Posted: Feb 17, 2008, 6:19 AM CST
libofosho wrote:what are the best spots in colorado for photography?
Yay! Finally something I can answer!
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison is downright awe inspiring. Grand Mesa can be pretty fantastic as well. Down in the slickrock country around Rico and Delores, there are photo ops around nearly every bend. Same goes for the drive along US550 from Montrose through Ouray and over the top to Durango - It's called "The highway that runs through the clouds" for a darn good reason. And while you're in that part of country, take a ride on the Silverton train from Durango - I promise you won't regret it.
Mesa Verde is pretty darned neat, as is 7 Falls just outside Colorado Springs, but they've both become too commercialized for my taste. The Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Monument can be both awe inspiring and a little daunting, but if you're a backpacker and have the resources/personal abilities to cross the dunes into the mountains beyond you'll wonder why you didn't pack more film.
Dinosaur Nat'l Monument to the west of you has some really neat, almost
moonscape terrain features, but it's also high desert, so be prepared to bake during the day and freeze at night if you're backpacking in.
Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park also has some pretty awesome scenery, but a lot of people go there and it's nearly been photographed into submission.
And if it's ease of access you're after, then I-70 runs right through Glenwood Canyon - 13 miles of 'strain your neck to see the sky,' pure, glorious ruggedness (which just happens to have a major interstate highway at the bottom).
I could go on and on - The Spanish Peaks, Garden of the Gods, Devil's Thumb, Thumb Butte, Cache La Poudre River, McClure Pass, The La Plata mountains, Rollins Pass... I've hiked, backpacked, ridden and driven thousands of miles in Colorado and there's always a new vista waiting to be seen; One more eagle to be glimpsed soaring amongst the peaks... One more Aspen grove alongside one more stream to offer shade and music to one who takes the time to sit and listen...
Hope these suggestions helped!