Pack Trail

 Took the kids for a hike up in Rist Canyon this weekend.  On the GPS map it is called the Pack Trail but I'm not sure if that is correct or not.  We didn't really have a destination in mind...just someplace relatively close and somewhere I could find some good landscaping rocks.  We found both!  It's a good thing it was close since we went up a supposedly easy jeep trail (in my Dodge truck) and ended up turning around so we didn't get stuck out there.  That definitely added some time to our trip!

Our hike started late (11:45) so we decided to break for lunch before we even took a step.  This large rock was the perfect spot.

We saw some beautiful wildflowers.

I don't know what these flowers were going to look like but I like their bursting sack.

I liked this thistle's geometry and color.  Very cool.  I wish I could have gotten my camera to give me crisp focus on that last photo but it was not meant to be!

The bugs were amazing!  I can't believe my camera wouldn't focus on the picture above but gave me this fantastic one of the ant below.

This paper wasp next was just sitting in the middle of the trail.  Good thing we didn't step on it!

No hike would be fit for kids unless we had water to walk through, caves and rocks to climb on.

Hike: Pack Trail

Trails Used:  

Distance: 3 miles

Difficulty: Difficult
Overall average: 1.5 mph
Overall Time: 1 hr, 57 min
Total Ascent: 634 ft.

Rabbit Mountain Open Space

 

 Canada Thistle

Took the family down to Longmont today and hiked Rabbit Mountain Open Space.  We did not see any rabbits. We did see wildflowers,

Prickly pear cactus

 

 

Yucca

 
Golden Aster

 

bugs,

  

and had great views.

 

This hike is out in the open with very few trees so it's good to start early, go in the spring or fall, or go on cooler days in the summer.  There are a couple of different trails you can take of varying lengths.  We took the Eagle Wind Loop and were hoping to make it the whole way.  We could have if we didn't have prior commitments for lunch or if the kids weren't with us.  The views of the surrounding mountains are spectacular.  The Eagle Wind Loop trail has trees and  nice rocks to sit on or climb.

Hike: Rabbit Mountain Open Space

Trails Used: Eagle Wind Loop Trail

Distance: 2.92 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Overall average: 1.6 mph
Overall Time: 1 hrs, 47 min
Total Ascent: 501 ft.