Catching up with September's Road Trip - Day 4

I wrote about Day 3 here. We got on the road early the next day and made it to the Park..

I don’t remember where we were for this hike but we weren’t going to look for a camping spot until later in the day.

I do remember this meadow.

Wildlife photography! Something that would hold still.

This guy held still for just enough time to get a photo.

I think this is a three-toed woodpecker. I googled “bird with yellow head in rocky mountain national park” and a picture just like this popped up. Sure enough, I think it has only three toes (not that I know how many toes other woodpeckers have).

Back on the road. The weather was pleasant for that hike, but the situation changes so quickly in the high mountains and there were threats of rain up ahead.

We made it to the Alpine Visitor Center. As the name implies, it was cold and windy. We spent a little time looking around indoors and then from the outside patio and walkways.

Here is the view.

Off to the west we saw elk but I’ll bet that you can’t pick them out in this photo. There were just a few on the lower slope.

This is a little closer. We could hear them bugling.

We hiked up the trail at the visitor’s center but also drove further on up the road and got out at another alpine trail.

It’s amazing that anything delicate can grow here.

This monument shows the direction and miles to many other National Parks.

As we drove on to the east to find a campground we found a traffic jam. In a National Park that often means Wildlife! There was a band of elk crossing the road.

Hearing an elk bugle is a tremendous experience.