Relax & Recharge: Colorado Camping

By Adam Parr

Finally, a free weekend to go camping! This past month has been filled with weekend work obligations and wedding shenanigans so it was time to pack the truck and head to wilderness for a weekend to relax and recharge. The first camping trip of the year is always greatly anticipated and with the warm weather in full swing, a camping weekend was much needed.

It was a game-day decision as to where we would ultimately end up but we decided to stay relatively close to home to maximize the amount of time at camp instead of on the road. Friday a 5pm, I ran home to get Crystal and Apollo and we headed to a local favorite, Fulford Cave Campground about 45 minutes from our house.

Friday Evening

We arrived at our camping spot around 6:30pm where made quick work of setting up our tent and getting a fire started before the light faded into darkness. The campsites were really well maintained with great amenities to make our stay more enjoyable. The tent spots were leveled with pea stone, we had a good sized picnic table, and each fire pit came with a grate for easy campfire cooking!

Our first-night meal consisted of chips and salsa, potato salad and cheddar bratwursts cooked over an open fire. It was a perfect campsite meal! After dinner, I tried my luck at catching trout of the nearby beaver pond but they weren’t having anything to do with my setup. Even though the fish weren’t cooperating, it’s always enjoyable to cast a line.

Crystal and I went back to camp and sat around the fire as the light faded and then retired the night to our cozy tent. The rhythmic sounds of water crashing in nearby Brush Creek below us put me into a deep sleep in no time.

I love our REI Hobitat 4 camping tent!

Saturday Activities

The next morning we awoke to the sun shining, birds chirping and the river still roaring as we enjoyed the peace and serenity of the wild. We opened the doors of the tent to expose the view of the opposite ridge and took in the beautiful Colorado scenery!

Our scenic view from inside our tent 🙂

After breakfast, Crystal and I set out for a hike on a nearby trail to explore the local area and get a little exercise in the for the day. We found ourselves meandering across streams and traversing the deep timber. I brought my fishing pole in hopes of finding a lake at the end of the trail but we ended up having to turn around after one mile due to too much snow still on the north facing trail.

Back at camp, we enjoyed lunch next to the river and then found a shady spot with a cool breeze to take a quick snooze. After our nap, I was alerted to slamming doors in the parking area. A few of my friends were hiking another nearby trail so I left them a note to stop over after they got back. Brad, Brad’s wife Dianna, and Josh showed up at camp and we enjoyed some beers together at the picnic table. After a few hours, they headed back down to Eagle but Josh came back to camp with his own tent just in time for dinner.

Good Food and Good Friends

One of my favorite things about camping is cooking good food over an open fire. Crystal prepared and marinated chicken kabobs for the evening meal; they were absolutely delicious!

Marinated chicken kabobs over the fire pit were absolutely delicious. We will be making these again for a future camping trip.

Crystal, Josh, Apollo, and I went for a nice little hike along brush creek.

Josh, Crystal, and I shared stories and took in the beauty of the surrounding landscape. The temperature cooled off and the wind calmed down to make it a very enjoyable evening. There’s just something about a good campfire that calms the soul as you watch the flames curl up around the burning wood.

Time To Go Home

Sunday morning brought another great campfire breakfast and much relaxation around the fire. I found myself reminiscing about the weekend as a whole as we laid around throughout the morning. It felt so good to be out camping again and it was certainly needed, to say the least. The grind of everyday life can easily overtake me sometimes, but as long as I can get away to a slower way of life and the rhythm of the woods, I am free and relaxed. I look forward to my next camping adventure in Colorado!

If you have been putting off that camping trip because you are too busy, make sure to just do it and recharge the batteries. Even if it means only traveling 15 minutes to a nearby destination, a relaxing weekend in the woods does the mind good. Life is too short; get out and explore nature!