April 12 , 2006

Near the trailhead, you cross the Big Thompson River. The reddish haze along the tops of the shrubs are the new buds for the year. No leaves yet, though.

Along the lower reaches of the trail, you'll walk past several beaver ponds. This day I saw no beaver - just ducks.

I watched this little rabbit for a while. I'm not sure if this was a male or female, but it sure has big feet!

My goal for the hike was to find wildflowers. The Cub Lake trail offers so many different microclimates that I knew I would find something! The first is a spring beauty and the second is buttercup. My first flowers of the year!

The mountains peek out everywhere!

This elk decided to pose for me. There were lots of animals along the trail. I saw marmots, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, elk and many birds.

The magpies, with their shiny blue feathers are easy to spot. This one wanted to pose too.

The trail was so alive. Animals were everywhere. I spent so much time hunting for flowers and animals that I never even made it to Cub Lake. I've been to the Lake before, and undoubtedly, I'll make it there again. I recommend this trail because it offers variety - especially when you want to see flowers in the summer. After my hike, I drove over to Hollowell Park for a rest and lunch time. Lots of birds there, too. Spring is back!

As I like to do, I drove out through Horseshoe Park. This is looking back west, up Fall River Canyon. Mt. Chapin is on the right.

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