Joan and I planned to backpack in the San Juans over the holiday. However, we decided to avoid the crowds and go to something less well-known.
The place? Boulder Mountain. It is located just outside Capitol Reef National Park and is a high, forested plateau at just over 11k feet.
With expansive views, meadows, and lightly used trails (or “trails” that exist on paper only), it proved a perfect place for some backpacking mixed in with some quiet camping.
“The trail” where we went from old cairn to old cairn, blaze, or log cut. From Joan.
The loop and camping took in impressive views of the Henry Mountains from an aspect not customarily encountered.
From a geological viewpoint, the volcanic rock and cliffs made for some hiking commonly not found on the Colorado Plateau.
The plateau is mainly forested, with many small lakes and streams dot the landscape.
If Boulder Mountain did not have the grandeur of the San Juans, the solitude, the quiet, and the views of nearby Capitol Reef made it a worthy place to spend a few days.
After our trip and another night of relaxing camping, we went down the mountain to Capitol Reef and the historical Gifford Homestead to pick up some pies for later that evening and some ice cream and pie for a late-morning snack.
Joan’s uncle and cousin came by later that day to stay with us, enjoy dinner, and take a sunset stroll in Arches National Park.
Both sides of Joan’s family inherited the height associated with northern European ancestry. On the other hand, I have a different gene pool!
The light show at “The Windows” never disappoints.
If you have the time to go to just one place at Arches, it is the place I suggest.
After sunset, we all returned to our house, enjoyed some of the pie we had bought earlier in the day, and talked into the evening.
An excellent holiday well spent.