This is one of my Most Favorite Hikes in the Garden of the Gods, or anywhere.

I hadn’t been on this “secret” trail in about two years. It starts off on a mellow creek bed, then there is an uphill climb to an open area. Next you can hike up to a grove of Ancient Cedar trees. I have only gotten that far a couple of times, and was hoping to make it there on this hike.

Last year (2013) the heavy rains and flooding in our area made me wary of hiking in a creek bed, especially this one. In 2012, the Waldo Canyon Fire had come very close to this trail, but did not actually burn any of it. And I had traveled many times to Oregon on trips relating to my Mother’s passing and my niece’s wedding. So I didn’t hike here that year either.

Today was a glorious sunny day and the blue sky made made us smile with wonder that it was winter in the Rockies, yet 60 degrees. No chance of flooding or fire. But snow was predicted for tomorrow.

I am ever so grateful I am to live so near this magical place. The Garden of the Gods is filled with trails that all have different views and wonderful rock formations.

My friend had not brought her hiking pole I had given her a few months ago, and I knew she would not like making this hike without one. So I said she could use mine and I would use the driftwood hiking stick with a nice handle on it that was also in my car. It resides there with my hiking pole just in case I do take the pole out and forget to put it back if I travel in someone else’s vehicle.

She wanted to refuse using pole, but when I said I would attach my pole to my pack and use the hiking stick, she relented and took the hiking stick and I used my pole. The beginning of the trail in the creek bed looks like a normal trail. A little rocky and uneven, but no big deal. But as we got farther into the creek bed, there were more and larger rocks to contend with.

We saw few black and gold butterflies, but they wouldn’t hold still for me to get a photo of, these guys are always camera shy.

But my friend then pointed out a lovely butterfly on a rock, and she talked him into posing and opening his wings for me.

 I am glad my friend has a sense of adventure when it comes to hiking with me. As it didn’t take much convincing to get her to follow me up a deer trail that would lead eventually us to the Forest of Ancient Cedars I had hoped to reach on this hike.

I have hiked many deer paths in my life. They always are an adventure, and obviously, I have always found my way home.

How does one know they are on a deer trail you may ask. They leave tell tale droppings wherever they go and are easy to spot when you follow a lightly traveled path.

I had had a few false starts of choosing where to go up. I hadn’t made my hiking partner follow me, which I am sure made her happy. Then we found the one I had been looking for to start getting out of the creek bed and get up higher.

Looking down, I saw this rock that looked like it was covered in hair made of branches.

Just a fun image that made me smile and think of trolls living here.

The Dark Crystal is a favorite movie and I could see some of those characters waling below.

When I came to a very familiar ridge area, I knew we were on the trail that I wanted to be on today.

This white and red formation was a place I had passed many times before.

You can’t really see in the upper picture, just couldn’t get the proper angle without endangering myself on this slippery slope, but a huge piece of the formation had broken away from the rest of the formation since I had been here about 3 years ago.

I always loved this particular rock formation. The colors in the one section contrasts so beautifully with the white sandstone in the other section. I always have to stand in wonder for a few moments when I get to this place.

Then just on the other side of this formation is a white sandstone rock chair.

I couldn’t resist climbing up to sit in it and engage in a conversation with the rock creatures on either side of me.

Do you see them?

How long they have enjoyed the incredible view that was available from this chair I have no idea. But for centuries I am sure.

I rarely let someone take pictures of me on our hikes, but this was just too cool of a place to not have a photo to remember my being there.

And later there will be one more.

Not sure why this hike and area invites me to not only sit in unusual seats created by Nature, but have myself photographed while sitting in them . . .