EXPLORING CLOSE TO HOME

It was another cloudy and overcast day so we decided to stay close to the campground to hike. We have passed the entrance to the Columbine Open Space many times on our trips to Castle Rock and wondered what was down the road with a single lane bridge. 

Open space is crucial for the survival of all wild animals in the populated areas of Colorado. Herds need plenty of room to feed and migrate safely. Douglas County, where we reside in the campground, does a great job with designating ample open space. The local communities often build hiking trails through open space for the enjoyment of outdoor enthusiasts, whether they be hikers, mountain bikers, bird watchers, or just plain folks who like being out among mother nature.

The Columbine Open Space, located only a few miles from the campground, is the combination of two separate historic properties. One of these properties was owned by the Maytag family, which has links to the founders of the Maytag washer company.  In June 1999, Douglas County dedicated Columbine Open Space and Columbine Trial in remembrance of the tragedy at Columbine High School. 

This old rustic red barn gave clues to what life may have been like over 100 years ago. Was this part of a cattle ranch or some other type of farming?

This one-room stone house also gave us clues about the life of the early settlers. There was one room and a small area in one corner that went down about 5 or 6 steps into a cavity in the dirt floor. Could this have been where they kept their perishable food? We also noticed that both buildings had metal roofs.

We did find evidence of wildlife along the two 1.5 mile loop trails we traveled. There were footprints of deer and elk in the hardened mud along the trail as well as scat from both animals. We kept a watchful eye for wildlife but were amazed at the beautiful flowers we saw. First, this white Prickly Poppy.

These Salsify flowers were a vibrant yellow while in full bloom.

What was unique about the Salsify flowers was that they always were bent towards the sun and followed the sun as it rose higher in the sky..

These white flowers for the yucca plant open only at night for the small white yucca moth to feed and lay eggs inside the plant.

There were flower buds on the Prickley Pear cactus as well.

Rain was forecast for mid-day. Looking to the west, we could see the clouds forming. No blue sky visible in this photo.

Looking to the east, we could see blue sky with few clouds.

This view through the pine trees towards the creek and pond to spot wildlife was to no avail.

But, we did spot this small green frog thanks to its croaking. You need to look closely to see the frog. This was the ONLY wildlife we saw on this hike.

Our solitude was interrupted by this train heading north to be reloaded. Every day we see loaded trains heading south past our campground with coal and other cargoes. The coal comes from Gillette, Wyoming. 

We did take a drive up past the campground to explore the west side of I-25, looking for several trails that have been suggested to us to explore. We came across this small herd of bison. We don't think this is a wild herd, since they are on fenced in property that belongs to the large home in the back left of the photo below.

This photo of a bison and a tractor gives you an idea of just how large these bison grow.

Our hike was a good way to wind-up our two days off before we go back to work. We will definitely explore the trails in this area in the weeks to come.