Tuesday Sept. 15...Rocky Mountain National Park...

Today we drove through Rocky Mountain National Park from the west entrance to Estes Park, CO. Fall has started to take hold here…the aspens are turning golden and are beautiful. The drive to the summit pass was uneventful, we had hoped for a moose sighting but saw nothing…no deer, no elk, and no moose…bummer.

The Alpine Visitor Center was very nice. The views were great but rain was threating and the wind had a definite chill. We had lunch at Charlie’s request and started the drive down the eastern slopes. Our first elk sighting came shortly after leaving the center…one young bull and several cows were resting on the slope a short distance below the road.

The rain was intermittent and the clouds drifted in and out…the vistas were wonderful with the dramatic clouds over the mountains. Elk sightings became more frequent…one huge bull was resting in the grass less than 20 yards off the road…another herd with the head bull grazed in a meadow perhaps 150 yards from the road.

Disappointed at not seeing a moose, but elated at seeing so many magnificent elk…we departed Rocky Mountain National Park and turned toward home.