Monument Valley

Forest Gump. Journey's end

Last stop on our USA road trip and what a way to end this wonderful journey but at Monument Valley staying in "The View Hotel" giving us a ringside seat of this natural spectacle and an opportunity to spend a night soaking up the silence looking up at a crystal clear night sky from our balcony. This modern hotel is in the Navajo reservation area and is primarily staffed by local people. The hotel is modern and tastefully furnished with an indigenous influence in it's décor in the public areas and bedrooms. It is evident that the management and staff take pride in this hotel. The public areas are immaculate and the bedrooms are modern, clean and well equipped. The restaurant serves simple fare and some of the dishes on the menu are inspired by Navajo traditional food. Prices are very reasonable and this restaurant doesn't pretend to be anything else but one serving honest to goodness food all serviced by enthusiastic and friendly staff. 

ESTES PARK AND ROCKIES NATIONAL PARK

Estes Park

Riverwalk

This gateway hub of the Rockies National Park is a busy and very pleasant town with a variety of shops, restaurants, coffee shops, delis and a collection of interesting galleries displaying artworks by talented local artists.  The layout of this attractive village with a backdrop of the Rockies takes full advantage of the fast flowing Fall River running adjacent to the main street. The ‘Riverwalk’ meanders alongside the river, the main street shops back onto and open up onto the walk allowing you to stroll along the riverbank and take in the numerous shops and galleries.  The well located ‘Visitors centre’ on the edge of the village will give you the full lowdown on the area and the many facilities and services on offer.

ROCKIES NATIONAL PARK

Yellowstone

The Magic of Yellowstone

Yellowstone is an enchanting area of natural beauty with spectacular waterfalls, green valleys and jaw dropping mountain backdrops.  Wild animals roam free here and are afforded the protection of a dedicated band of enthusiastic and knowledgeable Rangers who can be found throughout this wilderness wonderland assisting and educating visitors. Yellowstone is popular and visitors are many but if you stop in a ‘pullout’  or picnic area and hike a small distance on one of the many trails throughout the park you can get a better sense of the peace that only nature can give you as you savour the majesty of this great place. One of the many wonders of Yellowstone is the Yellowstone Caldera also referred to as the Yellowstone Supervolcano. These sites are very popular and raised walkways have been built around many of the bubbling geysers and hot springs, one of the most famous being the Grand Prismatic Spring, coloured steaming mud flow from some of these and provide a wonderful palette of natural colours. Old Faithful geyser erupts on a regular schedule and is also a spectacle that shouldn’t be missed. The park provides many accommodation options and refreshment stops and whilst Yellowstone is well commercialised it is worth setting aside a number of days to explore the different regions of this natural wonder.

Yellowstone village western entrance

OLD FAITHFUL



GRIZZLY AND WOLF DISCOVERY CENTRE WEST YELLOWSTONE.

The Discovery centre is worth a visit to see Grizzly Bears, Wolves and some native eagles up close.
   Rangers are on hand to provide useful information and the centre has interesting displays on the native wild life of Yellowstone. The centre is evolving with new sanctuary areas now under construction.

Nederland Colorado High Country

The website operated by Nederland says:

“Nederland, Colorado is a town like no other.  Tucked in the Rocky Mountains just west of Boulder, Nederland has a history rich in mining and music and a future as the hub of the Peak to Peak Community.  With our unique shops, amazing outdoor beauty, friendly locals, and vibrant music scene, Nederland is definitely not your average small town. Whether you live here, work here, or play here, we’re sure that you’ll discover that “life’s better up here!” 

For more information on this interesting small town visit Nederland’s website http://nederlandco.org

We spent a couple of days here on our recent ‘American road trip’ and had time to soak up some of the atmosphere of this small laid back Colorado town and the surrounding area which is rich in natural beauty. Of particular interest is nearby Lake Brainard, a lovely recreation area with a pretty lake, waterfalls and trails through the surrounding forest.  Nederland itself has a number of great casual dining options, a museum and a number of interesting small shops. “The Smokehouse” is highly recommended for their menu in particular their smoked ribs. “New Moon Café and Bakery” is also worth a visit for their delicious homemade goodies. We lodged at the Ist Inn which was previously a Magnuson Hotel. Whilst the motel is in a good position in the middle of town and overlooking the river it would be advisable to check this one out before committing to a reservation here as it seems like a ‘work in progress’ and all facilities and services were not functioning in June 2016 when we stayed there. Suggest you check with other comments made on Trip Advisor and search for other options in the area.

Cascading mountain river at Brainard Lake