by Patty Endres, Garden Square at Westlake Assisted Living
We are lucky to be so near the natural beauty our state offers. When we want to go someplace beautiful, we only have to drive a couple of hours. When I think of national parks in Colorado I always think of Rocky Mountain National Park. But how many national parks does Colorado have? I’ll give you a couple of minutes.
Ok, time’s up. We have four national parks in Colorado.
We already talked about Rocky Mountain National Park, which epitomizes the natural, rugged and wild beauty of our state. Think of elk, Rocky Mountain sheep, pine trees, and high mountain passes. But the other parks have their unique beauty as well.
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison could be called Colorado’s Grand Canyon. Two million years of wind and water from the river has made some of the steepest cliffs in North America.
The Great Sand Dunes boasts the tallest dunes in North America. They are such a dichotomy of landscapes. Sand at the base of huge alpine mountains with a creek meandering around it can, at times be knee deep and up to a football field in width!
Mesa Verde gives visitors an amazing glimpse into the lives of the Pueblo Indians who lived in the area for 700 years. There are 5000 different archaeological sites and 600 cliff dwellings that are some of the best preserved in the U.S.
So, if you were thinking of going to one of these places, August is a great time to go. Within eight hours or less, you could be enjoying the uniqueness of these spectacular places. Heck, you could even go to more than one in the same trip! Our national parks were designated for our use and enjoyment, so let’s enjoy them!
Photo Credit: Claire Hamilton