Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

 It has been quite a few years since we visited Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. It was a beautiful day, and we had an interesting time reacquainting ourselves with the ancient indigenous habitations. The trip did require a lot of walking and some ladder climbing and steep stairways. It was cold at 7000 feet up in the mountains at night. 

A touch of Fall above Utah Valley

 A quick drive up the Rock Canyon Campground road leads to the Utah Valley Overlook. The road is paved as far as the overlook but definitely dirt from there on. The oak trees are the last to turn and lose their leaves. Most of these "trees" really qualify as bushes. 

We did not eat this peach

 

We have enjoyed the Utah peaches this year but sometimes we can't eat them fast enough. This one got away with a topknot of mold. We enjoyed the rest of them. 

Fall Leaves up the Canyon.

 

We finally broke away from all our work responsibilities to take a drive up a dusty dirt road to see the Fall leaves. The late afternoon sun highlighted the colors. The mountain is called Cascade Mountain and is the one that is above Bridal Veil Falls. The dusty road goes to the Rock Canyon Campground. The road begins off of U.S. Highway 189 and is heavily traveled on nice days like today.