Rails to Trails- Ridgway, CO

We started our day on the extensive trail system at Ridgway State Park on the Cookie Tree trail which joined up with the Marmot Run trail.  Caleb and I chose to walk our bikes down most of the Cookie Tree trail, looking for the elusive tree that bears cookies!  Or maybe because we were next to a steep drop-off and didn’t want to bite the dust!  But once we joined the Marmot Run trail we were on a leisurely, paved sidewalk that ran alongside Dallas Creek and the Uncompahgre River.  This was a “Rails to Trails” route.  The trail goes all the way to the town of Ridgway, but we turned back before we got that far.  We’re still acclimating to the elevation.  On the return trip, Caleb and I paused to play at the Dallas Creek playground while Chris rode UP the Cookie Tree to the truck.  Then the nice taxi service picked us up! 

Later in the day we took a drive up to Ouray.  The scenery is amazing!  But the town seems like a mix between Jerome and Sedona, near our hometown.  Since we’re more into nature than shopping, we didn’t stay long.  After fueling up in Ridgway, we meandered over to the Railroad Museum.  The Galloping Goose is on loan from the Telluride Volunteer Fire Department for restoration to it’s original condition.

Then it was back to the State Park where Caleb braved the chilled waters of the reservoir and convinced Chris to also!  I took the position of photographer on the sandy shore.   More hikes, bike rides, s’mores and campfires… life is good!