More Hikes

We took two more interesting hikes while staying at Bear Creek Lake Park and one awe-inspiring stroll.  The Dakota Ridge Trail begins near I 70 and quickly climbs to the top of the ridge.

It then follows the along the top of the ridge for two miles,

With plenty of views in each direction.

Including an aerial view of Red Rocks Park.

According to Wikipedia, the Dakota Hogback extends all the way through Colorado from the Wyoming border to New Mexico.  It was formed about 50 million years ago when the modern Rocky Mountains were created.

But we hadn't gotten enough of those gorgeous red sandstone formations, so one day we took Ron's grandson Adam to Roxborough State Park to hike the Fountain Valley Trail.  That's Adam waiting patiently for us to begin.

We did the loop clockwise which took us along the valley floor,

With some close encounters of the formations.

Then we had a climb to the other half of the loop and the spectacular overlook.

(We probably should have done that in reverse.)

Then later that day, we went to Dinosaur Ridge with Ron's daughter Kelli and grandson Harper.  Was he excited!

Dinosaur Ridge, before it was pushed up to a 45 degree angle by the Rockies, was part of a great inland sea.  Ripple marks are common in the sandstone.

As well as trace fossils.

But Harper was interested in one thing only - dinosaur tracks!  The tracks were first exposed during road excavation in 1937 and are from the Jurassic Period about 150 million years ago.  Obviously the scientists have darkened the prints so the average person can see them, but the impressions can clearly be seen once you know where to look.  I was just as fascinated as Harper.