From the village of Dinosaur, we drove to a remote area where we had read about some scenic cliffs known as Cathedral Bluffs. Once we left the paved highway, it was some forty miles of dirt and gravel roads high atop a huge plateau. For a change, the Navigator drove as I was wearing a boot because of a stress fracture weeks earlier. It was still my job to hop out and open/close the many gates we encountered as we drove through various cattle ranches. We enjoyed great views into the many canyons and valleys we passed.
Eventually, we began to see lots of sagebrush and the sage grouse that live in that habitat. Once I was hiking in some deep sagebrush when a grouse stayed hidden until I almost stepped on it. Of course it startled me, but I managed to get off a shot of the bird flying away.
Finally reaching the Cathedral Bluffs, we decided it was no prettier than the scenery all along the road. However, we began to see wild horses and that made it worthwhile. The horses kept their distance, but appeared to be curious. They followed us as we drove back toward the start of the trail.
Back in Dinosaur, a mother and child pronghorn visited our campsite.
After moving to Glenwood Springs, we toured the famous hotel where Teddy Roosevelt once stayed, and where one of the employees made a bear in his honor, thus creating the first "Teddy Bear". We also checked out the hot springs resort the town is noted for.
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