Martine and DD in Colorado and Utah (page 3 of 3)

The fall colors are absolutely stunning! !

Hi Peggy! 🙂 Honestly, we chose this time specifically to enjoy the autumn colors, though we were still worried we might be too early or too late—but luck was on our side. They were there in all their magical glory. The Kléber Pass and everything around Crested Butte blew us away, especially the walk through the woods among the aspen trees on the Lower and Upper Loop. Have a great weekend! Martine 🙂

Day 19, September 29. Crested Butte - Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs Cedar Lodge: 206 € for 2 nights with breakfast. Motel at the entrance of town but quiet, with fridge, microwave, pool, and jacuzzi.

9 AM departure. We fill up our car (3.69 per gallon in a mountain village—what a dream!). Off we go again along the West Elk scenic byway via the 50 km of Kebler Pass, 40 km of which is good dirt road. It seems like in just two days, many aspen trees have lost their leaves.



Some are completely bare now, and even though the road is still stunning, it doesn’t give us the same “Wow” as on the way there. That doesn’t stop us from stopping to take more photos—some spots are still absolutely gorgeous.



As for the other type of tree adding to this autumn spectacle, the gold of their leaves has dulled. They’ve shriveled up, and even though they’re still on the branches, the shine is gone—almost as if dust has settled over them. DD is thrilled to leave the dirt road for the asphalt of the West Elk byway. We drive alongside a nearly dry dam for kilometers, with the river reduced to a tiny stream. Seeing the distance between the two banks, you can’t help but worry about the drought. This road is breathtaking, winding between mountains and valleys. It offers us even more stunning views after Mac Clure Summit—a beautiful mosaic of greens and yellows that would make any painter envious! Quick stop at Hayes Creek Falls (right by the road).

On the other side of the Crystal River.

Crested Butte - Glenwood Springs (continued) Redstone Coke Ovens

No need to go far— the Redstone Coke Ovens are right by the road too. These are the remnants of old coal mining operations. In 1890, at the peak of Redstone’s mining era, over 200 beehive-shaped coke ovens were built. They were used until the early 20th century. Roadside view The back of the ovens The coal from the surrounding mountains was ideal for turning into coke, but less than 10 years later, the mines closed (I won’t tell you why because I don’t know!!), and the ovens fell into disuse. Many deteriorated, others were looted, but 90 ovens are still relatively intact, and some have been restored to their early 20th-century state to preserve the memory of a time when life was incredibly tough for both people and animals. When in operation, the ovens were surrounded by stones like this

Right next to the ovens is the Coal Basin Memorial, honoring the 50 miners who died working in the mines between 1901 and 1990 (the mine operated intermittently until 1991). We have our picnic in Redstone Park, along the Crystal River. This adorable little town, surrounded by blood-red mountains, has little more than a small museum telling its history, a castle, and a single street lined with houses, each cuter than the last.





A sign indicates that this is also bear territory, with guidelines for residents to make coexistence possible.

As we head toward Glenwood Springs, the yellow patches of aspen trees fade, but the red rocks continue to follow us for miles.



At 2 PM, we arrive in Glenwood Springs, and wow—what a shock! We’d gotten used to the quiet, and suddenly there’s noise, traffic lights, multi-lane roads!! We were so happy in our mountains. No way to avoid it—it’s just getting us ready for our return home! A quick stop downtown to buy little gifts for the family and see the Colorado River and the famous large hot springs pools the town is known for. I’d kind of planned to spend a few hours there the next day, but seeing the crowds from the bridge, we decide to skip it and visit a small state park about 45 km north of the city instead. A little more nature will be welcome to enjoy our last few days. After that, some relaxation in the hot tub before dinner.

Day 20, September 30: Rifle Falls State Park

During my planning, I had scheduled a hike to Hanging Lake for this morning. We hoped until last week that we could book a slot, but unfortunately, the construction work on the access trail that’s been going on for several weeks still isn’t finished, and reservations—which were already limited—are no longer available at all. So, I had a Plan B ready. Tomorrow will be a long leg of the trip. I let my driver choose: either head to Ashcroft Ghost Town (180 km round trip) or take it easier and wander around Rifle Falls State Park (just under 100 km round trip). He picks the second option. This little park is a state park, and entry costs $10. It’s 48 km from Glenwood Springs. It’s honestly worth the $10 and the drive to get there. Our GPS, Here WeGo, is in a bucolic mood this morning and takes us along pretty little county roads to get there, even making us pass through two adorable, quaint villages where we spot the start of Halloween decorations.





We also pass by another state park, Harvey Gap State Park, with its colorful lake right by the road.

When we arrive at the parking lot, the tone is set. We hear the thunderous sound of water plunging 21 meters down. Within a few meters, we’re in front of a triple waterfall, in a lush green oasis.

Gorse, moss, a little bridge, the sun playing with the water droplets to give us a rainbow, the calm!!! We’re thrilled.



The mist is flying, and this luxuriant vegetation is really surprising.



Three hiking trails are offered. We take the Coyote Trail, a small 2.5 km loop (no more long hikes) that we complete in an hour. It takes us up, climbing gently, to the top of the high cliffs where the three waterfalls plunge. Along the way, we discover limestone caves where we can venture a few meters in. The master of the place (a face appeared when we looked at the photos). And two small ponds. Before reaching the top of the falls, where viewpoints are set up so we can see them from different angles. We return downhill via a trail reinforced with wooden steps. This little walk is easier in a counterclockwise direction, and the place is really worth the trip.

You can even sneak behind the falls.

Picnic under the park’s trees. An hour later, we’re at the hotel. We’re at the end of our road trip, and my driver is tired. Poor guy, he’s been driving alone for 3 weeks!!! I suggest a little nap, which he gladly accepts, while I take a dip in the jacuzzi. After this well-deserved rest, it’s 4:30 PM, and it’s still 33°C in late September. We head back to downtown for our last errands before treating ourselves to one last indulgence with a grilled meal at Juicy Lucy’s Steakhouse (very good but very expensive). Tomorrow, we head to Georgetown for our last night, passing through Independence Pass. I’m sure the scenery will be amazing once again!!!

Day 21. October 1st – Glenwood Springs to Georgetown (via Independence Pass and Twin Lakes)

Georgetown Lodge: $90 nice quiet motel even though it’s near the highway, with breakfast, microwave, fridge.

Last stop before flying home (ha ha ha, just a little more patience—you’ll soon be rid of me and my yellow trees).

Instead of heading straight north on I-70, we decided to treat ourselves (I’ll admit I pushed a bit since it was longer) and take another beautiful mountain route via Independence Pass, then up through Twin Lakes and Leadville. 8:50 AM we hit the road. A bit of traffic on the way to Aspen (we’d lost the habit), where we saw some gorgeous houses but didn’t stop—our failed Telluride experience left us a bit cold about towns that are too fancy for us. We spotted a whole flock of geese on a golf course, likely stopping over during their long migration. Too bad they weren’t in flight. We found those lovely autumn colors again on the pretty, narrow road leading to the pass.

Once again, we soaked in the views.



We missed Devil’s Punch Bowl (looks like we’ve got a subscription to missing points of interest!!!) and I spared DD the Grotto Trail since her hip was bothering her. This road is truly stunning, offering breathtaking views of valleys, rugged mountains, dense pine forests, clusters of aspen trees, and remnants of an abandoned mine.

Soon we reached Independence Ghost Town (after winding along a small river) We didn’t go down into the valley to explore—just admired it from the viewpoint.

The climb kept going. Finally, we reached the top of Independence Pass: Independence Continental Divide

A chilly breeze was blowing (we were nearly 3,700 m up). I hurried to the viewpoint via a short paved trail winding through the tundra



and took in the surrounding peaks before continuing toward Twin Lakes

Day 21 (continuing Glenwood Springs - Georgetown)

At the bottom of the pass, Twin Lakes is the perfect spot for our picnic.



The road continues along the Arkansas River through valleys and plains with large herds, ranches, and old barns. Leadville, where you can see the charming chaos of this former mining town and its historic buildings. We tackle Fremont Pass and its gently sloping mountains before hitting I-70. By 2 p.m., we’re in Georgetown. Honestly, taking this route to get to Georgetown was a great choice, even if it was longer. This beautiful state of Colorado gave us one last gift by offering us stunning landscapes once again. A quick visit to this cute little town, with lovely buildings—maybe a bit too quiet (I love seeing the younger generations wandering around!!!).

Not many Halloween decorations yet, except at the tourist attraction Georgetown Loop Railroad.

Help, I’m being attacked by a skeleton! The suitcases are packed, last dip in the hot tub before walking to dinner at the friendly and delicious Cooper’s on the Creek, and now we’re ready for our last night in Colorado 😢

Day 22: October 2nd. Georgetown-Denver

Last day of our road trip. As usual, I’m the first one up. Just a few more hours and we’ll be leaving the gentle warmth of Colorado to return to our sunny Var region, with a mistral wind strong enough to rip the tails off donkeys or knock the horns off cuckolds (take your pick) waiting for us on arrival. Our flight is at 5:45 PM, so there’s no rush. Denver is only 73 km away. Knowing DD and his legendary fear of missing the plane, I let him know I’d love to stop in Idaho Springs, a cute little mining town along our route that was our first stop on our 2019 road trip. We had breakfast, we’re ready, so he agrees.

9:15 AM, we’re off. Idaho Springs

We take a few more photos of old mine ruins and look for a spot to walk around downtown since we see lots of houses decorated for Halloween. The big kids we are just love it!!!!









Last picnic by the little river, where an adorable little squirrel lets us take a photo of its cute little face as a farewell gift.

12 PM, we’re back in full-on civilization with its 7-lane highways, buildings, and commercial and industrial zones!!! Gone are the yellows, greens, and reds!!! It’s bone dry!!! I want the mountains, the rivers, and the red rocks!!! Oh, come on!!! Get a grip!!! You’ve been dragging your feet around here for 3 weeks!!! It’s time to go home!!! Last top-up of gas (with a photo of the full tank and receipt, just in case). We return a spotless car after taking it to the car wash (it really needed it after the dust from the last trails we took). From the shuttle, we take a photo of Blucifer, the eerie 10-meter-tall blue fiberglass horse that killed its sculptor during construction and whose eyes glow red at night. I looked for the apocalyptic murals inside the airport (we’d seen them on our last trip), but since it was under construction, they weren’t visible, and all I found were some gargoyles.

5:45 PM, we take off on time. I’ll brush up on my English—or at least try—to my great delight, with a nice and patient American who’s just as chatty as I am.

This loop of nearly 3,400 km by car and 160 km on foot allowed us to discover some wonders of this beautiful state of Colorado, where we’d stayed for a few days in 2019, and also to spend a few days among the red rocks (I couldn’t be so close to Moab without wearing out our soles on the trails of Utah again). This road trip delighted us just as much as the previous ones with the richness and diversity of the landscapes, the kindness of the Americans we met, and the discovery of the colors of the aspen and birch forests was an indescribable joy. And as I often say, no photo can capture the beauty of what we saw or the emotion of what we felt. Sorry for this travel journal being less detailed and complete than the previous ones, but as I mentioned at the beginning, I’ve had much less time to work on it. For those of you planning a trip, if you’re heading to these parts, don’t hesitate to contact me on the forum or via PM. See you soon, friends! I’m here to help as much as I can. Plus, since we’re heading back in September for a trip to Arizona and New Mexico, I’ll need the forum pros as I prepare, so see you soon!! Take care of yourselves. Warmly, Marcalamar 🙂

I just discovered this wonderful travel journal—I love it even more because we took a very similar route just a few months ago, and I’m recognizing so many spots, though not at all with the same colors! Take Kebler Pass, for example:



We’re also regulars on U.S. road trips, big into nature and hiking, but strangely, we’d never set foot in Colorado before.

Combined with about ten days in a kitted-out Jeep to get lost in the plateaus along the river in neighboring Utah—an area we’d already explored quite a bit (in 2019, actually!) but this time we took it even further—it made for a pretty awesome trip for us too, from late June to late July last summer. No fall colors, but with wildflower fields in the Colorado mountains, snow on the peaks (and scorching heat in Utah)...



I can add quite a bit about Crested Butte, where we spent a week tackling some serious hikes, as well as the San Juan Mountains. I could also go into more detail about Canyonlands and the White Rim adventure, even though I think there are already some great tips about that trail on the forum. Plus, I could share some insights on the lesser-known Bear Ears area near the Needles. But I’m not sure how to go about it—should I start a new journal or add to yours?

Hey there, Lapinous! 🙂 So cool to see you here again, Nico!!! We chatted a few years back about 4 nights in Moab for a previous road trip (you were surprised I skipped Canyonlands in 2022) and also in 2015 about Martinique! The little Lapinous must have grown so much since then!😉. Oh, and thanks to you, I did that amazing hike with the 12 or 15 arches in Red Canyon near Bryce. It’s so nice to see the Kléber Pass all green like this!!! Hard to imagine when we’ve seen it all golden!! Feel free to add your road trip after mine if you want!! That’ll make a great summer vs. autumn comparison for the spots we both visited, or you can add to that one or start a new travel journal—whatever works best for you!! Have a great evening! Marcalamar 🙂

Hi Martine,

Oh, you’ve done the travel journal—I followed you on FB. Your photos are gorgeous. It brings back some memories: Moab, Fisher Towers... So glad to see Peggy and Apolloroux are still around. I’d exchanged a lot before the pandemic to plan my various road trips in the U.S., the last one in 2019 through Washington and Oregon. We’ll have to go back. Since then, I’ve explored other places. Wishing you all the best in preparing your next trip. For New Mexico, I’ll definitely draw inspiration from it—I think we’ll do it in retirement because right now, my husband can only take time off in the summer, and it’d be way too hot in August... Wishing all of you, readers of the U.S. travel journals, amazing adventures.

Have a great day.

Hey Sylvie 🙂. You're so sweet!!! It's great that there are still a few old-timers around (always nice to see them again) and Facebook because the forum is having a bit of a slow start, but it'll get there. Especially since we still have the travel journals. I think travelers have just gotten out of the habit of checking in like they used to. I'm slowly starting my prep for September—I'm barely on day 4. Keep me in mind, and I'll try to answer your questions when the time comes. I just finished Tucson and I'm off to Bisbee. Have a great evening, everyone! Martine 🙂

Thanks Martine for this travel journal that let me enjoy the gorgeous colors of Indian summer in Colorado. Late September is definitely a great time to go and make the most of the countless hikes in the area! !

Awesome! A travel journal about a loop we’ve been interested in for years. Thanks for sharing this well-documented journal!

Beautiful photos from a time of year dedicated to nature! JF

Way to go, Martine! A big thank you for this awesome travel journal!

Hi there! 🙂 Jeff, don’t hesitate to reach out if you’ve got any questions—some folks here know more than I do, but I’ll gladly help if I can. As for Guillaume and Laurent, always happy to catch up with old friends. Guillaume, I *loved* looking through your photos and reading your latest travel journal—it took me right back and let me "visit" Chessler Park, which I totally messed up planning for last September . That cut-short hike was the big flop of the road trip. Thanks for your kind words!! Have a great rest of the day. Marcalamar 🙂

Hello, we also want to take the Durango-Silverton train, but since we’re traveling around from Salt Lake City, our dates for this spot aren’t set in stone. Can we buy tickets at the Durango station the day before departure, for example (September 15, 16, 17, or 18)? I’m checking every day and there are still seats in the yellow cars!! We’re leaving on September 8, 2025, of course. Thanks if you can give us some info! Best regards, Ms. Boursier

Hi Marie Thérèse 🙂 I’m so sorry, I just saw your message. I no longer get email notifications like I used to when someone sends me a message. I was looking for something on the site when I realized I had two. I wouldn’t have been able to help you anyway since we booked our tickets way in advance, but all I can tell you is that the train was packed on the way there. We also left on September 9, 2025, for an amazing three-week round trip in Arizona and New Mexico. I hope you managed to find seats. Sorry again! Best, Martine 🙂

Hello you two...

Another great travel journal... I hadn't seen it before, but now I have!

Fun, precise, fascinating, and well-written with "on-location" photos.

I’ve got a little "tip" for you (I’ll send it via PM soon).

See you later, Jean from the Nooord

Thanks Jean! 🙂 I’m heading there right away. Marcalamar 🙂