"Rocky Mountain High in Colorado" Colorado by richiecdisc

Colorado Travel Guide: 6,758 reviews and 11,410 photos

Odessa Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

Well, yeah, John Denver is pretty corny but I couldn't keep the tune of Rocky Mountain High from slipping its into my consciousness when I got close to this state. This was the beginning of a five month camping trip around the states and Colorado was looming right before me like a dream. Man, I was going to the Rockies! I grew up in Philadelphia and had never been exposed to nature, a real city boy. I was later introduced to hiking in Ontario and had fallen in love with it in New Zealand. When I was traveling, everyone asked me about California and Colorado, and I couldn't tell them anything as I'd never been west of Ohio. Well, this was a trip to rectify that. But it wasn't just about seeing a place, it was about capturing a feeling, a yearning to find something in my own country that made me feel the same as I'd felt when abroad. Colorado would be that and much more as I would soon find out.

a tale of three trips

Rocky Mountain High Me in 1994

I wrote the above about my first trip to Colorado in 1994. It was the beginning of what at the time was the greatest summer of my life. I returned to the state the following year to attend the Great American Beer Festival and see a bit more of a state that had very much got under my skin.

I took my wife to see Colorado on the tail end of a six-month camping trip around the US in 2008. It's a lot different visiting a place at the end than at the beginning but this great state still compared favorably with all the amazing places we went that summer, one that I must say now was indeed the greatest of our lives.

This page is a bit of all three trips.

Last visit to Colorado: Sep 2008
Intro Updated Dec 25, 2009
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Reviews (23)

D & I at New Belgium in Fort Collins - Colorado

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Boulder Things to Do (7)

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Mesa Verde National Park Things to Do (7)

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Rocky Mountain National Park Things to Do (7)

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Off The Beaten Path (3)
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Restaurants (7)
See All nature calls
Nightlife (1)
think globally, drink locally

Comments (95)

Bwana_Brown Jun 7, 2010 at 5:22 PM Report Abuse

You are on a real roll Richie! Brew pubs and mountains no matter where you go in the West! I've only had a brief business trip to Denver but would really love to see more after viewing these great tips.
toonsarah May 23, 2010 at 12:52 PM Report Abuse

Oh we should come to Colorado! Not just for Rocky Mountain NP but lots of other things you describe that we would really love - Mesa Verde, brewpubs, the cog railway ... even the cute killer marmots!
Trekki Dec 26, 2009 at 12:05 AM Report Abuse

Haha, I second D :-) You should also mention this killer squirrel :-) And the underwear chewing deer :-) So Colorado is US' Bavaria, given this beers and brewpubs?
DoreenDe Dec 25, 2009 at 1:38 PM Report Abuse

...the giant killer marmot is nothing compared to the aggressive ground squirrel found at Odessa Lake...
KiKitC Jul 10, 2007 at 4:00 AM Report Abuse

Wow...I guess GREAT views are to be expected everywhere out there!!! Thank you for the tips.
nomada Apr 30, 2006 at 2:32 AM Report Abuse

Stunning nature again ! And about restaurants, well... hope I can get something other than beer ;-)
Katmosphere Jan 18, 2006 at 8:37 AM Report Abuse

I used to live in Nederland and Boulder, these pics bring back so many memories...is there any place more beautiful?
matcrazy1 Jan 22, 2005 at 11:59 AM Report Abuse

Beautiful pictures of the Rocky Mountains. I visited only southwestern corner of Colorado with Mesa Verde NP. So, I have to see a lot there.
Sharrie Sep 26, 2004 at 9:24 PM Report Abuse

Heading this way with Ann in 2 weeks... hey, I think u ought to improve on this page. ;-)
MandaJ320 May 4, 2004 at 1:18 AM Report Abuse

beautiful pictures. i can hardly wait to be there again! :-)