Colorado Bend State Park consists of 5,328.3-acres of land. It is located west of Lampasas in San Saba county. The park has 32 miles of trails that are perfect for casual hiking and biking.
The park is also home to Gorman Falls, a 60-foot-high waterfall that cascades down travertine formations covered in lush vegetation. 

 The falls' travertine formations and associated lush vegetation are very scenic. The formations and habitat are extremely fragile, therefore there is no swimming, wading, climbing or fishing allowed in the falls area.  For swimming, there is a spring fed swimming hole located on the opposite end of the park, as well as the river that runs through the park.

 In addition to the falls, there are numerous caves throughout the park. Tours of these caves are available at the ranger station. 
When I visited, I went on the shortest cave tour, which lasted about 30 minutes and was not physically demanding. There are more strenuous tours available which require repelling down the side of a cliff in order to reach the cave.
Today I would like to share a brief overview of my road trip across New Mexico and into Colorado. We camped along the way, which helped keep the cost of the trip extremely low.

Day 1:
Quick stop at the Heritage Walkway in Artesia, NM

Camping and hiking in Lincoln National Forest


Day 2:
White Sands National Monument.
We camped overnight  and it was an amazing experience.


Day 3:
The National Solar Observatory
White Sands National Monument

Day 4:
Ojo Caliente Hot Springs
Camping in Carson National Forest

Day 5:
Camping in San Isabel National Forest

Day 6:
Fossil Beds
Camping in Pike's National Forest



Day 7:
Brunch at the Broadmoore
Garden of the Gods
Manitou Springs



Last year, my roommate and I drove over an incredibly beautiful mountain pass. We were departing from Monarch, CO to drive to Aspen, CO. The road was very popular among bicyclists.

As we followed the GPS, we had no idea we would be going over this magnificent pass. And it just so happened to be Independence Day. How much of a perfect coincidence was that?!

At the top of the pass is a parking lot and hiking trails.
The trail meanders through alpine tundra speckled with wildflowers. Please stay on the trail, as Alpine plants are fragile and grow slowly. Trampling them can cause damage that takes years to recover.