The Too Late for Lupines Trail

So, back in early July...Zouey and I took a trail who's name promised bountiful lupines...  Unfortunately, I think we needed to go in June to see them!  They were all done by the second week of July.

 Idyllic Colorado!

 The one patch we found...

But the trail was still worth doing - just look at the views!  Here, we're looking down at the town of CB.

 Unknown wildflower

 Another mysterious plant...

 A cattle guard that was particularly tricky for my little Zou!  Open grating, with plenty of spaces for a paw to fall through and two or more feet of height to do it in!  Amazingly (to me, anyways!), she made it over the first time, no problem.  But on the way back, she balked (understandably!), and I ended up heaving her over it somehow.

 More beautiful blue flax, and another little beauty in the background.

 Maybe they should've named this trail after the paintbrush instead?! 

 A pretty scene a little further down the road from the trailhead.

And another one, on the way back home and just south of that town I mentioned above.

W. Gulch

Back at it, in CO, another hike - early July...

 Zou Zooms up the trail.

 Scary shadow coming towards me!

Wild roses.

 Scarier than a bear sighting.  When you're enjoying the peace, quiet, and adventure of a solo hike (with pooch, of course).

Zouey poses, with signs of civilization behind her (we're not that far out this time...).

 My girl likes to live on the edge...

 You can see the road we came in on.

 We were a bit early for the larkspur (not really in full bloom yet), but other wildflowers were coloring up the trail nicely.

 Some brilliant blue flax.

 Mules ears are going good, larkspur getting ready to go off.

 Zou in the thick of things...

 Canine color.

Purty flowers.

 Trottin' downtrail.

 Behind the blue flax.

 Zou, on another lookout.

 A beautiful swallowtail finds one of the few larkspur that has come out already.

 Mules ears and dogs ears.

 What most of the larkspur still looked like.

 The trail winds down to a dirt road, which will eventually lead us back to our car.

 Some more nice lupine.

It was a warm day, and the trail was mostly shade-free, so we were both pretty excited to see this little creek!!

Feeling good!!!

The other side of DP

 Zou and I decide to investigate a mysterious alternate route at the DPs, an off-shoot from the regular trail that I've always wondered about.  Turns out it's not really a trail.  Well it is, for a little while.  Then it's nothing.  Then it's a trail again.  Then it's nothing, and stays that way.  But when we hit the "dead end" we messed around and found a really great lookout.

 We ended up sort of on top of the "rock" formations the DPs are known for and so had a neat and unusual view of part of the BMR.  Here, Zou is on top of a little hill we explored before going to the rim-cliff where the views were to be had (which you can see behind her).

 At the cliff, looking northeast.

 Love the craggy rocks.

Will have to come back here on a stormy day.  I've seen the clouds draping this area from afar, and it's very dramatic-looking.  Definitely qualifies for further exploration!

 And to the southeast and an arm of the BMR.

 Zou appreciating the scene.

 Q:  Can you name all the flowers in this picture?  

(A:  Indian paintbrush, lupine, yarrow, groundsel?, and dog tail!)

Looked like a big ol' cattle trough. 

 One hot, tired doggie...

 AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Feeling much better after a dip in the BMR (her momma shoulda jumped in too!)

And a friend too!  Man, this place has it ALL!!!!