If you are looking for a quick weekend trip to the mountains, try out Lake Dillion. Lake Dillion is located two hours west of Denver along I-70. Several towns on or near the lake provide wonderful lodging, food, and shopping. This area also provides abundant outdoor recreation including: lake activities, family friendly hiking and plenty of bike paths.
Peak One Campground is a wonderful, well maintained Forest Service campground. There are several other campgrounds in the vicinity, yet we enjoyed Peak One’s proximity to the lake and mountain views for early morning walks and beach play with the kids. The campground is very accessible with sites for tents, trailers, and RVs. Check out http://www.reserveamerica.com for availability and to reserve a camp site. The lake has a healthy population of Rainbow and Brown trout for those who like to fish. In addition, many types of water craft can be rented at the Frisco Marina. Reservations are recommended and can made at http://www.townoffrisco.com.
Lily Pad Lake Trail is a wonderful hike for all ages. Located north of Silverthorne, This trail is a 2.5 miles long foot path that takes you through tall forests dotted with wildflowers to several lily pad ponds and a lake at the top. The trail crosses several small creeks and is muddy in places, so good hiking shoes are required. This wet land area is home to mosquitoes, so make sure to bring the insect replant. There are beetle killed trees in the forest here, so hiking this trail on a windy day is not advised. For a map and instructions on how to get to Lilly Pad Lake Trail visit http://alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/lily-pad-lake-trail.
For another fun family activity, bring your bikes. Summit County has an extensive system of bike trails. Enjoy an easy ride along the lake and though forest and take the Frisco/Keystone trail. The trail is 27.4 miles long and we found the Frisco side great for children. Start at Frisco’s boat marina and ride north. The path is paved with beautiful views of the lake and surrounding mountains. To find out more about biking trails in this area visit http://www.summitbiking.org/area_rides/.
Julia Jennings is a professional photographer in the greater Denver area. She specializes in taking portraits including family, newborn, baby, children, senior, glamour, group events, anniversary, engagement and wedding. Growing up in Colorado, Julia spent her time painting, taking photos, exploring the outdoors and camping with her family which nurtured her passions for art, photography, geology, and family. After earning her bachelors of science in environmental geology, she wanted to pursue her passion for photography and started her business, Moments Photography by Julia Jennings. When Julia is not taking photos, she takes care of her children and volunteers at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, preparing fossil specimens. It is her hope by writing this blog, that her readers learn about great outdoor spaces to visit, the wonderful geology that surrounds them, the environmental challenges in our state, and how to become better photographers themselves. Moments Photography by Julia Jennings would like to invite you to like our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/momentsphotographybyjuliajennings or connect with us on LinkedIn to receive Julia’s weekly blog.
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