Day 9 – Colorado Sand Dunes and Broadmoor Seven Falls

 Day 9 – 5/21/2021 – Colorado Sand Dunes and Broadmoor Seven Falls

We stayed at the Quality Inn last night in Canon City.  This morning I noticed that several of the room doors had names on them like Goldie Hawn, Sam Elliot, Glen Ford, and my favorite John Wayne.  Apparently, these stars stayed in these rooms when they were here, apparently while making a movie. 

Anyway, we leave Canon City heading east on route 50 for I-25.  On our way, we happened to see a number of pronghorn antelope.  These are females and there were about five in the bunch.

Right behind the group of female antelope was another female and a male.  Both standing broadside with heads up so we could get a good picture. 

Shortly after I took the last picture, all of the Pronghorn ran through a break in the barbed wire and running away with the mountain in the background.  I thought it was a great frame so I took the picture. 

As we are heading south on I-25, we can see windmills and the snowcapped Spanish Peaks.  We know they are the Spanish Peaks because the sculpture further on the right that looks like a dinosaur, behind the gusty winds sign, has it printed on the side. 

After heading south on I-25, we turned west on US-160.  We still have some fantastic views of the snow capped mountains and the sagebrush fields. 

Well, I think Carmen and I have found our Colorado fixer-upper.  It has the sage field, hills in the back yard, and it is already fenced in.  All it needs is a little work.  LOL!!  Maybe park a camper on a pad. 

Not long after turning north on, route-150, Carmen happens to see these Pronghorn antelope on the hillside.  It is always good to see wild animals while we are on a trip.  Having them close enough so we can get a picture is even better.

We see sand dunes in the distance and even at a couple of miles away; we can tell that the dunes are high, but not nearly as high as the snow-capped mountains behind them.

Having reached the Great Sand Dunes we have parked.  Carmen has decided not to hike out to the dunes since we have to cross Mendano Creek, then a half-mile hike, just to get to the dunes.  The creek was about 9-inches at the deepest, but about 150-feet across.  That is High Dune, just to the left of center and is 700 feet high from the base.  Look at all of the people that come to the dunes, pitch a tent, easy-up, or beach umbrella. 

I get about half way to the dunes.  The sand is very fine and soft.  I get a picture of the dunes with people on it and looking for those that brought snow/sand board to ski down a dune.  

Check out the path leading up the side of the dune.  Many people follow the same route to the top.  I wonder if walking in other peoples footsteps in the sand makes it easier to climb the dune.

Standing in the sand with a full view of the dunes, I decided to get a panoramic picture of he dunes.

Since Carmen is not with me and I do not want to leave her in the car for hours while I hike to the top of High Dune, I turn around and head beck.  While I was still in Mendano Creek, I see where the dunes and the mountains come together.  I thought the snow-capped mountains and the dry sand dunes are in stark contrast with each other.

Before leaving Colorado Great Sand Dunes National Park, I get a picture with Carmen with the Dunes in the background.  If you ever get a chance and have a half or even a full day, this would be a great stop.

After leaving the Sand Dunes National Park, we are retracing our steps back to I-25.  Back on I-25 we head north to Colorado Springs, we are soon making our way to the Broadmoor Seven Falls.  This is a series of seven falls and the 181-foot drop of water.  This is the bottom portion of the falls, named Hills Falls and is a fan waterfall that sprays outwards as it descends.

The staircase that follows the rock wall on the left side of the falls has 224 steps leading up to the top of the falls.  Halfway up, I get a picture of one of the other falls in the series of seven.  I think this is Bridal Veil Falls, which is a horsetail waterfall that sprays outwards as it descends from the rock wall. 

After climbing to the top and seeing each of the falls in the series, we head back down.  The climb was not as bad as I thought and we are back at Hill Falls.  I get a picture with Carmen in front of the falls and she gives a good idea of the height of this section of the waterfall. 

Next to the waterfall, there is an elevator up through the mountain to a platform overlooking the falls and valley.  Carmen is ready to enter the tunnel to the elevator and if I wait any longer I’ll be left behind.

On the platform at the top of the elevator, because I did not want to climb the stairs, we have a fantastic view of the falls.  From here, you can see each of the seven drops; Ramona Falls, Feather Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Shorty Falls, Hull Falls, Weimer Falls, and at the bottom Hill Falls.

Besides the falls, you can zip-line or rock climb if you so choose.  From this platform, it is just a little way to either of those activities.  I think I’ll just take another picture of Carmen and the waterfall in the background before we head back down the elevator and back to the car.

On the way to the car, we hear someone above up whooping and hollering as the cross from one side of the canyon to the other.  Not able to get a picture of the person on the zip-line, Carmen settled for the daffodils and tulips. 

Back in the car, we checked into the hotel, got something to eat and settled in for the night.  Tomorrow we stay in Colorado Springs and will visit the Garden of the Gods, Manitou Cliff Dwellings, and the Wild West Ghost Town Museum.