During Lunch on Day 1 of my recent Earthwatch Adventure we stopped at the base of the La Ventana…read more(Window) Natural Arch. It's more of a scramble than a hike to get up to the Arch itself and it's well worth the effort, even though I hadn't yet acclimated to the altitude. The last vertical steps are also a bit tricky and left me wondering if there were a safer way down via the other side. The payoff is to experience a stunning view of the San Luis Valley and observe a hundred+ year old pinon pine. The Natural Arch was formed by the action of wind, rain and weather on a volcanic dome. This eventually carved a large hole through the rock forming a complete circle. This place really reminds me of the old Star Trek (TOS) episode called "City on the Edge of Forever". I half expected that if I jumped through the portal that I would go back in time and meet Edith Keeler. In any event, it was certainly windy enough to blow me somewhere else within the space-time continuum. Yet on the other side, was rolling green landscape and a nice place to enjoy a sack lunch. And at the end of my stay here (and unlike Mr. James Tiberius Kirk), I was in no hurry to "Get the Hell Out of Here".

This isn't a business. It's a very beautiful natural feature from the largest volcano ever to…read morehappen, well, on earth. Go see it.

he Elephant Rocks are part of the Fish Canyon Tuff; volcanic ash welded together over time and has…read morebeen determined to be at least 28 million years old. While the origin of the Wagon tracks is still greatly debated, it is believed that these tracks were cut into the soft volcanic tuff by the action of conastoga wagon wheels. Our Geology-based Earthwatch Expedition spent a lot a time in this area, including parts of the Masonic Park Tuff that revealed itself as we traveled farther in. We had a great time drilling holes (with permit), orienting, using a Schmit Hammer to measure rebound (rock hardness), and collecting samples. This also involved a great deal of hiking at high altitude, which by the end of the trip, put me in really good physical shape. The high desert scenery was also stunning and introspective. I may never pass this way again, but I'll never forget my experience.

San Luis peak is a beautiful class 1 14er in the San Juan's mountains. Very remote, out in the…read moremiddle of nowhere on a long dirt road. I will say this was one of the easiest roads I've ever driven up for a 14er which was a nice treat! The hike is over 13 miles with over 3K elevation gain, but no technical skill required. The false summit was daunting but worth it. Views were beautiful and I saw some moose on the trail!

San luis peak is one of the 58 - 14ers in Colorado. It takes a bit of a drive to get over to and…read moreit is extremely remote. There is not really a lot at the trailhead. You can park along the roadside. There is some dispersed camping along the way. This is a class 1 - 14er. Exposure and rockfall potential is low. Route finding and commitment is low. This peak starts at Stewart Creek Trailhead. It starts at 10,500 feet of elevation and summits at 14014 feet of elevation. The total gain is 3600 feet. Round trip length is 13.5 miles. A lot of folks say that they have seen moose, bear and beavers. On our trip however we did not see any wildlife. The beginning 4 miles is through trees and has some gentle incline. After you get above treeline and as you begin to ascend you will start to have some rocks. There is 800 feet of elevation gain in .8 miles. Once you reach the ridge you will have quite a bit of rocks and scree. There is a false summit and then the peak is around behind it. The trail is long. Even though no weather was called for there was storm clouds coming in from all sides. We were being chased all the way down by clouds, thunder and potential rain.. Views from the top were beautiful and there is an actual geological marker up there.

Best guide I've ever met. We've done trips up Mt. Redcloud and up to an alpine lake to fly fish…read more You won't regret booking Belay Expeditions.

Tucked away in the middle of nowhere (about a 6 hour drive from Denver), this place is an absolute…read moretreasure. The staff is indescribably accommodating and the cabins have a vintage, down-home feel. I was lent fishing gear from the staff's personal collection and a fire was built for my group nightly. If you're looking for somewhere to really get away and connect with nature while still sleeping in a bed, this is the place to be.

If you want to get away from it all... this is the place!! Plenty of fishing, wildlife, scenery…read moreand the hosts are very friendly and accommodating. They even light the fire for you at night! They are so nice. We had a great time!!!

Look no further... This is the best Adventure rental company in Creede. The knowledge of the staff…read moreis second to none. The machines are great. They will fit you with the machine that is right for you and suggest a ride (trails) to suite your level of comfort and experience. If you are looking for ATV adventure let Kenzie and staff help you. You will not regret it.

We were headed up to fish along the Rio Grande river and needed a fishing license. Worker at the…read moregas station in Creede suggested Freemons because the parking lot would be easy to maneuver while pulling our trailer. She told us to be sure to get the ice cream. When we arrived it was a simple log cabin. Inside there was a restaurant serving American food like burgers, soda fountain, ice cream, convenience store items, and fishing area. A little of everything - including a clean bathroom and a place to buy a fishing license! We got the ice cream and it was a hearty portion and definitely delicious! We liked Freemons so much we stopped for burgers and ice cream again on the way home! The staff was great, family owned business. They had indoor and outdoor seating. Outside offered both covered and uncovered areas. The creek was right there and the views were pretty spectacular. They mentioned they close in the winter but it will be on our favorites list forever now!