Grand Mesa National Forest

We had one more day in Montrose, and we had read a little about the Grand Mesa, but weren't sure whether it would be interesting.  We drove up highway 50 again through Olathe and Delta.  We enjoy Olathe corn from Kroger, and this is where it's grown.   Then we took route 92 east, then route 65 through the Grand Mesa National Forest.  Again, the changes in landscape were amazing!   The scenery changed from flat farmland (irrigated!), to brown striped hills, to a steady climb through the aspen trees, up the 10,000+ foot mesa with gorgeous small lakes and fir trees.

We stopped at the visitor center, and drove past the campground and several more small blue lakes to an area  of private summer homes.  On the way back, Tommie spotted another (brown) black bear across a lake, and I grabbed my camera and got a picture of him standing on his rear legs!

We drove down the north side of the mesa into more rocky terrain.  We drove a short distance on I-70 and then got off at an exit to head back to the mesa.  We rode the same route back up and down the mesa and kept looking for a moose, but didn't see any of those or any more bears!

Looking down from the mesa

He was watching me take pictures on the other side of the road!

Looking down at the town below

We saw lots of marmots eating beside the road.

Aspen trees

Snow that fell off the roof at the visitor center

There were lots of blue lakes.

Nice bear pose!

This lake has islands

That's the great mesa from a distance.

Different colors of green trees

Getting rocky again!

That one looks like it hangs over the road.

Colorado River beside I-70

Taken from I-70

Heading back to the mesa

Getting green again

Climbing the mesa

Twisted aspens

Beaver lodge

Storm clouds over the mountains