Breakneck Pass Road-Pike National Forest, Colorado

  We stopped here for a break on our wonderfully scenic drive from Alamosa to Morrison on US 285. The road leading to the forest  was good gravel as it threaded through a summer home subdivision, but of course when we reached the Forest Service Boundary, it turned to pure crud. After a wet stream crossing  we drove a short ways further and then parked. At that point the road was actually improving,but we wanted to get out and hike around a little, which we did on some closed roads. We had  great views of the immense "park" we had just driven up from, and around us was a beautiful aspen forest. The small stream had barely a trickle of water beneath the dense willow growth, but it provided for cooling down  our pup. It  looked as if  the weather has been pretty dry here as well. We found an old shelter some camper had built in  between the trees when we got to the top of the steep two track we'd been hiking on. As we headed back, I wished Colorado was a little closer, so I could really get to explore.