This is our second visit to Mueller State Park, during this trip we stayed in the Grouse Mountain loop. The first couple of days all the sites where taken by campers. By Sunday morning the entire campground was nearly empty.
At the end of the campground is Grouse Mountain Overlook. It is a quick hike, with beautiful scenery. Once again, remember, this is not a park that you can hike with your dogs. Daisy was limited to roads and 100 yards from any paved area. Which is just enough for her to practice hunting for her antler and fetching sticks 🙂
We hiked to the Lone Eagle Overlook (#7/#10). If you stop at trail junction #10/#25, and listen carefully, you might hear a chorus of frogs from Geer Pond which lays below the trails. On the way back to the trail head, we stopped at the other over looks (trail #9 and #8). Our favorite was Red Tail Overlook (#9). The large rocks are so beautiful.
Daisy was one-on-one with her first deer while at the campsite. She did very well, and just watched them as they passed by. We wish we would have been able to snap a picture of the moment. She is such a sweet dog. I was sick most of the trip, so we didn’t get to take Daisy on her usual out of the park hikes. Luckily Natasha found a nearby creek, out side of the park, for her to play in and hike around.
Out of the ordinary birds that we saw during this trip: Lewis’s Woodpecker (a first for me!), Yellow-rumped Warbler, and we watched a Turkey Vulture soaring below us as we stood on one of the overlooks.
All along the trails there were tiny plants flowering—most no more than an inch high. The aspens were in the caterpillar stage, no buds just yet. The tiny Hedgehog Cactus were in bloom, too.
Incase you need to run to a store, while at Mueller SP, try Divide Venture Foods, which is in the heart of Divide. They cary a wide variety of groceries.
More Information:
When: Spring 2014
Elevation: 9,600′
Reservation: Mueller State Park, CO
Misc: level, dump station, water
Love your newsletter and pictures. And I love your dog. We have a Golden Retriever named Vesta, the sweetest thing on this earth, I just love her.
Anyway, we have an Airstream trailer, purchased last year. Starting in June, I’m going to have some time off work (surgery) and I’m going to start updating my website with all our camping pictures.
Looks like you have so much fun. We live in Pacific Northwest (Seattle), drop us a line if you’re ever up this way.
Thanks, Yolanda! I’m having fun sharing our adventures, it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for awhile. Goldens are the best, aren’t they? 🙂 We couldn’t imagine our lives without a sweet retriever by our sides.
Sara
we really enjoy your adventures. so great to read and pictures to boot. this is helping us to plan our colorado trips. we will be up in lake city in july for the cool of 10k with our bambi and springer. camp on.
Michele, thanks for checking our blog, and leaving such a nice comment. Lake City looks beautiful! I think we will have to add it to our list of adventure destinations 🙂 During July you may hit the wildflower season.
Please come back to the blog and let us know how your trip went.
Sara
Just found you today via FB. LOVE your blog and adventures. I take my kids tent camping as often as possible (even in winter) and love seeing your reviews. Thanks for pointing out good tent camping spots/campgrounds, too. Someday I will have an Airstream with solar panels too but for now, I do love my tent…well, except I did freeze my butt off this past November worrying about keeping the young, kicking all night kids covered up. Love your dog too, getting another one soon! Right now, we have a 1200lb. dog…Viva la Diva, my daughter’s horse but she hasn’t gone camping, yet. 🙂
Namaste!
Thanks for the comments Staci! I’m glad you like the reviews. Since we tent camped the first 20 years of living in Colorado, I still keep my eye open for good tent spots to share with friends. The reason we switched to a camper was due to the cold! Are turning point was a early fall trip North of Rocky Mountain National Park. Goodness it was cold!
Thanks for enjoy the posts 🙂
Sara