What To Shoot Outside Of Greeley, CO

OK, guys, I'll be in Greeley CO from 4/19 through 4/26 and then will start heading back to Orlando. I'd love to spend a couple of days (at least) photographing some of the mountain beauty in that area but am aware that many of the roads and passes in the Rocky Mountain National Forest and other places may still be closed. So, what do you recommend as "don't miss" locations. I'll be driving with 2 very large male Rotties, a very small female Rottie, a wife who will be exhausted and I myself will be pretty tired from a week of shooting the Rottie National.

I'd love for the Rotties to experience snow (such fun!) and I'd love to find some great photo ops before we start the long trek back. I'm willing to invest at least 2 days in an area close to Greeley. We'll need places to stay that allow large dogs but these guys are remarkably well-behaved. The puppy might be noisy. Can't tell yet. But Sundance and Max will be really good kids and always crated in the rooms and always walked separately. So if you have recommendations for places to stay, that would be very much appreciated.

Jim

I tried this a few weeks ago and must have missed the guys who patrol the North Central Colorado area regularly so I thought I'd re-post. Linda and I leave for Greeley, CO on Thursday where I'll spend a week shooting the American Rottweiler Club's National Specialty. We expect to have a few days on the backend of the trip to explore some of the area and take a few photo expeditions. I'd love to have some recommendations for places not to miss. I realize that in mid-late-April, most of the mountain passes won't be open but there should be some lovely places where we can photograph the mountains without having to drive over them.

We'll be traveling with two male Rotties -- Sundance and Max -- so if we stop somewhere, it will have to be pet-friendly. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jim

Jim, if no one from Colorado answers there is plenty to see in Kansas :-)

The Worlds Large Ball of Twine: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/8543

The Black Squirrels of Maryville, KS

Truckhenge in Topeka, KS

Prairie Dog Town in Oakley, KS (also home of the six legged cow)

Leave it to a cat guy to get all excited about the world's largest ball of twine ! Uh, thanks Preston. Those are, uh, truly unique tourist destinations and I'll be sure to put them on our list .

While Kansas does have those cow-speckled plains and ember waves of grain, I was looking more for purple mountain majesty for this trip. Thanks anyway.

Jim

Hi Jim:

Saw your earlier post, but didn't respond because my favorite spots in Colorado are quite a drive from Greeley. But, since you haven't had any better suggestions:

1. Dinosaur N.M. - It straddles the border between Utah and Colorado and is about 350 miles west of Greeley along US Highway 40. The Green River flows through the NM and there is a paved road that leads up to the plateau from which you can see forever. Also lots of gnarled old pines that I plan to go back later this year to photograph.





OR:

2. Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP - About the same distance SW along US Hwy 50.

Crappy pictures, but the only ones I have readily available:





Excellent camping at both locations, but hotel/motel accommodations are probably closer and more plentiful in Gunnison.

Jim

Jim,
the Dinosaur NM is a place that I had on the list. While it's not exactly close to Greeley, it's not all that far either. Nice day trip if you're heading somewhere else afterwards.

Long ago -- in 1983 to be exact -- I drove through the Gunnison area on my 1981 Suzuki GS1000G on my way from Denver to Durango for a stop before I continued my trip from Connecticut to the Grand Canyon. It was magnificent and while I had my camera, it's so hard to stop every 10 minutes on a motorcycle just to take pictures. I'd love to get back there. The area is just so scenic.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll definitely put Gunnison on the agenda. Linda wants to see magnificent mountain ranges and crystal-clear lakes. The dogs want to see Aspen trees to pee on. I think we'll find everything we want in that area .

Jim

I think I could spend days just on Hwy 50 between Canyon City and Gunnison without even going into the Parks. Streams, mountains, trout, big horned sheep.

Jim,

Greeley is in the plains, so not a lot around there, but there are lots of places west of there. My first thought is to head up to Estes Park. I do not know what the weather is like now and the road, but that is a great area and is of course at the entrance to Rocky Mtn National Park. Whether you can get into the park or not due to snow, you are sure to see lots of wildlife.

Another area that is not as high in elevation so maybe a little more accessible is to take a drive up Poudre Canyon, just up from Fort Collins. Lots of hiking and photographing opportunities. I know there are places to rent cabins in the canyon - but cannot recommend anything specific.

Those are two places I am pretty familiar with - lots more places if you want to drive a bit farther west.


Also - for something closer and a bit off the beaten track - look up Pawnee Buttes, just east and a bit north I think from Greeley. No mountains but an interesting set of buttes in the prairie. At times the wildflowers and grasslands are quite nice there, but I expect it is too early now for that.

Hope that helps somewhat.

Dave

I am not familiar with Greeley proper but lived in Boulder for 15 years and spent quite a bit of time in Estes Park where a good friend lived, and RMNP. I used to go into Estes all year round and I think only the very highest passes may still have a lot of snow unless they get a big storm this week. And I suspect you could still drive all the way across the park over to Lake Granby on the other side. Another spot I always heard about but never got to was Red Feather Lakes which would be close, I think Poudre Canyon might be on that route?

Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of my favorite places, spectacular but definitely would be a drive.

Diana

Hi Dave,
you actually confirmed some of my plans. I decided to drive in via the Pawnee Grasslands area to see what it's all about. We should have a little bit of time to explore it before the show and I can make it "on the way" with some creative route planning. The buttes and prairie look fascinating from a photographic standpoint. Linda's reaction: "oh great, grass." I'll work on her.

The areas west of Greeley look pretty inviting including the Estes Park area and the entrance to the Rocky Mountain National Park. The issue of which roads are open this time of year is something we'll have to deal with when we get there but it's so close, we'll have to explore.

Linda is a bit of an archeological nut so she'd love to get down to the southwest part of the state for the Anastazi dwellings. Not sure if we'll have the time to do that but it would be a nice trip across the state and over some mountains.

I'll let everyone know once we get back. I think we'll play it a bit by ear based on how we feel and how tired everyone will be. The Rottie boys are both showing and both entered in Carting so I don't want to exhaust them. And Linda and I are not kids any more so I don't want to exhaust us, either . I'll have a full week of processing once I get home.

Thanks for the recommendations.

Jim

Thanks Diana. The RMNP area is a given but we'll have to see about road access. I'd love to visit the Black Canyon. We'll see. Can't do everything but definitely want to do as much as reasonable.

I'll be so tired of shooting dogs by the time the week is over that having some landscapes, wildflowers and wildlife opportunities will be an absolute joy. Hope the boys don't decide to chase bunnies! Which will be the other issue in terms of finding places to stay. Not many of the tourist hotels/cabins are pet-friendly for two 135-lb Rotties.

Photos to come. Thanks for all the advice.

Jim

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I'll let everyone know once we get back. I think we'll play it a bit by ear based on how we feel and how tired everyone will be. The Rottie boys are both showing and both entered in Carting so I don't want to exhaust them. And Linda and I are not kids any more so I don't want to exhaust us, either

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I hear that! I took my long lens, which I usually don't do, on a trip up to a cat show the end of March up in wine country SE of Sacramento. Was really hoping to take a bit of time on the way up or back to shoot some poppies, flowers, scenery, etc. It didn't happen, just too much "shoot for work" and driving.

The weather may help you pick. If it is warm and comfortable up in the RMNP, I'd suggest the trip through the park and maybe stay over at the Inn at Lake Granby, but if the weather is not comfortable, the SW part of the state might be a better bet. Have fun, will look forward to photos!

Diana