Roosevelt National Forest: Lower Dadd Gulch Trail

 After a morning watching Sierra at her swim lesson and doing a few chores around the house, I packed the car with my camping gear and hit the road, bound for the Poudre Canyon of northern Colorado. It was a pretty uneventful drive. I found a campsite at the Dutch George Campground and then headed over to the Lower Dadd Gulch Trailhead for my hike. 

I thought it was an appropriate place to hike given that Father's Day is coming up.

The trail was pleasant, without too much of a climb.

A good portion of the trail wound through a wooded area along a stream that I crossed multiple times.

The trail also wound through a few meadows.

Blooming wildflowers included columbine,

a white species of lupine,

penstemon,

chokecherries,

and a distinctive orange-yellow flower that I believe is a type of orchis.

The trail continued its gentle ascent,

eventually entering into an area that was burned in last year's Cameron Peak fire.

At a dirt road, the trail reached its upper terminus. 

I turned around and retraced my route through the burn zone, 

then back into the trees and to the car where I drank a refreshing beer as a reward for my hike.

Then I drove back to my campsite at Dutch George for the night.