(View of the Flatirons from Chautauqua Park)
The day after our escapades in Fort Collins, we decided to do some more exploring around Boulder. After our morning routine of breakfast, coffee, and getting a small fire going in the wood burning stove, we loaded up into the car and set off. Our first stop was to be Chautauqua Park which was right on the outskirts of downtown. There was still plenty of snow covering the parking lot and parking was limited, but we managed to secure a spot without too much trouble. We were immediately caught off guard at how beautiful it was! Ralphie was still growing accustomed to being in the snow and we didn't want to push him too hard, so we stuck to an outer trail where the snow had already been heavily packed down. All of the trails that went deeper into the park still had about 6 inches of snow and would have been challenging. Although it was an outer loop trail it still offered stunning views of the Flatirons and of downtown Boulder. We only ventured about two miles in before we decided to head back towards the car.
(Brigitte and Ralphie in Chautauqua Park, with downtown Boulder in the distance)
Our next stop after the park was the Boulder Reservoir. Like the Horsetooth Reservoir the day before, it was completely frozen over and covered in snow. Even from the road, we could see the various tracks of deer and other wildlife that had crossed the frozen tundra. Unlike the reservoir in my home state of Rhode Island, this was fully open to recreational activities and as we drove through the surrounding park, we could see many locations where kayaks and even small sailboats were able to be rented. We stopped in the main parking lot and walked out along a plowed path that circumnavigated the reservoir. Unable to resist, I took off down towards the lake and onto one of the docks so I could see for myself how frozen the lake was. Reaching the far end of it, I reached down and began digging into the snow until I reached the ice. Yep, it was pretty solid.
(Boulder Reservoir covered in thick ice and snow)
After stopping back at the cabin for a quick lunch, we decided to drive out into the mountains to check out Nederland, Colorado. Our mountain cabin was technically within the boundaries of Nederland, but we hadn't yet seen any of the town. This was our first opportunity to drive into the mountains and we were excited to experience it. The drive itself was peaceful with plenty of stunning scenery to appreciate while we traveled. Winding along the mountain roads, we were treated to views of distant, snowcapped mountains. After roughly 20 minutes of driving, we arrived at a welcome sign for the town. Nederland proper was small but charming. There had been advertisements for a coffee bookshop which obviously piqued my curiosity but upon our arrival it was clear that they were closed for the season. Across the street, we saw another coffee shop that was actually several old train cars stuck together. In desperate need of coffee and not wanting to miss out on this unique experience, I pulled into the parking lot. The inside of the shop was just as cute and interesting as I had anticipated and as I waited for my latte to be made, I walked through each of the train cars. If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend checking out
Train Cars Coffee and Kava. They are directly in the middle of the Peak-to-Peak Highway and are also known for their world-famous Mini Donuts, which were in high demand that day.
(Inside view of two of the train cars that make up the cafe)
On top of being a cute, small, mountain-town, Nederland also provides access to a nearby ski lodge,
Eldora Mountain Resort. We made the drive up to Eldora to check it out and were surprised to see how busy it was on a standard workday. From what I've heard, this ski resort is pretty small compared to most in Colorado but being that it's nestled off the Peak-to-Peak highway and away from the larger, touristy cities, it has become a local favorite. If you're ever in the area, it may be worth stopping by! Since neither of us were prepared to ski and we doubted they had skis in Ralphie's size, we did a quick lap and drove back down the mountain. With dusk arriving early in the mountain valleys, we figured it was a good time to start heading back to the cabin to rest up for the next day.
