Ever since we started hiking segments of the Colorado Trail last year, I’ve had my eye on the Collegiate Loop, a 160.2-mile loop that encircles the vast Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains in Central Colorado.
This year we’re fortunate to be back in the Colorado Mountains and we’re eager to do some more segments of the beautiful, but grueling, Colorado Trail.
Even with fires raging in Carson National Forest, the nearby Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, and its trails and campgrounds, was open. Lucky us.
Sugarite Canyon State Park was a convenient stopover with water and hot showers to boot, a real treat for us.
At Black Mesa, we stumbled upon a major lesson in geology, plate tectonics, and volcanism! Next stop: Capulin Volcano National Monument to learn more.
On our way west to New Mexico, we decided to spend a few days at the Optima National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) last week. It’s located smack-dabbed in the Oklahoma Panhandle along Highway 412.
With the promise of scenic bluffs, ridgelines and cascading creeks through the highlands of the Ozark wilderness, the Buffalo River Trail lured us to its banks in late April for a hopefully spectacular hiking experience.
A sign at the Pruitt end of the Buffalo River Trail proudly informs, “Along the way, look for some of the more than 800 species of flowering plants that bloom between February and October.”
Rusty and I were on our way to Alabama, when I suddenly remembered the park. “Will you take me to the trees?” I asked Rusty, and of course he agreed.
The 61-mile Ocean to Lake Trail is a noteworthy and fascinating trek through “Real Florida.” We hiked it in 2019, but this year Rusty invited his friend Tom to join him.
We are Girl Hobo and Rusty (Ren and Troy), two greys who met on the Appalachian Trail. We started a life together, converted a van to travel and hike across the country, and we like to eat well. Now, we’re sharing what we’re learning on the road, and we’d love you to join us!