Colorado’s Front Range where the plains meet the mountains
contains some landscapes that are probably unique in the world, certain
features I’ve seen few if anywhere else I’ve traveled . Most prominent among
those are the red sandstone formations at the foot of the mountains in several
spots between Colorado Springs and Fort Collins, including Colorado Springs’
Garden of the Gods, Red Rocks Park west of Denver, and the Flatirons near
Boulder. A fourth such area about 25 miles south of Denver is preserved in
Roxborough State Park.

I’ve been to Roxborough for hiking before some years ago but
wanted to go back again because the park is so stunning. Although only about
3,000 acres the park’s elevations range from 5,900 to 7,300 feet and contain an
impressive variety of landscapes and ecosystems from ponderosa pine forest to
scrub oak woodlands to open plains. And compared to the other places along the
Front Range with similar red sandstone formations, Roxborough State Park seems
much less visited. On the somewhat overcast weekday in July I visited I had the
trails in the park virtually to myself. Conditions were also unusually lush for
so late in the year after an abnormally cool and wet May and June. I also
managed to get somewhat higher into the hills on the trails than I have in the
past when I only walked the valley loop trail. Gorgeous!