The Devils Backbone Open Space - Loveland, Colorado

Last weekend, Christian and I decided we wanted a nice, relaxing hike. After searching for a while, we decided to check out the Devils Backbone Open Space just outside of Loveland, Colorado. 

The Devils Backbone loop is described as a scenic, moderate hike. Christian and I scoffed at this.  It is listed as 4.4 miles round trip with 480 feet of elevation gain, it should be a piece of cake, right? Maybe we were over-trained, maybe we were dehydrated or maybe we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. This hike has some STEEP sections and the trail can get rocky at times. It was harder than we expected (though not TOO hard). Don't scoff. It is moderate by most standards.

The open space is minutes outside of Loveland (though you wouldn't know it while hiking). We went on a Wednesday and it was still pretty busy. We passed hikers, runners, mountain bikers and locals out walking their dogs. That said, the hike was still peaceful and the people were all polite. 

The 4.4 mile loop took us about two hours, with just a few photo stops along the way.  We completed the Hunter and Wild loops. The Wild loop definitely had the better views but both were nice. We started at about 10 am and it was HOT. There isn't any shade on this trail, so make sure to bring lots of water! There is also a "keyhole" on this route, which is more like a giant hole in the bottom of a rock that you can look out on. Our hiking guide said it offered nice views of the Rocky Mountains (and you could technically see the mountains) but it was mostly just suburban houses and rolling hills.

We both liked the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Animal Refuge better than this hike, and the refuge was a closer drive. It was pretty, but we didn't see much wildlife and there weren't any ponds or lakes. There were tons of grasshoppers, including this colorful guy. Anyone know what he is?

If you do decide to do this hike, take a map. There aren't any signs that identify which trail you are on and the trail splits a lot separating foot traffic from bike traffic. We made quite a few wrong turns. As I mentioned before, take water too (even if you go early morning or late afternoon). And sunscreen, lots of sunscreen!

In my opinion, I'm glad we made the drive up to the Devils Backbone Open Space. It's really cool to see little gems right outside of cities. I think these two loops would be awesome mountain biking trails if you enjoy such a thing (I do, but these trails were too advanced for my skill level). If you have kids or inactive adults joining, I would probably stick to just the Wild loop.

and here are the other pics! 

Rayna McGinnis is a wedding and portrait photographer. In her free time she also does adventure photography. She is an avid climber, exercise science and nutrition student and a cat lover. 

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge - Hiking around Denver, Colorado

Last week I went out and bought a hiking guide of 40 hikes with in an hour of Denver and Boulder. I plan to do them all! 

Hike # 1 was a 6 mile, relatively flat hike in Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. Yep, it's exactly what it sounds like. It use to be a weapons cash for World War II. Then the animals took over and well, now it's a place where you can fish, hike and explore, all within a short drive of Denver. It took us 25 minutes to get there from Westminster and it was well worth the drive. 

Before heading out, Christian and I had our own share of concerns. The first concern was would it be interesting, the second was if we were heading out too late in the day. The third one was it's proximity to Commerce City (would it smell?). Our adventurous side took over and we went anyways! The hiking guide did say it was a "gem" after all. 

When driving into the refuge, I started doubting our enthusiasm. It didn't look all that interesting and the entrance was surrounded by old wire security fencing. Then I saw the lakes (I am a sucker for lakes). 

We arrived at 10 am and hiked until 12. We covered a little under 6 miles of hiking, which includes frequent photo breaks and animal watching. It was a mellow hike with very little elevation gain or loss and the trails were very well maintained. We hiked the Prairie Trail, Woodland Trail, and the Rod and Gun Club Trail. Unfortunately the D Street Trail, Havana Ponds Trail and Ladora Trail were closed while we visited.

As far as for our concerns, the hike was very interesting and relaxing. We first crossed a long bridge over Lake Mary where we passed numerous families fishing. The sound of children's laughter could be heard for at least a quarter mile. Then we had the trails to ourselves until close to the last half mile. We also saw two deer, two raccoons (an adult and a young one), a few hawks and some swans. Butterflies were everywhere!

Did we arrive too late? Maybe. It was hot (it was late July after all) but because of when we were there, bugs weren't a problem. I came home bug bite free! I would like to see it in early morning because I think we'll see more wild life then, but I'll be loading up on the bug spray when I do. 

Did it smell? Only of fresh air. While Commerce city is only a few miles away, we couldn't smell it at all. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought we were miles and miles away from civilization. 

BEES - There were tons of flowers and therefor tons of bees. As someone who is paranoid about getting stung, I was able to avoid them all by watching out for big bushes and staying on the opposite side of the trail.

Overall - I thought this was a great day hike. You could also make it shorter or longer, depending on your time frame. I would recommend this trail for families with young kids, older adults and couples who want to spend some quality time together while still being active. As far as teenagers go, unless they love nature and exploring, I'd leave them at home for this. There aren't too many "WOW" moments that will compare to the text messages they'll be receiving on their iphone. 

And of course - more pictures! 

Rayna McGinnis is a wedding and portrait photographer. In her free time she also does adventure photography. She is an avid climber, exercise science and nutrition student and a cat lover. 

Hello, my name is Rayna and I'm an adventureholic.

Hi! My name is Rayna and I'm an adventureholic. I know it's not a real word, but it should be. I'm also a wedding and portrait photographer, a climber, a student of exercise science and nutrition and a major cat lover.

I recently realized that in order to be truly happy I must be exploring. I have always enjoyed learning, but sometimes learning isn't enough. I have a need to EXPERIENCE things. Especially things that involve animals, flowers and fresh air. Once upon a time ago I also enjoyed writing, which is why I've decided to start my own adventure blog.

Christian (my boyfriend/fiance/it's complicated) and I travel often. We are both avid climbers and adventurists. We try to explore somewhere new at least once a week. Sometimes it's a new climbing spot, sometimes a new hike, sometimes a new city. This blog will includes bits of all of these things and then some. Each post will include pictures, as well as my thoughts and recommendations.

Enjoy!

-Rayna