Platte River: The Platte River flows through Eleven Mile Canyon in the Pike National Forest west of Colorado Springs, Colo. A dam up canyon forms Eleven Mile Reservoir and this Recreation Area is downstream from the dam. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Taking the Plunge: A swimmer jumps from the rocky ledge into the ice cold Platte River. Eleven Mile Canyon offers a variety of recreational activities for visitors. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
We are out and about this summer but on a limited basis. We are staying closer to home and taking short trips. In past years, we would take five to six trips per year and stay out six to eight weeks before returning to our home.
We began this year with a month long trip in January. On trip two we planned on being out about seven weeks beginning in late February. And then March happened! That trip was cut short and we returned home mid-March to spend the next several weeks at home wondering if we would ever get out again.
One of our recent outings was to spend a few days in the Pike National Forest west of Colorado Springs. We discovered some hidden gems tucked away in the shadows of Pikes Peak.
One of the sites that we enjoyed was Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area, which lies below the dam to Eleven Mile Reservoir. The canyon features the Platte River as it flows downstream after leaving the reservoir. A dirt road leads from County Road 96 and continues until you have to turn back at the dam.
This beautiful canyon is filled with an abundance of green foliage and a rugged rocky landscape along the river. The area offers four campsites as well as hiking, fishing, climbing, and water recreation in the Platte River. The area is operated by the National Forest Service and there is a modest fee to enter the canyon.
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country and he shares his photographs, which appear in the ‘Posts from the Road’ series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Natural Beauty: Eleven Mile Canyon is breath-taking beautiful. The Platte River is lined with huge boulders and lush green foliage that create a great place of natural beauty. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Fishing: A fisherman cast his line in hopes of snagging some trout. Fishing is said to be excellent in this stretch of the Platte River. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Rushing Waters: A closer view illustrates the power and volume of water in the river as it rushes downstream through Eleven Mile Canyon. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com