Before I jump into my last blog about our trip to the western slope of Colorado, I want to say two things: 1) I still miss my brother, Edmond. This week marks a year since he departed, and our house hasn’t been the same since. He was the best of us. Rest well. 2) Tomorrow is my brother, Mowgli’s, first birthday. I hardly remember being that young, but mom assures me that I could be a major pill at that age, too. Happy birthday bro!
Okay, on to the last leg of our quick trip to the Grand Junction area of Colorado. We decided to head east on I-70 for a scenic drive. We didn’t know how far we would go or where we would end up. We just went driving! About an hour outside of Grand Junction is a small town with about 10,000 people called Rifle. It sits at the base of the Roan Plateau and is known for its cattle ranching.
Thirty minutes further is Glenwood Springs, sitting at around 5,800 feet in elevation. Glenwood Springs is known for its hot springs and rugged mountains. We were going to stop but some kind of festival was going on, and the traffic was nuts. We kept going. The 
area was very green and almost hurt our eyes since we are used to the desert!
One thing we love and appreciate about Colorado is the water. We miss living by rivers and streams. Another 20 minutes, and we were ready for lunch. We were in Carbondale and found a really cool spot: The Homestead Bar & Grill. It is located at a golf course, but they were dog friendly with an awesome outside patio with a view of Mt. Sopris, a 12,965-foot twin-summit peak in the Elk Mountains.
We sat on the deck in awe of this majestic peak and watched golf charts zoom by. We don’t play golf, but the course looked beautiful. I got a bowl of refreshing water, and mom shared her burger with me. We were in no hurry, but I was up for a hike to stretch my legs. Our nice waiter suggested the Carbondale Nature Park located on Merrill Avenue.
After a while, we decided to find the park and take a nature walk. The parking is free and dogs are most certainly welcome. In fact, if your dog is good off leash, they can freely roam in this wilderness park. There is a human restroom and some picnic tables by the parking lot.
The trail is dirt but is very flat. As other dogs were passing us to head back, I could smell water on them. 
Mom asked, and sure enough, a swimming hole was down just about ½ mile away. Oh boy, I quickened my pace! Before mom knew what happened, I found that water hole and jumped in! It is actually part of a little stream that runs through the area. A couple with a young puppy were trying to encourage their dog to go in, but she was scared. I got back out and coached her on how to get it. Once her paws felt the cool, refreshing water, she was hooked. In she went!
When mom and I turned around to head back, we stopped dead in our tracks: Mt. Sopris was looking at us. Wow! What an incredible view we had hiking back to the parking lot. You gotta love the Colorado Rocky Mountains!
I was almost dry by the time we arrived at the car, and we opted to head back to the hotel. We could have kept driving in beautiful countryside, but we had a long day ahead of us to drive home to Phoenix the next day. We will need to do another loop when we revisit the area to see other places. For two days, I think we saw a lot.
No matter how you slice it, the drive home is at least ten hours. Ugh. Mom always takes a ton of pictures on the way out, but then she is always pictured out on the way home. We were road weary and ready to sleep in our own beds. Mowgli greeted us with some chirps and churrs, and being the great brother I am, I chased him around the house! Woof. Until next time my dear readers, stay hydrated. The heat is on!
My mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith, is kind enough to help me share my Great Adventures, big and small. My
mom is a motivational speaker, corporate trainer, executive recruiter, business consultant, coach, fitness expert, and author of nine published books. More importantly, she’s the best doggy mom ever!
Enjoy my blog at https://www.lorrainebosse-smith.com/category/kuma/kumas-great-adventures/
and be sure to follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kumathedog/ and Instagram: kumaitothedog
Get outside! You never know what you’ll discover, and our paths just might cross. Happy tails!
Ginger Stahl says
My husband Vern is a born-and-bred Coloradoan!! (Maybe there isn’t such a thing.) He knows all the places you mention, as he grew up on the western slope and has also lived in the Denver area for years. Fun to read about your adventures. I get “Only in Colorado” – a daily e-mail about new places to explore and restaurants suggested by readers. Maybe you should join!!