We are here at Rifle Gap State Park, Colorado, thru September 5th. "I" have volunteered as Campground Host and enjoying all of it. Rifle Gap is one of three nearby State Parks, Rifle Falls and Harvey Gap are the other two, all within 10 miles of each other and nestled in the mountains, with really nice lakes at the two Gaps Parks. Host duties include a five day work week (Tuesday & Wednesday off) with about 20 hours/week actual work, (which isn't real work) greeting guests as they arrive, cleaning the sites when they vacate, and about an hour bathroom duty each day. Rifle Gap is the nicest State Park we have ever stayed in. The sites are all concrete pads, with paved driveway and graveled picnic area with shaded cover. These are also full hook up sites. The entire park is immaculate.... We're enjoying the stay. You may have noticed that "I" volunteered.... Actually, both of us volunteered willingly, but June was asked if she wanted to work in the office, which she did, so they are hiring her as a Colorado State employee. She set the terms which were four mornings per week - Friday thru Monday. We take off every Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday is a very slow day, so this works well "and" we have an income to boot (notice I said "we" - actually just June but that works for me)
Our Son Daniel, Daughter-in-law Naomi, and three Grandkids, Nadine, Natalia, and Blake will be visiting us here August 5th - 10th. We're really looking forward to that visit!
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| Our Home at Rifle Gap, Colorado |
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| June "volunteering" |
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| The Host Wagon - we can use this to go anywhere in the park whenever we want. |
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| Me Volunteering |
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| Our Hummingbird Feeder just out the rear window |
Close by is Rifle Falls State Park - about 6 miles North. The Falls has about 12 campsites and hiking trails to the falls and also some nearby caves.
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| Rifle Falls |
Also nearby is the town of Glenwood Springs - lots of cool things around including the graveyard where famous Doc Holliday is buried in Linwood Cemetery.
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| Doc Holliday Grave site |
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| View from Linwood Cemetery. |
Also near Glenwood Springs in Glenwood Canyon, is the Hanging Lake Trail; A 1.2 mile one way hike up the mountain to a lake captured in the mountain cliffs - hence the name Hanging Lake. The trail was very grueling for both of us. We carried 6 bottles of water and used them all. June had to rest more than me, so she told me to go ahead which I did and it took me 2 1/2 hours to make the lake. June "almost" made it, but the final ascent is almost a vertical climb up some very high steps carved into the mountain side. It does have a handrail at this point, but those steps - maybe 50 yards up, take it all you can give. I was proud that she made it this far, because I came real close to turning around. About an hour and a half to get back down; so this 4 hour hike was enough for the week.
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| View from the parking lot before starting the hike |
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| A part of the trail near the final steps |
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| "Me" at Hanging Lake - up top |
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June near the top, but the final 50 yards is up these huge rock steps and it is just too much.
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Again, we are enjoying our time here and it's just beautiful here and the surrounding area. Come see us! ....................
