Aspen Colorado, once an old mining town in the 1800s, is now known as one of Colorado’s best ski destinations.  Aspen was also home to the musician and composer John Denver who died in 1997 in a plane crash off the coast of California.  He recorded over 300 songs in his lifetime.  In the back streets of Aspen along the Rio Grande Trail and the Roaring Fork River is a small sanctuary in honor of John Denver.  This is a place that is not to be missed if you are a John Denver fan.  It is a very peaceful place with large boulders that are in-scripted with the lyrics of some of his songs.  One of the most famous, Rocky Mountains High, was adopted as the Colorado state song in 2007.  The song best represents Colorado with its beautiful mountains, aspen trees, high mountain lakes and streams. The Aspen area is one of my favorite areas in Colorado to photograph.  So don’t forget to visit the John Denver Sanctuary in beautiful Aspen Colorado.

Click on the photo below to view a slideshow of the

John Denver Sanctuary

Video

John Denver’s Rocky Mount High

The Denver Botanic Garden is having its annual orchid exhibit from January 12, 2012 through February 20, 2012.  The event has more than 200 flooring orchids on display.  The garden is open from 9 AM to 5 PM.  The exhibit is put on by the Denver orchid Society. Below is a video of our recent trip to the Denver Botanic Garden. This was a great photographic opportunity to photograph these beautiful exotic flowers.

Music by Jimmy Gelhaar. All music made available through the www.jimmygelhaar.com website at:
www.jimmygelhaar.com — Film Composer and Music Downloads

Books on Orchids

Understanding Orchids: An Uncomplicated Guide to Growing the World’s Most Exotic Plants [Hardcover]

Four Seasons of Orchids (Gardening) [Paperback]

Orchids For Dummies [Paperback]

Last spring we made a trip down to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. We decided to take a different route home than we normally take so from the Sand Dunes we headed north on Highway 285 in the San Luis Valley towards Poncha Springs, Colorado. On the way we discovered there was a turnoff (CO Rd L156) close to the small town of Villa Grove which took us to the old ghost town of Bonanza, Colorado with a current population of 14.  The town was originally settled by Lieutenant Kerber sometime after the Civil War.  The town, at that time, was called Kerber City after the  Lieutenant along with the Creek, which still bears his name, Kerber Creek.  Sometime around 1880 silver was found upstream from Kerber City.  After the silver was found, the town took on the name Bonanza because the miners all thought they were going to get rich, which didn’t happen.  At one time Bonanza had more than 500 residents. There are still many old buildings standing in and around the almost forgotten community. Autumn would be a great time to visit and photograph Bonanza as there are many aspen trees in the area. Below is a slideshow of some of the old buildings still standing around the ghost town of Bonanza.

Click on the photo below to view the old buildings around Bonanza, Colorado

Need Lodging Visit

Books on Ghost Towns of Colorado

Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps [Paperback]

Guide To the Colorado Ghost Towns and Mining Camps [Paperback]

Treasure Tales Of Rockies [Paperback]

On our last trip to Moab, Utah we decided to take a side trip through Colorado National Monument which is just outside of Grand Junction.  We’ve driven by Grand Junction many times and stopped for dinner or lunch just off the freeway as we passed on by, but never really stopped to see Grand Junction before. Passing through the busy little community made me realize that Grand Junction is a beautiful small city on the western edge of the Colorado Rockies. A short distance from downtown Grand Junction is Colorado National Monument.  I’ve been traveling and photographing Colorado for many years now, but have never visited this destination in the National Park system.  Entering the park and driving up the switchbacks to the top of the rim we fell in love with its beauty and splendor along the Rim Rock Drive as the sun began to set. Taking it slow as we drove into the sun, the road meanders along the edge of the rim with drop-offs of up to 500 feet and few guard rails. Stopping at many of the turnouts along the way gave us a chance to photograph one of Colorado’s hidden gems. The sandstone cliffs and huge monolithic spires rising up from the canyon floor is reminiscent of Monument Valley in Arizona but instead driving on the tops edges of the sandstone cliffs. Colorado National Monument was established 100 years ago in 1911 with the help of John Ottos outdoorsman and promoter of this Colorado natural wonder. We only spent an overnight visit at Saddlehorn campground, but then vowed we would return and explore more of this amazing natural wonder of Colorado’s endless beauty.  So, if you’re in the Grand Junction area don’t forget to visit Colorado National Monument.

Click on the photo below to view the slideshow of Colorado National Monument.

Books on Colorado National Monument

Colorado’s National Parks & Monuments [Hardcover]

Rim of Time: the Canyons of Colorado National Monument [Paperback]

A Guide to the Rimrock Drive-Colorado National Monument [Paperback]

]]> http://dougniedermillerphotography.com/2011/12/11/colorado-national-monument/feed/ 2 http://dougniedermillerphotography.com/2011/07/29/alpine-tunnel-pitkin-colorado/ http://dougniedermillerphotography.com/2011/07/29/alpine-tunnel-pitkin-colorado/#comments Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:01:06 +0000 Doug Niedermiller http://dougniedermillerphotography.com/?p=4142

The Alpine tunnel was a part of the narrow gauge rail system between Denver and Gunnison Colorado. Construction on the tunnel began in 1880 and started service in 1882. The tunnel was then abandoned in 1910 due to tunnel cave-ins. This was the first tunnel to be constructed through the Continental Divide. The tunnel sits at an elevation of 11,523 feet and has a length of 772 feet. At one time this was the highest tunnel n the world.

Click on the photo to view slide show

You can get to the Alpine Tunnel from the small town of Pitkin Colorado. The trip from Pitkin is about 10 miles. The road to the tunnel is in good condition, but a little rocky and rough in places. It can be driven by most 2 wheel drive vehicles, but I do recommend an SUV or pickup. From the Pitkin General Store and Gas Station head East on Forest Service road 765. A couple of miles down the road you’ll make a right on Forest Service road 968 (You’ll see the sign Alpine Tunnel). From here you’re actually driving on the old railroad track bed that leads to the tunnel. On the first three quarters of the trip along the way you’ll see a water tower and a little further down the road you’ll see a small section of the narrow gauge railroad. If you are afraid of heights or don’t want to drive on the cliffs road this might be a good place to turn around. However, the last 3 miles are the most spectacular with magnificent vistas and sheer drop-offs along the road. Along the way you come to the Palisades — a man-made retaining wall holding up the road that is still there from the 1880s. The wall is about 30 feet high and about 425 feet long. Continue on to the end of the road and take a short walk to the Alpine tunnel station. At the restored station there is also a small section of track that has been reinstalled. Take short hike past the station and you will reach the entrance of the tunnel. Unfortunately, the tunnel has been sealed off for safety reasons, but it is still well worth the trip.

I am always amazed traveling the back roads of Colorado finding new, amazing photographic opportunities in small towns and new discoveries like the Alpine Tunnel. So get out there and visit the Alpine Tunnel. You won’t be disappointed.

Books and Map List

4WD Adventures: Colorado [Paperback]

The Colorado Guide (5th Edition) [Paperback]

 Gunnison National Forest Recreation Guide (National Forest Series) [Paperback]

Gunnison Basin Public Lands (America’s Great Outdoors) [Folded Map]

This spring we made a trip to Rifle Falls State Park. We traveled from Colorado Springs to Buena Vista, up over Independence pass into the beautiful town of Aspen. From there, up to Glenwood Springs and then west on Interstate 70 to Rifle Colorado. With over 200% snow pack from last winter, the Colorado waterfalls put on a great show this year and Rifle Falls was no exception.  Rifle Falls are one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Colorado and one of the easiest to get to.  East Rifle Creek splits into three different sections that flow into three separate falls that thunder over the limestone cliffs. Along with the falls there are several small caves to the side of the falls. The small state park campground is just a short walk from the falls. A small day pass fee is required to visit the park and waterfalls. Other activities the area are hiking, biking, fishing, hunting and one of my son’s favorite activities -  rock climbing! So if you’re traveling along I 70 and come across Rifle, it’s definitely worth a stop to see these falls.  Below is a slide show, video and a map to get there.

Books & Maps

Colorado Road & Recreation Atlas

Colorado’s Best, Second Edition: The Essential Guide to Favorite Places

Colorado Guide, 5th Edition Updated: The Best-Selling Guide to the Centennial State

Click the photo below to view the slide show

The great Sand Dunes are not to be missed.  Contrast of the sand with the snow-capped mountains in the background and the creek that flows in front of the sand dunes make for the perfect photograph. You can climb the sand dunes with the highest dunes being about 700 feet above the valley floor. Spring and fall are the best times to visit this area. Summer temperatures can reach 100° or more. The Great Sand Dunes National Park is located about 40 miles from Alamosa Colorado. In the San luis valley up agenst the Sangre de Cristo mountan range. Other attraction in the area are the Monte Vista National Wildlife refuge, the Rio Grande River, the 14345 foot Blanca Peak to name a few and not to fare from the sand dunes is the Colorado Alligator Farm, Yes I did say Alligators. This is a strange place, but worth the visit. There are some 400 Alligators at the farm along with snakes, turtles and a collection of other reptiles. (See the video below) This is home to Morris the movie star alligator.  The gators sit in geothermal ponds the keep them worm all year-long. You can even wrestle one of these bad boys if your dare. So when you’re in Colorado Don’t forget to visit Alamosa and the San luis valley.

Click on the photo to view the slide show

Books & Maps

The Essential Guide to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (Jewels of the Rockies) [Paperback]

Great Sand Dunes National Park: Between Light And Shadow [Paperback]

Sangre De Cristo Mountains, Great Sand Dunes National Park Map

Colorado Guide, 5th Edition Updated: The Best-Selling Guide to the Centennial State [Bargain Price] [Paperback] This is my favorite Colorado Guide!!

Play the Video below to learn more about the Colorado Alligator Farm

http://www.gatorfarm.com/

http://www.figure8films.tv

Colorado has some of the most beautiful places to photograph in the United States. I’ve lived in Colorado for the past 16 years and have traveled all over the state photographing its beauty. I figure it would be nice to share some of my favorite locations with you. There’s so many beautiful locations in the state to photograph I cannot list all of him but here are just a few that you may enjoy. If you have a favorite place to photograph in the state Colorado please leave a comment and share it with all.

Garden of the Gods

Since I live in Colorado Springs I will have to pick my favorite local spots. Colorado Springs has many great spots to photograph like Pikes Peak, Queens Canyon and Dorothy falls, Seven falls, Cheyenne Canyon, Helen Hunt Falls, United States Air Force Academy, Pike national Forest and of course my favorite Garden of the Gods. This park celebrated its 100th year as a city park on October 17, 2009. Most people visiting the Garden only see a small portion of the park like kissing camels, balanced rock and the Siamese twins. Living only a few miles from the park I like to get up early in the morning and pick a spot. And just roam around the area and photograph a small part of the park. In my post on this website about Garden of the Gods you can get an idea of what to see in the parts of the park that are seldom visited.

Aspen Colorado and the Maroon Bells

Aspen is best known for its skiing in the winter time. With ski areas like Aspen Mountain, buttermilk, Aspen Highlands and Snowmass. But in the summertime is when Aspen really blooms. Around the back streets of Aspen you’ll find beautiful Victorian homes with incredible gardens and manicured lawns. The areas around Aspen are a photographer’s paradise. We try to make it up to this area at least once a year. Our favorite place to stay is the Crestwood condominiums in the Snowmass Village. Taking the road up maroon Creek you will find the maroon bells. The maroon bells are one of the state’s most photographed areas. Maroon Lake with the mountains in the background makes this for one of the best spots. The Aspen area has many great location for other great photographic opportunities like the old ghost town of Ashcroft, the ghost town of independence and the grotto ice caves and waterfalls along the roaring Fork Creek about 8 miles up Independence Pass.

Crested Butte Colorado

Crested Butte is a small ski town in the wintertime but in the summer time it becomes the wildflower capital of Colorado. There’s so many activities like fishing, hiking, mountain biking, River rafting, art music festivals, Fourth of July fireworks show and of course great locations for photography. Just a few of the area like the beautiful vistas of Lake Irwin, Kebler pass with one of the largest Aspen groves in the state and incredible wildflowers, Slate River Rd with more wildflowers, Washington Gulch Road and did I say more wildflowers, the road to Gothic and the town of Gothic. We like to camp with the group of friends each Fourth of July weekend at the Lake Irwin campground. The campground usually opens around the Fourth of July after all the snowmelts. The campground is located a little over 10,000 feet above sea level. A couple years ago we wanted to camp but the campgrounds closed because of too much snow. There’s a small pond at the North East corner of the campground that is one of my favorite photographic locations in the area.

Westcliffe Colorado

This is the old West at its best. This is a small Ranching and farming community with the Sangre de Cristo mountains in the background. For a short period of Time in the spring Westcliffe has an incredible wildflower show just North and West of downtown Westcliffe. On the outskirts of town there are many small and large ranches with fields of wild Iris. You can drive down any of the country roads outside of Westcliffe and find many opportunities to photograph old barns and farmhouses with many wild Iris and wildflowers with the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the background.

Rocky Mount national Park

This is one of my favorite places in Colorado. Since Rocky Mount is such a popular national Park we try to avoid it in the summertime however in the spring and the fall in the winter the park is almost empty. In the fall in late September the Aspen trees are golden in the elk with their huge racks are fencing even around downtown Estes Park. The photographic opportunities are endless. In the wintertime the mountains are full of snow and the lakes are frozen. The views of the snow-covered Bear Lake with the mountains in the background are incredible. This is a great place to bring your snowshoes and cross-country skis. In the spring time amounts are still full of snow and the rivers are starting to flow. The elk graze by the hundreds in Moraine Park.

Lake City Colorado

This is one of Colorado’s hidden treasures. Lake City is a small town about 50 miles south of blue Mesa reservoir and US Highway 50. Take Colorado Highway 149 South’s to Lake City. Highway 149 is part of the silver thread scenic byway. Lake City has many activities including four-wheeling, mountain biking fishing, hiking, camping and snowmobiling in the winter. There are numerous old mining towns up in the mountains along the four-wheel-drive trail called the Alpine Loop. It is a 49 miles round-trip and takes most of the day to complete. The trip requires a four-wheel-drive with high clearance to go the whole way around the loop, but you can go most of the way in either direction of the loop with a standard four-wheel-drive SUV. If you don’t have a four-wheel-drive you can rent a jeep in town that will easily make the trip. Along the trail there are several ruins of old mining towns, a waterfall, beautiful mountain scenery and wildflowers. All magnificent locations to photograph the beautiful back country of Colorado.

Creed Colorado

On the way south on Colorado Highway 149 from Lake City about halfway to Creeds you’ll find the incredible North Clear Creek falls, this is a great place to photograph. A little further down the road is an overlook of the head waters of the Rio Grande River. The town of Creeds is an old mining town with great old buildings to photograph. At the end of town there is an underground fire station and just passes that the Mining Museum. At the end of town there is a dirt road(bachelor historic loop four-wheel-drive road) that takes you up into the mountain’s that pass many old minds mining shacks and buildings. On the loop you come across the last chance mine. Stop in and see Jack Morris the owner of the mine. It is usually open on weekends in the summer and fall. The views from his porch are incredible. Jack will tell you stories of the old mine and the history of the area. He will also tell you an interesting story on how he acquired the mine. He also has a small outdoor rock shop with many small and large rock samples from the mine and other places for sale. You can also reserve one of the old mining shacks for an evening stay.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

The great Sand dunes are not to be missed. Contrast of the sanding was the snowcapped mountains in the background and the creek that flows in front of the sand dunes make for the perfect photograph. You can climb the sand dunes with the highest dunes being about 700 feet above the valley floor. Spring and fall are the best times to visit this area. Summer temperatures can reach 100° or more.

Hanging Lake

Just 10 miles east of Glenwood Springs on interstate 70 is the trail head to hanging Lake. The trail is a steep and strenuous 1.2 mile trek up the mountain to hanging Lake. The small lake with cascading waterfalls and crystal clear Caribbean aqua marine waters with large trout. When you finally get to the lake you will think you’re in another world. Because of the high contrast of the Bright water and dark waterfalls, be sure to bring your tripod as this is the perfect location for an HDR (high dynamic range photography) shot.

Marble Colorado

The town is the location of an old abandoned marble quarry and mill. Marble from this quarry were used to make the Lincoln Memorial , Washington Memorial and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Marble from this quarry is almost pure white. You can walk through the old marble mill. This place affords an incredible photographic opportunity. In recent years the quarry operation has started up again in a small-scale compared to what it was in the past. Mostly for artist and stone carvers. The small community has several artist and galleries. Crystal mill is also located in this area is about two and three-quarter miles past marble up a four-wheel-drive road. The road requires high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle. To get to Marble you head South on Highway 133 from Carbondale. Once you pass the small town of Redstone continue on an additional 5 to 6 miles till you reach the road to marble on the left. Marble is at the end of this road at about 6 miles.

Conclusion

This is just a small sample of the photographic opportunities to be had in Colorado. There are many more fantastic locations in the state. I invite you to leave a comment on your favorite place in Colorado to photograph. So if you’re visiting Colorado or live in Colorado let me know what your favorite places are.

Books and Maps

Colorado Guide, 5th Edition Updated: The Best-Selling Guide to the Centennial State [Bargain Price] [Paperback]

Colorado: Lost Places and Forgotten Words [Hardcover]

Benchmark Colorado Road and Recreation Atlas 3rd edition (Benchmark Maps: Colorado) [Paperback]

Colorado Atlas and Gazetteer [Paperback]

This is our new 2011 Colorado Calendar. All of the photos in this calendar were shot in Colorado. Click on the Calendar below to View, Save or Print the new FREE 2011 Full Year Colorado Calendar in Adobe PDF file format.

By Doug Niedermiller Photography

All content in this website is the Copyrighted property of DougNiedermillerPhotography.com and DCM Travel Reviews. You may use any of our content for your personal use for free. All other uses please Contact Doug.

On every 4 of July weekend we head up to Crested Butte, the wildflower capital of Colorado.  It was 1880s old mining town and is now  one of Colorado’s world class ski destinations in the winter. Crested Butte Mountain Resort Ski Area has a 2700 vertical feet rise and over a thousand acres of ski runs.  It’s also a great place to visit in the summer.  Crested Butte is known for its mountain bike riding,  hiking,  horseback riding, fishing, white water rafting, kayaking,  camping and of course, photography with beautiful fields of wildflowers and mountain views.

Click photo to view photo slideshow of Crested Butte & Lake Erwin

We like to camp up at Lake Irwin with a group of friends from all over the country.  It’s always a great time.  Lake Irwin is at an elevation of about 10000 feet above sea level with hiking and fishing.  Sometimes the campground is still closed on the 4th because of too much snow!  This is a great place  for family with children.  One more thing — don’t forget the spectacular summer wildflowers and golden aspens in autumn on the road over Kebler Pass which is at an elevation 10000 feet.  The  CO-12 Road starts in Crested Butte and is about a 30 mile dirt road and ends at CO-133.  It’s well maintained and suitable for most cars.  Because of the weather and the high elevation, the road is only open from late May to early October.  So, do your homework and take a trip to the Crested Butte area.  You wont be disappointed!