mistressofmuses (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mistressofmuses) wrote2025-07-25 07:16 pm
mistressofmuses) wrote2025-07-25 07:16 pm
Monday, July 21: Castlewood Canyon State Park (again!)
Something being posted in the same week it happened? Will wonders never cease?
On Monday, we decided to go back to Castlewood Canyon. When we went the previous week, we didn't get to do the original hike we'd wanted (going to the dam ruins), so decided we'd take another shot at it, figuring that without the shorter side trails, we'd be able to do that one.
Spoiler: we have still not made it to the damn dam ruins, lol.
But it was still a good day!
We went to the middle parking lot, planning to pick up the creek trail, back down toward the falls we'd visited the previous week. The plan was to then keep following that trail to the dam, and then turn around and head back. At least the first part happened!
Down by the water, looking up at the cliff.
One of my favorite things we saw: it's a hummingbird nest! Lichens and seed fluff... It was so tiny and adorable. I was surprised it was so close to the path, though it was tucked up under the rocks.
Bella's postcard of the day, haha.
Tiny baby acorns!
The asters were blooming very nicely.
Kind of a neat groundcovering plant. The leaves are very stiff.
These ants were enormous! Big carpenter ants, hauling stuff!
More pine cones at their fun "alien lifeform" stage.
Unfortunately there were a lot more people there than the first day we went... mostly unfortunate just because there were so many loud groups. I'd rather not listen to people shouting at each other.
Turns out, though, that if you keep heading toward the falls (instead of stopping at the overlook, where we had the time before), you can actually head down to the creek and get to the water.
It was a bit crowded, with a few different groups - some parents with little kids, some high school or college-age kids - having claimed most of the spots along the water itself.
Down in the creek. (Just past those rocks there is the waterfall that can be seen from higher up the trail.)
Unfortunately, I slipped and ate shit on the shore, haha. The mud-covered stone of the creekbed was SO slick, and I fell pretty hard. I was fine! Banged up my right hand a bit (didn't notice it until a couple days later, but ended up with a pretty gnarly bruise). The worst part was probably that I soaked my shoes and socks, and had to spend the rest of the day with squishy socks, haha.
On the way back out was where we found the little hummingbird nest, which I found utterly charming and adorable.
And next to that...
This guy! Doing a truly admirable job of mimicking a willow leaf! Holding itself at such a perfect angle to look like one of the leaves... very impressive! Obviously a sphinx moth caterpillar, but I didn't know there were any that used these willows as a host plant.
Up a little farther we found more raspberries, and absolutely snacked on a few.
Despite my fall, I was doing all right. Unfortunately, Alex was struggling. It was the first time in several weeks that he was having a rough time - he's done better this summer than last. Unfortunately, carrying one of the bags had really started to put pressure on a bad part of his neck, so he was starting to get light-headed spells in addition to pain. Plus his knee had been bugging him, and compensating for that was starting to aggravate his hip... so the usual cascade of one problem setting off all the rest.
So, alas, we did not continue on the trail to the dam, but instead decided to turn around.
This adorable lizard was hanging out back up at the trail.
We took a break for a bit, having a rest and a snack and all. Bella looked up, so I looked up...
SO MANY TURKEY VULTURES!
Apparently the raptor nesting program is going quite well!
One more Bella, because.
Unfortunately, sometime after this... we failed to notice the trail back up to the lot where we'd parked. I do not know how we missed it! We jokingly asked why there was more trail on the way back than on the way there... and then started to realize that we did not recognize the landmarks we were seeing.
Usually, this wouldn't be a huge issue, except we'd turned around because Alex was having a rough time, and we were trying to cut the hike short. Also, wet socks. (Though Alex's issues were way worse.) Bleh.
We should have just turned around, but knew the trail eventually would meet up with the homestead trail. Our initial thought was to get there and just walk along the road back, thinking that might be more direct... Not really considering that the road sucks and would probably not actually be a safe choice, plus wouldn't have anywhere to stop if Alex needed to rest.
So we walked extra, just to have to turn around and walk more extra to get back. Whoops.
We did get back to the homestead area, and sat at one of the benches over there for a while to rally. Bella took a power nap. Then we headed back along a different trail that was a fairly straight shot back to where we'd parked.
There was a bunny, though!
Minus the unplanned detour, it was a nice day. I was happy about the critters we saw, like the lizard and the vultures and the sphinx moth caterpillar. Also the little hummingbird nest, and some neat plants and such.
Maybe someday we'll make it to the dam, lol.
On Monday, we decided to go back to Castlewood Canyon. When we went the previous week, we didn't get to do the original hike we'd wanted (going to the dam ruins), so decided we'd take another shot at it, figuring that without the shorter side trails, we'd be able to do that one.
Spoiler: we have still not made it to the damn dam ruins, lol.
But it was still a good day!
We went to the middle parking lot, planning to pick up the creek trail, back down toward the falls we'd visited the previous week. The plan was to then keep following that trail to the dam, and then turn around and head back. At least the first part happened!
Down by the water, looking up at the cliff.
One of my favorite things we saw: it's a hummingbird nest! Lichens and seed fluff... It was so tiny and adorable. I was surprised it was so close to the path, though it was tucked up under the rocks.
Bella's postcard of the day, haha.
Eleven more pictures, mostly plants and critters:
Tiny baby acorns!
The asters were blooming very nicely.
Kind of a neat groundcovering plant. The leaves are very stiff.
These ants were enormous! Big carpenter ants, hauling stuff!
More pine cones at their fun "alien lifeform" stage.
Unfortunately there were a lot more people there than the first day we went... mostly unfortunate just because there were so many loud groups. I'd rather not listen to people shouting at each other.
Turns out, though, that if you keep heading toward the falls (instead of stopping at the overlook, where we had the time before), you can actually head down to the creek and get to the water.
It was a bit crowded, with a few different groups - some parents with little kids, some high school or college-age kids - having claimed most of the spots along the water itself.
Down in the creek. (Just past those rocks there is the waterfall that can be seen from higher up the trail.)
Unfortunately, I slipped and ate shit on the shore, haha. The mud-covered stone of the creekbed was SO slick, and I fell pretty hard. I was fine! Banged up my right hand a bit (didn't notice it until a couple days later, but ended up with a pretty gnarly bruise). The worst part was probably that I soaked my shoes and socks, and had to spend the rest of the day with squishy socks, haha.
On the way back out was where we found the little hummingbird nest, which I found utterly charming and adorable.
And next to that...
This guy! Doing a truly admirable job of mimicking a willow leaf! Holding itself at such a perfect angle to look like one of the leaves... very impressive! Obviously a sphinx moth caterpillar, but I didn't know there were any that used these willows as a host plant.
Up a little farther we found more raspberries, and absolutely snacked on a few.
Despite my fall, I was doing all right. Unfortunately, Alex was struggling. It was the first time in several weeks that he was having a rough time - he's done better this summer than last. Unfortunately, carrying one of the bags had really started to put pressure on a bad part of his neck, so he was starting to get light-headed spells in addition to pain. Plus his knee had been bugging him, and compensating for that was starting to aggravate his hip... so the usual cascade of one problem setting off all the rest.
So, alas, we did not continue on the trail to the dam, but instead decided to turn around.
This adorable lizard was hanging out back up at the trail.
We took a break for a bit, having a rest and a snack and all. Bella looked up, so I looked up...
SO MANY TURKEY VULTURES!
Apparently the raptor nesting program is going quite well!
One more Bella, because.
Unfortunately, sometime after this... we failed to notice the trail back up to the lot where we'd parked. I do not know how we missed it! We jokingly asked why there was more trail on the way back than on the way there... and then started to realize that we did not recognize the landmarks we were seeing.
Usually, this wouldn't be a huge issue, except we'd turned around because Alex was having a rough time, and we were trying to cut the hike short. Also, wet socks. (Though Alex's issues were way worse.) Bleh.
We should have just turned around, but knew the trail eventually would meet up with the homestead trail. Our initial thought was to get there and just walk along the road back, thinking that might be more direct... Not really considering that the road sucks and would probably not actually be a safe choice, plus wouldn't have anywhere to stop if Alex needed to rest.
So we walked extra, just to have to turn around and walk more extra to get back. Whoops.
We did get back to the homestead area, and sat at one of the benches over there for a while to rally. Bella took a power nap. Then we headed back along a different trail that was a fairly straight shot back to where we'd parked.
There was a bunny, though!
Minus the unplanned detour, it was a nice day. I was happy about the critters we saw, like the lizard and the vultures and the sphinx moth caterpillar. Also the little hummingbird nest, and some neat plants and such.
Maybe someday we'll make it to the dam, lol.
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All held together with collected spider silk.
SO DELICATE
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So delicate, and so perfectly formed!
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I'm sorry you fell! I'm glad you're mostly alright, but squishy socks sucks. And that Alex wasn't feeling great. And that you missed your turn!
I'm glad you had a nice time despite all that.
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Thank you. I'm really glad the fall wasn't worse. It's definitely a little scary to think of how bad a fall *could* be out on a trail. Luckily the squishy socks and a bruised wrist were the worst of it. Missing our trail was super annoying, though. It was "only" about an extra 2 or 2.5 miles, but that's way more than we wanted to do!
But it was still a really nice day, and I'm glad we got to see all the things we did.
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It does suck when one thing goes bad and then it leads to more and more domino-style impacts. Very relieved that the fall wasn't any worse. My feet just slid right out from under me! Glad it dumped me on my ass for the most part, haha.
It is a beautiful area, and I'm happy about everything we saw while we were out.
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I'm glad you weren't hurt too badly when you fell, and sorry that you fell at all and that Alex had such a rough time. :(
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I'm so relieved that the fall wasn't worse - it always scares me just how bad it *could* be. Luckily the wet socks and a bruise were the worst of it.
I did feel bad for Alex, though. (And was relieved *he* didn't fall, since that would have made everything even worse!) Luckily he's done a lot better this summer than last, but it was still a bummer to have such a tough day.
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I was delighted by the lizard! And it was so cooperative when posing. :)
The hummingbird nest was wonderful! I've only seen a couple others, and those have been partial ones that have fallen from where they were. This is the first really whole one that I've seen, where you can still see how it's structured and everything. Such a neat thing.
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I was also very taken with the caterpillar, because it was doing such a good job of camouflaging itself! The color, the angle, staying so perfectly still...
And always a fan of seeing bunnies.
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The hummingbird nest is OHMAHGAWD cute!!! ^_^
Sounds like a Part III may be in order to make it to the damned dam ruins haha?
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The hummingbird nest was such a delight to see! I was so surprised that it was there. Such an adorable tiny construction!
We will make it to the damn dam ruins! The upper "cave" trail should be all the way open now, since the nesting closures were only through July, so we'll go back for that at some point. Maybe we'll see if we have better luck approaching from the other side of the park, haha.