COLORADO - DAY 17 - OCTOBER 7, 2023

Saturday. Probably the busiest day in the park of any given week.  Since we weren't able to get a timed entry pass we had no choice but to go in after 2pm.  We spent the morning putting things away that we knew we wouldn't be using.  We left the camper around quarter to one to get gas and getting to a gas station was a feat in itself.  I swear half the United States was in Estes Park.  Done fighting traffic, waiting in line to get gas we headed back to the park to get in line.  Yes, the line.  It was long but surprisingly it moved along.  At a snail's pace, but it was moving and for that we were thankful.  It probably took us about 20 minutes to get up to the rangers at the gate and then it was smooth sailing since everyone took different roads.

We pulled over in the first of many overlooks and we both wished we could have climbed this rock too.  Those days are long gone for us though.  I can only imagine the pictures they got from that vantage spot.

The Rocky Mountains.  How does one even begin to describe this?  Magnificent?  Awe-inspiring?  Spectacular?  Impressive?  Majestic?  Breath-taking?  Wait, wait, I got it.  The Rocky Mountains are freakin' BIG!

At another pull off we heard several screams and couldn't imagine what was going on.  We had to smile when we figured out what the commotion was.  It seems this is a very popular place for the chipmunks to hang out and they just run along the low wall from person to person looking for a handout.  I guess some of the ladies thought they were rats or something or were just caught off guard.

Other than some elk off in the distance, this was the extent of the wildlife we saw in the park.  It was nice to see the elk but when you can look out the windows at home and see them, well, it just isn't a big deal to us.

After paying attention to the little critters it was time to see what this pull over had to offer.  How incredibly beautiful.  Definitely awe-inspiring.

The pull over brought us a surprise to say the least.  Here found a POND, actually there are four of them, but you can see the biggest one very easily.

Now we stopped at every pull off we came to and I took tons of pictures,,,,,and deleted a ton of them,,, and I could show you the ones I took but while the scenery was something to see, you, reading here, can only look at so many pics of rocks and pine trees and I get that.  Sometimes you just have to be there!

We got high up enough into the park and the road we were on that we reached the tundra.  Now let me tell you about this.  

We followed the line of cars you see in the picture above.  As we rounded the curves and turns I held on for dear life.  Especially coming down because I was on the "outside".  Once again, no barriers and a HUGE drop off the side.  There was one section that we were heading up an incline and I couldn't see past the front of the truck.  I was so afraid we were going to just drive off the road.  Visions of Thelma and Louise raced through my thoughts.

At yet another pull off we met this couple from Indiana.  I offered to take their picture with the lava falls behind them and they in turn took ours.  Take notice of the jeans and sweatshirts.

Must have had some kind of bug come through and take these trees out.

Of course at this elevation there has to be snow!

Now I don't know any of the people in the picture below but I had to snap it because they were just having so much fun getting everyone situated.  This group could laugh!

These pops of color were welcome!  Otherwise it was pine tree green everywhere you looked.  Speaking of pine trees, I googled, "How many pine trees are in the Rocky Mountain National Park?"  The answer?  MILLIONS!

Once again, we came, we saw, we took a helluva lot of pictures!  We keep telling Abby how lucky she is that she has visited 6 National Parks!

Tomorrow we move.  It's time to move on.  Follow along and see where we end up next.