Eldorado Springs

After spending two days on the road, waking up in Boulder and spending the entire day here - was a welcome change.  With family sleeping in hammocks in the backyard, tents on the balcony upstairs,  and some of us choosing the indoors, we all awoke at different times of the morning.  I was thankful to sneak away for an early morning run...  Here's a pic a took along the way... So beautiful here...

After enjoying a good old fashioned breakfast made by George, we slowly started rallying the troops to head out for our morning hike at Eldorado Springs.   Hiking along the banks of the river not only added a welcomed cool breeze but also a sense of danger which kept all grownups on edge.   

 

With so many rock formations, cliffs, nooks and crannies, the kids had a blast exploring it all.  Between the rushing water and mountain climbers dangling off the edge of the side of the mountain, Runcie's and my fears were adequately covered.  

After the hiking, climbing, and scaling the rocks, we ambled down to the Eldorado swimming pool.  Think vintage swimming hole.   Apparently, it is filled with the spring fed and snow melt river seen in the above pictures.  Featuring a super steep metal slide, the kids had a blast zooming down.   Honestly, I debated on going down it too... Kind of wish I had been a little more daring...

Needless to say, we were all exhausted and headed back "home" for some R&R.  

Dinner was enjoyed at a nearby lodge, Chatauqua.  ...  Kind of hard to describe, but it reminded us of a blend of those well loved "family camps" as well as the beauty of a very well maintained park.  That being said, the restaurant was quite lovely with a fantastic menu.