado 

Rabbit Ears Pass, Colorado 

These last few pictures really sum of the weather.  Very small patches of sunshine and clouds followed by rain, and if you were high enough in the mountains, snow.  Temperature ranged from 60 degrees to 34.  I was told by my friend Michelle that this Rabbit Ears pass is a gorgeous area.  However, the weather was grey, no visability and a snow storm so you will have to go and let me know.  

Rabbit Ears Pass is in the Routt National Forest and is along Route 40 on the way to Steamboat Springs.  

Continental Divide-- separation of watersheds, which waters drain east to the Atlantic and which drain west to the Pacific. 

Finally we were out of the storm and into Steamboat Springs where it was downpouring.  The weather prevented us from really seeing the town but walking around Main Street really gave me the same vibe as Park City  It was a cute and touristy ski town surrounded by beautiful mountains. 

Goats along Route 40, Colorado 

After passing through Steamboat Springs, we continued west along Route 40.  This was a 1 lane (each way) "highway" through the back roads of... no where.  Small towns over an hour apart with 65 mph speed limits.  The sight below made my day.  All the sudden, at a little pull over spot I saw a "mass migration" of goats and sheep.  I stopped, got out of the car, and saw two dogs herding hundreds of goats back home.  It was kind of amazing to see these two gorgeous dogs working together to bring everyone home.  I would love to know what the command is as these dogs did this entirely on their own, no humans in sight. 

Herding Dogs along Route 40, Colorado 

If you keep traveling west towards Utah, eventually, you reach Dinosaur, Colorado, the last town in the state.  It is the "gateway to the Dinosaur National Monument".  The National monument is about 2 hours (each way) out of the way so we decided against the detour.  A picture of this rad sign will have to do.  

Town of Dinosaur, Colorado 

If you have the time, the National Monument sounds like an amazing place to visit.  Dinosaur National Monument covers over 210,000 acres.  Dinosaur fossils can only be seen on the Utah side, just north of Jensen, Utah. Most people come to see dinosaur fossils and there are 1,500 bones of these amazing creatures still encased in the rock at the Dinosaur Quarry Exhibit Hall  I will have to go back to see some dinos, camp, hike, and even do some river rafting.

Colorado/Utah Border 

This eastern edge of Utah that borders Colorado and houses the National Monument takes its dinosaurs very seriously.  I think I really nailed this dinosaur pose.  The town of Vernal is basically Dino themed everything and has to be the coolest place for a kids trip. 

Vernal, Utah 

The rest of the trip wandered through small Utah towns, before eventually reaching the end of Route 40 by Park City and the merge onto 80 west for the last short stretch to Salt Lake City.  

This was such a fun road trip and another reminded that road trips are all about the drives, not the destinations.  Another weekend, another part of the west explored. 

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream Bars with Yogurt and Almond Milk

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream Bars

with bananas, almond milk, yogurt, chocolate, and chopped almonds.

My sweet tooth has been out of control lately.  

I want dessert every night.  

And I have even been seriously craving lunch dessert (is that a thing?).  I needed to come up with some healthier summer sweet tooth options.  So the Peanut Butter Banana Bars were born.  These are made with low fat yogurt, unsweetened almond milk, PB2 powder (less calories than peanut butter) and bananas for sweetness. Bananas, chocolate and peanut butter is one of my favorite combos, and adding on some almonds give this bar the perfect crunch.

If you want to wow your guests with a healthy(ish) summer dessert, or just want to hoard these in your freezer for yourself, read on.  (These are soooo easy so if you are thinking that looks like a lot of work, you are wrong my lazy friend).

Denver, Colorado

 What is more fun than to combine a little bit of a National Park with a Capital City. 

Well, that is exactly what we did on this trip.  After leaving the National Parks and Boulder, we kept heading south.  The drive from Boulder to Denver is only about 35 minutes. This is extremely convenient when you are trying to see as much of Colorado as you can in one weekend.

Driving into Denver, Colorado 

Driving into Denver, we were greeted with blue skies for a few hours.  Blue skies and sky scrapers was the name of the game when entering the city of Denver.

  The city was much bigger, cleaner, and prettier than I thought.  Whenever I hear "city"  I always picture New York.  Over populated insanely dirty, full of rude busy people trying to get somewhere fast (sorry New Yorkers, it just isn't my scene).  

I think this is why I knew I would like Salt Lake City.  It is none of that.  Denver wins the award too.   I was pleasantly surprised when I parked the car and walked around this beautiful city.  

Rocky Mountain National Park and Boulder, Colorado

Lets Talk Road Trips!!!!
Salt Lake City to Colorado

Friday evening after work, we headed to Laramie, Wyoming.  This was about 5.5 hours from Salt Lake City and got us a head start on our way to Rocky Mountain National Park.  The drive was targeted to be about 7.5 hours and stopping in Wyoming was the perfect solution to a late start on Friday, and a budget friendly place to spend the night and break up the drive.  After breakfast, we packed up and made the two hours drive to Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Leaving Wyoming, heading south to Colorado

As usual, the drive promised to be as beautiful as the destination.  The drive into Rocky Mountain National Park from Wyoming was gorgeous (and rainy). We drove down 287 and across 34.  Road trips are all about the scenic routes, right?

Route 34, Estes Park, Colorado 

Dry Gulch -- Bonneville Shoreline Trail, Salt Lake City Utah

I am SO excited to share my Colorado trip with you all.  I mean, the trip was kind of a bust because of the weather, but we made the best of it and took a lot of pictures from my car. 

While I finish off Colorado posts, I wanted to talk about last weeks Trail Run/Hike/Mountain bike spot that was simply breathtaking.  Did I mention it was also 5 minutes from downtown, right above the University?

Dry Gulch is a section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST).  "The Bonneville Shoreline Trail is a series of trails along the slope of the Wasatch Mountains where the old shoreline of Lake Bonneville met the hills. Sections of trail are found from Ogden to Payson. The northern Salt Lake City section extends from City Creek Canyon to Emigration Canyon."-- UtahMountainBiking.com