Shelley and I decided to get a morning coffee before we left the townhome in the morning. We walked over to Little Fish Coffee across the road from the Kiahuna Plantation.
On the walk we saw a couple nene geese and felt fortuitous. We were having a lot of luck seeing Hawaiian wildlife.
After waiting in a brief line when the coffee shop opened, we got our lattes and walked back to the room to have breakfast with our sons.
Once everyone had eaten and showered we got in the rental car and drove to LIhue for our tubing adventure.
Lihue
Tubing Adventure
We arrived about a half hour before our check-in time at Kauai Backcountry Adventures. We took a stroll down outside but couldn’t find anything of interest to us so we returned to KBA to wait for our tour to start.
When it was our time for the tubing adventure we were given our helmets and headlamps and boarded an open-air truck to drive into the interior of the island.
The tubing journey takes place on a former sugar plantation. Sugar was once a major part of the economy of Kauai and Hawaii as a whole. But starting at about the time Hawaii achieved statehood, competition with foreign markets made the sugar industry unviable due to the cost of labor and shipping.
What is left is the infrastructure that once allowed the sugar plantations to thrive, including irrigation canals that were cut through the center of the island. And it was to these canals that we were headed.
Before we arrived at the canals, we were driven to a scenic overlook where we were able to view the cloud enshrouded Mout Wai’ale’ale.
After taking some photos of Mount Wai’ale’ale and the surrounding landscapes, we continued onward to the launch point.
Wet met some additional guides at the launch point and once the entire group was aboard a tube, we started the float downstream.
The journey downstream travels through several tunnels and through some beautiful countryside. The guides were friendly and fun and they even sang happy birthday to me in one of the tunnels 🙂
My son Daniel took a shine to one of the female guides that was about his age. He was starting to enjoy the trip a lot more and was finding that there were quite a few very attractive, fun loving girls. And Evan had a lot of fun bantering with her as well at the start of the tour.
Once the float ended we exited the tubes and had a lunch of sandwiches and chips. Then we boarded the trucks again to head back to Lihue.
Along the way we learned some interesting facts about the population of feral pigs on the island. There are more pigs in the interior forests than even chickens, though people don’t often see them.
Pig hunting is a popular activity for the locals who will use dogs to track and corner the pigs, allowing the hunter to make a kill using a knife.
Koloa
After returning to KBA and returning our equipment, we decided to make a stop at Walmart for some additional supplies , then drove to Koloa in search of our first shave ice of the trip.
The Shave Ice at Fresh Shave was really good. They add ice cream to it along with tropical fruits to make a really refreshing desert. We knew after our first shave ice it wouldn’t be our last.
We drove back to the townhouse and changed into our Hawaiian shirts. Next stop a luau.
Wailua
Smith Family Garden Luau
I had a hard time choosing a luau for our trip. I knew we wanted to go to one and there were several to choose from. I considered the Auli’i Luau in Poipu right on the beach. It would have been close enough to walk to from the resort where we were staying.
There is the Luau Kalamaku near Lihue which is at a plantation and includes a train ride.
There is one at the Coconut Beach resort at a venue that was the same as the one Shelley and I went to in 2003 when we were in our twenties. It was the first luau either of us had ever attended. We had a great and memorable time at it.
In the end I chose the Smith Family Garden Luau. The reviews for it were consistently good despite it being a bit less expensive and meant for larger crowds. It is at the Fern Grotto area along the Wailua River which is a scenic area. And they cook the kalua pork in a true underground imu. Some of the others just provide the cooked pork from indoor kitchens.
We arrived and walked over to an area surrounding the imu pit where we were welcomed. There was a large crowd around the imu and I didn’t get any photos of the imu ceremony, although it was done in a traditional manner.
The host of the luau introduced himself and explained how the Smith family had for many generations run the luau that we were now going to experience. They explained why they were Smiths and didn’t have a Hawaiian name. Ultimately they provide probably the most genuine luau on Kauai.
Once the imu ceremony ended we entered the very crowded dining area. It was at this point, as we searched for seating at at table, that I began to have doubts about my decision. We usually prefer smaller groups and a more relaxed environment. This was a much bigger event.
After getting seated and with cocktails in hand, we began to get more comfortable. We chatted with other families and told our individual stories of our times in Kauai. We told them that two decades ago Shelley and I had come to Kauai while still dating, and now we had returned with our kids.
We got our plates of kalua pork and more drinks and and as many desserts as we wanted. Evan volunteered for the hula lesson and did a great job.
During a bathroom run Evan encountered some feral pigs outside and ran back to tell us to come with us to see the pigs. We wandered outside and sure enough, some feral pigs were lurking by some back buildings.
We met a native woman near the pigs and she told us about her own experience owning a pig as a pet. As expected the pig grew very large and she sadly had to let it go.
I had never realized how many feral pigs were in Kauai or just how much they were a part of life there. Certainly though, I enjoyed the kalua pork for dinner.
After our conversation we walked quickly over to the amphitheater for the show. The show told the story of the discovery of Hawaii and other Polynesian Islands, of Pele, and featured numerous hula dances and a fire dancer.
Overall, the reviews for the show are mixed but I think it was a good show and we enjoyed it. Yes, this is a family show and the performers are not professionally trained. But they do give it their best and clearly love what they are doing.
Every luau is different and I don’t think you can go to Hawaii and not go to a luau. I’m glad we went to one and next time we are in Hawaii we’ll go to another one.
A 50th birthday is a pretty big milestone. And mine was coming up.
I usually don’t feel like my birthday is a big deal, but turning 50 is different. It’s the big transition from the youthful decades to the second half of life (though nobody expects to live to 100).
Despite that milestone, as a family we’ve also gone through a lot of ups and downs over the past couple years. Every few weeks a new challenge would emerge and so would the stress. It felt like a gauntlet and I longed to return to the simpler days of the past.
So with that in mind, it was hard at first to consider doing too much for my 50th. A roadtrip perhaps. Or maybe nothing at all but a few days of rest at home.
But early in 2025 I began to think about it more. I longed to go someone warm. Beaches, tropical weather. I thought about Belize, a place I went in 2002 when I was 26 and enjoyed as an adventure. I thought of the Yucatan in Mexico, and places father afield. It couldn’t be too complicated or be a place we were likely to visit on a subsequent trip in the next couple years. And it had to be a place that would be relaxing and fun.
And then I made up my mind. It was time to go back to Kauai.
My wife and I went when we were still dating in 2003. We were young and still figuring things out. We were adventurous and care free. We saw and did a lot on Kauai with a couple additional days on the Big Island. But we left a lot unseen and undone, never expecting that by 2025 we would still not have returned.
I viewed it as an opportunity for all of us to take one last family vacation. My eldest Daniel is 19 and in college. His only visit to Hawaii came in 2007 on a trip to Maui (our last visit to Hawaii). He was 11 months old at the time and had no memory of the experience.
My youngest had never been to Hawaii at all.
We were now a family of two aging parents and kids growing into adults, and I felt like we could all go to Hawaii as a family. The kids would get to experience it for the first time and we’d get to go back to a place we last experienced as two unsure about the direction of life twenty-somethings.
After we made our initial plans to go just to Kauai, we began to think a little more about extending our trip to include Oahu. Our flight back already had a connection in Oahu and only I had ever been to Oahu, when I was 13. The family wanted to visit Pearl Harbor and my wife and I found a number of additional things that we wanted to do in Oahu as well, including a UTV ride.
After some planning that removed any moments of relation from the trip, we had built out a fun eight day adventure for Hawaii. Evan would miss a couple days of school and my eldest would miss some class time, but we’d hit all the major stuff that we really wanted to see and do without feeling like we had any real regrets about what we didn’t do.
Hawaii is expensive and not a place we can travel to often, so we might as well do as much as we can within those eight days.
Day 1: Flight to Kauai
We are lucky to live near a major city with a major hub airport. We have a lot of direct flights that a lot of other places don’t. Denver International is a massive airport and not a relaxing experience, but it does offer a lot of direct flights.
We had a direct flight to Lihue leaving at noon. Easy. No getting up really early in the morning. No ending the work day and frantically packing everyone up and rushing to the airport.
We were all seated together in extra legroom seats and our seat backs had entertainment screens. The flight was an extra hour long though and for whatever reason United Airlines seems to have cut back on the beverage service. My wife and I might have ordered a mai tai, but instead they offered only a tiny cup of soda after seven hours in the air and never came by at any time between the lunch service at the beginning of the flight. Their loss.
Lihue, Kauai
Once we arrived we were met by the warm, humid air of Hawaii and all of the lush green foliage. And the hot sun. And a blue ocean in the distance just outside. That’s what we came for.
The tiny airport took only minutes to exit, but we had to rush onto the shuttle for the rental cars as a horde of people who arrived after us made it clear they were not willing to wait their turn.
Once we got our rental car we stuffed it with our luggage (we were honestly overpacked), and started on the ultra slow road to Poipu.
It was at this point that my eldest got cantankerous and irritable. For whatever reason he decided to pick a fight with my youngest in the back seat over nothing and I eventually lost my temper as well. This is my birthday trip. Shut up and get along.
After an hour of slowly proceeding through rush hour traffic in a place with only 60,000 or so people, we got through it and drove the rest of the way to Poipu.
Poipu
Early on in my planning I had decided that I wanted to split our time on Kauai between and south and north shore. I decided upon Poipu because of the popular beach which I wanted to be able to easily visit without a drive.
We found the Castle Kiahuna Plantation where we had reserved our VRBO and lugged our stuff inside. Once sort of settled, Shelley and Evan went to pick up a Walmart order back in Lihue (fortunately the traffic was clear on the return trip) while Daniel and I unpacked and tried to figure out a plan for dinner.
Daniel pulled out his laptop to work on a school project (still seemingly annoyed by the earlier argument and acting as though he regretted coming) so I stepped outside to find the beach. It was right outside at the edge of the condo complex. It was sunset and I took my first photo of the trip from Kauai.
I walked back into the townhome and decided that with darkness setting in we would be best off just getting Kenji Burger to go from Lihue, where Shelley and Evan were getting the Walmart order. When I relayed that info to Shelley she was unhappy, as she wanted something ore after a long flight. I just couldn’t find very much nearby and with it being dark I didn’t have a good sense of what was good (and not outrageously expensive).
They returned with all of our groceries for the next several days (which would save us time and money on many breakfasts) and the Kenji burgers. Once everyone was fed and able to relax the mood improved. Still, I wasn’t feeling that great after the grumbling and decided that it was best to just call it a night. We were, after all, four hours ahead of the local time zone and had no time to adjust.
Day 2: Poipu and Waimea Canyon
I struggled to sleep past 3AM. Eventually at 4AM I gave up.
I wanted to get outside and explore and despite it being dark, I did just that. Outside a cat greeted me, and then I almost stepped on a huge frog.
I wanted to find the path from the condos to Poipu Beach (which isn’t a straight walk on the shoreline due to the terrain), and found the passage in the darkness. It led to a cement walkway past a hotel and to the surf and sand.
I trudged onto the sand with my phone flashlight on and two little kids ran past in the dark on the beach. That was strange, but I guess it’s safe. I walked onward and found the crescent arc of Poipu Beach Park, but no turtles were visible to me (I was on the wrong end and couldn’t see them in the darkness). Still I had at least found the beach access way.
Returning to the townhome I found Shelley was awake and was eager to go visit the beach at sunrise. I told her about the passageway to Poipu Beach and we went together back to where I had been only moments before. This time we found the turtles.
Poipu Beach Sea Turtles at Sunrise
We enjoyed watching the turtles slowly inch their way back into the surf. I had been hoping to see the turtles which frequent Poipu Beach and we had found them early the first full day of our trip.
We stopped off for coffee and bought some Hawaiian bread across the street from the park, then walked back to the townhome where Daniel and Evan were still sleeping. Along the way we found this enormous snail on the pathway.
Reentering the townhouse, we found Evan wake and told him about our discoveries. He was eager to see them too so I took him to Poipu Beach (my third trip that morning).
We not only saw the sanil and the turtles but we found a couple sea cucumbers stranded on the shoreline. Evan and I gently push them back to the surf where they hopefully survived. We were proud of ourselves for rescuing the sea cucumbers.
After returning again to the townhouse, we fund everyone awake and I finally got a chance to eat some breakfast. I stepped onto the patio where we could enjoy the surrounding tropical foliage, numerous birds, and the horde of beggar chickens.
The last time we were in Kauai there were a ton of feral chickens running around. In the twenty-two years since, that number has now seemingly increased. They are literally everywhere you go.
If you are not familiar with the story behind the chickens it dates back to 1992 and Hurricane Iniki. Apparently there were a lot of Asian workers living on the islands that raised a certain breed of fighting chickens. When the storm hit, the chickens were set free and thrived on the island.
Because they are fighting chickens the meat is tough and so no one catches them for food. They have no natural predators on the island. The chickens have become a part of Kauai’s identity and now show up on souvenirs like shirts and coffee mugs.
Once everyone had eaten breakfast we strated off for Waimea Canyon.
Waimea Canyon
Kauai is full of scenic wonders that are pretty much unmatched in the Pacific region. Among these sites is Waimea Canyon.
The drive up to Waimea Canyon is a pretty steep ascent from the coastline town of Waimea. Once at the top the first viewpoints off that breathtaking vista that makes it worthwhile.
Waimea Canyon is called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, and though it isn’t quite that deep, it’s still dramatic. We pulled off at a couple viewpoints, before finding that the main viewpoint area was closed. We proceeded on to the Pu’u’hinahina Lookout which wasn’t quite as impressive as the previous roadside viewpoints, but i did provide access to the trails.
Waimea Canyon Trail
It’s pretty rare that I take a hike and bring back no photos from the experience. But the Waimea Canyon Trail was one of those times.
The issue here was dense folliage and thick, sloppy mud. I couldn’t pull my camera or phone out for risk of getting it covered in mud. The first half mile down was reasonably passable, but after that the trail was a quagmire of wet mud.
Daniel and I traveled a full mile into it before we gave up. I was wearing old running shoes that provided almost no traction. After descending a couple hundred feet we had to go up a slope and I was sliding and slipping and holding onto branches and vines trying to stay upright. His hiking boots fared better but he was still covered in mud.
We hiked back up the trail, advising anyone without the proper shoes or clothing to not go much farther. Once back at the parking lot all four of us used a water spigot to try to clean ourselves up. My shoes were totaled and I pretty much decided that I would throw them away before the trip came to an end.
Kokee State Park
Since hiking wasn’t going to happen we continued on to Kokee Stat Park. Kokee State Park offers a view of the Na Pali Coast called the Kalalau Overlook. We parked and walked up to the overlook, our feet still wet from dousing them at the Canyon trailhead.
We also saw some of the light blue hydrangeas we had seen growing there in 2003. A our wedding a year later we had blue hydrangeas for decorative flowers.
Tired and hungry we decided to drive back down to find lunch. First we would stop in Waimea at a Big Save Mart, which a local woman at Waimea Canyon recommended for cheap flip flops (since we really couldn’t wear our shoes into any restaurant).
In Waimea we found the Big Save Mart and bought some flip flops, cleansing wipes, a couple cheap snorkel masks for the beach, and some pre-mixed mai tail and run punch cocktails to enjoy later that night at the townhouse.
After getting cleaned up be headed off to Koloa to enjoy a good sit down lunch.
Kauai Island Brewing Company
One of the things I love about Kauai is how rustic many of the towns are. Koloa is a great example of that. It’s a small, historic town on an island that feels like it could be in foreign country. There are no tall buildings on Kauai and everything in the rest of the world feels far away.
Our first impression of Kauai Island Brewing wasn’t all that great. We deicided to sit inside and were seated at a table in a busy passageway. But soon another family left and we asked if we could move into their more relaxed booth seat.
I don’t know why I didn’t take any photos of the food, but the appetizers were really standouts. We ordered calamari and poke. The calamari was huge (something we mainlanders can’t comprehend is possible) and the poke was so good I thought about ordering an appetizer for my entree.
I ordered a entree and honestly don’t remember what it was. I should have just ordered more poke and calamari. The beers were great too and much needed.
Poipu Beach
After returning to the the condo we changed into our swimming trunks and grabbed our snorkel gear before walking back to Poipu Beach (my fourth visit of the day). This time though I was going to get into the water.
While the sandy beach is great for lounging and turtle viewing and the water is warm, the undersea surface is a rocky, old coral surface. We didn’t bring water shoes and our feet got cut several times as we swam in the shallow bay.
Snorkeling at Poipu Beach
As the short video shows, there were plenty of fish to be seen, but we just weren’t ready with water shoes for the shallow.
Despite the cuts and scrapes, we took the snorkel gear back to the townhouse and went to the beach nearer to the complex: Kiahuna Beach. The beach was sandier here and easier to swim in, but there were still some rocky spots which hurt our feet. Nevertheless, we swamp for aout an hour in the surf.
I didn’t have any cameras with me which was unfortunate because a harbor seal swam right by us as we stood in the surf. It was pretty cool.
Puka Dog
To close out the day we walked over to Puka Dog to try out the incredibly popular hot dog spot in Poipu. We enjoyed them on the walk back to the townhouse where Shelley and I also poured ourselves some cocktails and relaxed on the porch.
After that, we had a big day ahead tomorrow and needed to get to bed to rested and ready.
I created a video telling the full story of our trip to Hawaii in October. I’ll be writing out the fuller travelogue in the coming days, but I enjoyed taking many of the short video clips and numerous photographs to put together this video.
We spent last week in Hawaii and visited both Kauai and Oahu. I’ll be posting about the trip soon. I just completed the first of the videos from the trip.
For two centuries (or at least since the French Revolution) political systems have been artificially placed on a linear Left-Right political measuring stick. On the Left side of this political line are what are generally considered ‘liberal’ forms of government, and on the right are what is considered ‘conservative’ forms of government. Political parties such as the American Democratic and Republican parties are placed on this linear spectrum, as are various forms of government (communist, socialist, theocratic, etc), and even media publications.
Plotting political parties and political systems on this linear spectrum needs to stop, however. The linear spectrum fails to adequately account for the many similarities between systems of government that are at supposedly polar opposite ends of the spectrums (for instance placing communism on the far left and fascism on the far right), and the stark contrasts between others that are plotted nearby (liberal socialism vs totalitarian communism). The failures of this system of political modeling are obvious and a new model needs to be promoted as a replacement.
My replacement system plots political systems on a grid based on two primary measures of freedom: social freedom and economic freedom. Social freedoms encompass everything from freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and the absence of laws and codes that restrict personal behavior. Economic freedoms encompass the freedom to own property, acquire wealth, establish businesses and business relationships, lower taxation, and the ability to operate freely from regulatory and financial controls.
The Quadrants
Using the freedoms model to chart political systems four quadrants emerge: Socialist, Libertarian, Totalitarian (or authoritarianism), and Theocratic.
The Socialist quadrant is marked by systems of government with a high degree of social freedom but lower levels of economic freedom. Within this quadrant governments would apply few restrictions on speech, personal expression, and few or no moral codes. Conversely, these governments often utilize higher rates of taxation to generate revenue for social programs, inhibiting personal wealth growth and economic freedom. Classic European socialism would fit into this quadrant, varying from Greece to Scandinavia.
The Libertarian quadrant is marked by a high degree of both social and economic freedom. Libertarian governments are marked by few laws or regulations that inhibit personal thought or expression, and do not advance religious or moral codes. Low taxation and limited business regulations allow individual and corporate wealth building.
At the Libertarian extreme, however, is the complete absence of government rules that inhibit society: anarchy.
The Totalitarian quadrant is marked by very limited social and economic freedom. Individual thought and expression is regulated with the potential for incarceration or ostracism for deviation from what the government considers acceptable.
Economic freedom is inhibited to enforce a collectivist ideology either through high taxation or outright banning of private property. Even if private property is allowed, the government can often seize it without recompense, leading to little economic security,
Finally theocracies are marked by limited social freedom, but varying degrees of economic freedom. Often there are social or religious codes that are strictly enforced and which may lead to severe criminal penalties. In contrast, individuals may be able to build personal wealth through investments and business relationships. Saudi Arabia and Iran are two examples of theocratic governments.
Nazism and Soviet Communism in the Same Quadrant
On the traditional political spectrum Nazism (or extremist fascism) and Soviet Communism are at opposite ends, but in this model they are in the same Totalitarian quadrant. Soviet communism banned personal property beyond simple homes and personal possessions and limited freedom of speech, assembly, etc with the threat of incarceration.
In Nazi Germany, personal property rights were retained, but only as long as the government chose not to seize them. Businesses were tightly controlled by the government. Personal freedoms were severely restricted too, often with the threat of incarceration or death for opposition to the government.
In Totalitarianism a single party controls the government.
Modern Chinese Communism now straddles the line between economically free and restricted by totalitarianism. As the country has evolved from the Maoist state, personal wealth building is now allowed and encouraged. Many of the world’s billionaires are now Chinese. Still, the country remains socially restrictive and utilizes censorship and the threat of incarceration to control the population. A single party controls the government.
Even in democratic societies aspects of totalitarianism have begun to emerge in the past decade. Proponents of wealth taxes and restrictive regulatory laws are gaining popular approval. Likewise, socially restrictive controls that regulate speech to “accepted” norms have been utilized by governments, particularly online. Cancel-culture and even the threat of violence is advanced by this ideology to ensure adherence to social norms.
Modern American Political Parties
Traditionally, the American Republican party promotes lower taxation and fewer business regulations, and is therefore more economically free. Democratic initiatives to raise taxes in support of social safety nets result in lesser opportunities to build individual wealth and less economic freedom.
As for social freedoms, in past decades the Republican party promoted moral codes that made it less socially free than the Democratic party.
It must be noted, however, that the modern Democratic party has embraced more socially restrictive policies as traditional Democrats are replaced by younger, more extremist members who adhere to Democratic Socialist beliefs.
The modern Republican party is drifting toward Libertarianism as the religious right has been replaced by Tea Party and Trump Republicans with lesser concern for religious and moral standards, but adhering to a strong, anti-tax, pro-business ethos.
The Libertarian Party exists in the Libertarian quadrant where both social freedoms and economic freedoms are guaranteed from interference from government. This quadrant would also represent the original vision of American democracy as envisioned by the Founding Fathers.
The Anarchist Extreme
Interestingly, Somalia represents a failed state where the government exerts little to no control over the populace. People are free to earn wealth using any manner, even piracy, without fear of government interference. At the same time this anarchy requires that individuals protect themselves and with no societal structures to ensure public safety lives are markedly more dangerous than in less ‘free’ societies.
When autumn arrives in Colorado, we love to visit the high country to enjoy the vibrant colors that light up the mountain sides. One of the best places to enjoy the leaves of gold is Rocky Mountain National Park.
My 19-year-old, college student son Daniel and I spent the prior night in Estes Park, right outside Rocky Mountain. I had planned out the trip in advance and got Bear Lake Road reservations on August 1st, the moment the reservations become available for dates in September (they are gone within minutes for weekends in the summer and fall). We stopped briefly to get some gas and a quick bite of fast food breakfast, then entered the park at first morning’s light.
After passing the checkpoint to verify our access reservations we drove up to the parking area near the Glacier Gorge trailhead (which leads to Sky Pond), but unsurprisingly the small parking area was already full. We then continued onward to the much larger Bear Lake parking lot further up the road and found it was already completely full as well. We were far from the only early morning hikers ready to enjoy the fall colors.
On the drive up I saw a small parking area just below Glacier Gorge and told my son to drive back down to it, hoping that there would still be a place left there while cars passed us heading up to the full lots above. Sure enough, there was a spot left for us at this little parking area about 3/4 miles below the trailhead. A little extra hiking wouldn’t hurt us a bit.
We started down the trail and made fairly good time as we passed by Alberta Falls in the first mile, then The Loch at about 3 miles, the first of the lakes along the way to Sky Pond.
The trail passed alongside The Loch and after another mile we arrived at the point where the trail becomes a bit more challenging. You must climb a small cliff alongside Timberline Falls with cold water tumbling onto the rocks along the way. We made it fairly easily to the top of the cliff where we were rewarded with the sight of The Lake of Glass.
Many hikers mistake the smaller Lake of Glass for Sky Pond, but the trail continues onward past some boulders that obscure the path at the outset. Following alongside the Lake of Glass we ascended a bit further to arrive at Sky Pond.
With the jagged Shark’s Tooth piercing the sky above the lake, we knew we had arrived. Years before, when he was a seventh grader, we had tried the very same hike but had been turned back at deep snow at Timberline Falls. This time, at the right time of year, we had succeeded and could cross this bucket list Colorado hike off our list.
On the hike back we saw some pika hiding amid the rocks and some trout swimming casually in the Loch. The weather was pleasantly warm and and we would be well ahead of any afternoon rain that might move in.
It was a pretty easy-going hike for the both of us, and a good way to usher in the fall.
Last weekend we went for a camping trip at Red Feather Lakes in northern Colorado. Red Feather Lakes is about an hour west of Fort Collins and 20 miles south of the Wyoming border.
I booked this camping trip about two weeks before when I saw that there was a site available at the Dowdy Lake campground. I have long heard from fellow campers here in Colorado that it is a real gem and it didn’t disappoint.
The lake was beautiful and serene and our campsite was right next to the lake shore. Our goldendoodle Honey went right into the water for a swim and even surprised us by swimming after a duck in the lake.
Our tent was again absolutely worth the investment and made the experience more comfortable and fun. After getting set up at the camp site, we hiked around the lake on the shore trail and enjoyed cast-iron pizza and smores for dinner.
The next morning we ate a simple breakfast before heading out on a 7 mile hike to Mount Margaret. The trail and views were comparatively mediocre, but the dogs enjoyed running around freely with only a scattered few other people on the trail there and back.
Afterward we packed up to avoid a rain storm that was coming and headed home. We are planning to return next May for a longer stay. We’ll also be sure to bring the dogs!
I’ve updated the Wildlife of Wyoming photo gallery to include the many animals we saw in June in Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and the surrounding areas.
I did realize that at the moment we saw the Grizzly Bears we were actually in Montana, and they have been added to the Wildlife of Montana gallery :). The Beartooth Highway crosses between Montana and Wyoming on the scenic roadway between Yellowstone and Red Loge, Montana.
Our last day of the trip we had intentionally left fairly open as far as our itinerary. We had gone to the visitor center the day before and saw that there was a ranger-led hike at Taggart Lake on the southern end of the park at 9AM.
Since we had never been to Taggart Lake this seemed like a good activity for the morning. The ranger-led portion was just to the lakeside for about 2 miles. Then we could continue on our own to complete a 4 mile loop back to the trailhead.
Instead of the usual cereal and protein shakes in our cabin, we decided to have a hot breakfast at John Colter’s Ranch House. It was a nice change of pace on a less busy day. Yes, we save quite a bit of time and money by not dining out every meal, but sometimes it’s good to have pancakes, eggs, and bacon.
Taggart Lake
It was about a 45 minute drive from Colter Bay to the Taggart Lake trailhead (with another stop for air in my right-front tire). Once we arrived we waited for the ranger to appear along with the rest of our group then started the guided hike.
It was a bit windier and chillier early in the day as a cold front began to move into the area. That was ok though, it was still a very nice day and we had just gotten really lucky to have such ideal weather the whole trip.
As we made our way along the route the ranger would ask questions of the group. We answered most of them. And he had no qualms about letting us answer them all :).
We’ve been teaching our youngest to not feel embarrassed about ‘showing off’ his knowledge and intelligence. Some kids at school made him feel awkward in science and other class for being a nerd or know-it-all. Let them feel stupid all day long.
So we answered the name of the plant with the yellow flower as ‘arrowhead balsamroot’, that grizzlies love to eat moths, and every other assorted question the ranger had. We also walked into the forest off trail with the permission of the ranger to remind us to take time to let our senses appreciate nature free of all the noise and distractions of life.
As we continued from the lake shore around the loop we saw plenty of vistas of the Tetons, wildflowers, and butterflies, but no significant wildlife.
The Taggart Lake area leads upward to many more trails that I might try in the future such as Delta Lake.
Jackson Hole
I know the town is called Jackson, but everyone calls it Jackson Hole. Which sounds cooler.
We decided to have lunch in JH since we were fairly close to the south entrance and hadn’t been in JH since 2010. Back then we stayed in Jackson, which I realized was pretty distant from the park’s main areas and a bit unsatisfying if you want to enjoy the park.
Jackson has changed a lot in the past couple decades with all the billionaires moving in. We drove past the city park with the elk antler arches (which are pretty cool) and parked on a side street.
We decided to eat at the Merry Piglets because we wanted Mexican food. I had heard of the Merry Piglets because of a famous, recent missing person, murder case that ended in the Tetons not long ago. But regardless of that sad notoriety, we just wanted some burritos.
My food was lukewarm when served, and Shelley’s and Evan’s was almost cold. We sent their food back. I was too hungry to stop and think that my food should have been warmer. They got their remade dishes, which were correctly piping hot. But overall, I can’t really recommend it.
After eating we drove back north into the park and along the way we saw a bison herd. Plenty of junior bison as well.
That was pretty cool and made up for a lackluster lunch.
Colter Bay
We drove back into Colter Bay and parked at our cabin. We wanted to go to the two-mile loop trail that leads to a peninsula off of Colter Bay and afterward we could visit the gift shops one last time.
Shelley and Evan had hiked this trail the day before and were able to point out many things along the way, such as the bear claw marks on a tree (a warning to other bears) and some frogs lurking the mud near the Jackson Lake waterline.
Wile we were hiking back a few people told us a black bear was just seen crossing the path where we were walking. But unfortunately, we missed it.
We walked over to the general store to get some ice cream and met an unusually unfriendly, odd looking guy behind the counter. Almost all the staff we met working at the resorts were nice. This guy was not. Oh well.
We stopped at the visitor center and while inside we heard that the juvenile grizzly had just run past the marina. We stepped outside and there was a crowd there, as well as some rangers at the far end of the marina path. The grizzly was in the woods and the rangers seemed to want it to continue going in that direction.
Well, I had seen bears 6 days of the trip, but so far had struck out today.
We returned to the cabin to start packing up in preparation for departure the next day. We rested a bit, then at dinner time made our way over to the Ranch House again for dinner. It was good and we like it. As far as national park eateries go it’s a good place.
Day 9: Tetons and Wyoming
The next morning I got up early to do the morning hike around the loop trail, hoping to see some wildlife along the way. It was a very chilly 30F degrees and other than the random squirrel or bird in the dim light, the animals were not out and about.
I finished reloading the truck and walked to get some coffees at the coffee shop in Colter Bay. It’s always nice to start a drive with some good coffee. And it helped warm my hands after the biting chill of the hike. The weather had certainly changed overnight.
We left Colter Bay and made one last stop at a pullout before exiting the park.
We’d had a great trip and enjoyed ourselves. But we could still stop along the way at anywhere that looked interesting.
As we were ascending Highway 287 to cross the continental dive, it started to snow. June can still be winter in northern Wyoming.
As we made our way back down toward Dubois, Wyoming the temperatures increased and we were back in summertime.
Entering Dubois we saw a sign for the National Museum of Military Vehicles. Sure. Why not?
The National Museum of Military Vehicles
This museum blew us away. We were thinking we would have an hour stop and peruse the museum like most any other. Instead, after two hours we still weren’t done.
The museum is absolutely huge and full of historical military vehicles, rifles, and everything else related to American military history. It is laid our in chronological order and delves into the experiences of war at places like The Battle of the Bulge in WWII, in Korea, and Vietnam.
Included in the exhibits are German, Soviet, Japanese, and Chinese equipment from the various theaters of war. It was fascinating to see and we wondered how this immense, impressive museum had remained under the radar since it apparently opened in 2020.
Whatever the reason, this museum is a definite stop to make in Dubois, Wyoming.
I will be make a video of the museum and will be posting it here when it is ready.
After the museum we were pretty far behind schedule and needed to make up some time on the drive back.
We tried to get coffee again at the Buffalo Bean in Casper, but it had close for the day by the time we arrived. We had to settle for coffee at the travel center down the road (not as good but decent).
Final Thoughts
We really enjoyed this trip overall, and it was a good change of pace back to a roadtrip after several years of plane travel. I was also glad that we gave ourselves a few more days and this made it a bit more relaxing, allowed us to see and do more, and never feel rushed.
I always have a number of goals for a trip and this trip really met and exceeded in everything we hoped to accomplish. We saw more wildlife than I could have hoped for and all the major ones (bears, moose, wolves, etc). We completed all the hikes that we had planned out. We used our new cooler and hiking equipment to save time and money and to improve our overall experience. We got great photographs and video footage. We did fun activities and still left some places and activities for future visits.
I don’t know when we will be back, but it won’t be six full years again. These parks are only 1-2 days away and I’d be curious to visit in the fall even if visitor services are starting to close for the season. I’d definitely return in June though.
I woke up at 5:30 AM to eat a quick breakfast in the cabin and gather up my backpack and gear for the Lake Solitude hike. Shelley and Evan had a couple more hours to sleep before they were to meet the ranger by the Colter Bay visitor center for their 2 hour hike.
I stopped off quickly at the Colter Bay service station for yet more air for my tire, then drove south toward Jenny Lake, hoping to be on the 7AM ferry boat across the lake.
As I was approaching the Jackson Lake Dam, two grizzlies ran across the road right in front of my truck and into the brush on the side of the road. I stopped and grabbed my camera, hearing them rustling in the bushes.
I saw them briefly once more from behind before they took off into the dense brush where I couldn’t see them any longer. I waited a few minutes longer before deciding to drive on. And called Shelley to tell her about the grizzlies.
Jenny Lake
Once I arrived at the Jenny Lake visitor center parking area I found it was already half full of cars. I parked fairly close to the ferry boat entrance and then got in the line. I wouldn’t be on the 7AM ferry, but did make it onto the 7:30 ferry.
Crossing Jenny Lake on the ferry boat
Technically, you don’t need to take the ferry to access the Cascade Canyon trailhead that leads to Lake Solitude, but it will cut 2.5 miles off the trip in either direction. However, if you want an earlier start you should skip the ferry and just add the extra miles to your hike.
The Cascade Canyon Trail to Lake Solitude
Arriving at the boat dock for Cascade Canyon I was in a familiar place. We’d started this trail twice before in 2010 and 2019. In 2010 my eldest son was soon to be four-year-old and it was literally snowing on the boat ride over Jenny Lake, so we went no farther than Inspiration Point (but saw a cool moose there).
In 2019 my eldest son and I made it halfway down the Cascade Canyon trail when he was 12 going on 13. We had a nice hike and saw a moose cow and calf, but he was pretty tired after that distance and so we cut the hike short.
In planning this trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton I was pretty much dead set on making this hike all the way to Lake Solitude, short of a monumental blizzard. I had already heard the trail reports of a lot of snow along the route higher up, but I was mentally prepared for it.
The first several miles were a breeze. Beautiful weather, beautiful scenery. A few miles beyond Inspiration Point the trail somewhat levels out too, making it a fairly easy-going hike. There was a cool marmot, Hidden Falls was rushing, and I was making good time.
Then there was a big gust of wind and the skies began to darken. To save weight in my backpack (due to my already tired back), I made a really stupid decision not to pack my rain jacket. I pretty much bought it just for this hike. But there was no rain in the forecast. But that forecast wasn’t for this high up.
Oh well. Let it rain. I won’t stop. At least not yet.
There was a moose cow and calf on the trail. I’ve been on this trail three times and every time I’ve seen moose. And it added to the baby animal list for the trip!
I was actually getting pretty wet the further I went, and stopped under several conifers to eat and wait out the rain a little. I was getting a tad dejected, believing that the rain would only worsen and inevitably force me to turn back.
But despite the rain, I was pretty determined to continue as long and as far as I could. Thus far I had encountered no snow, and when I got to the trail junction that leads to Lake Solitude, I pressed onward passing several hikers that were turning back at that point.
Then…hallelujah! The rain ceased and the clouds began to part. I began to smile with a feeling of redemption. I might make it all the way after all. No matter if my long sleeve t-shirt was soaked.
The next several miles were some of the most beautiful hiking miles I’ve ever done. Up there with Glacier for sure.
I could turn 360 degrees around and see astounding beauty in every direction (watch the video linked above).
Not long after that, however, I started to hit the snow fields. At first they were just stretches of hard snow across the trail. Then they grew longer and deeper. They hid the trail entirely. And they were exhausting.
Several hikers ahead and behind me began to turn around. This was slow, hard trudging. I thought about turning around too. But then what? I needed to finish this.
I finally came to a little sign half buried in the snow that said “Lake Solitude 200 Yards”. I could make it another 200 yards uphill in the snow.
A long stretch of snow surrounded the mostly frozen-over Lake Solitude. But I carefully approached the shoreline and felt the mountain lake waters in my hand. Bucket list hike achieved.
This felt good. The whole trip felt good. This hike was important to me and really capped what I felt was a very memorable and successful trip. I needed to make this hike and I had done it.
The hike back, going downhill in the snow, was much easier. Once I passed the last snowbank I could relax and just amble down the trail, offering advice to others hoping to make it to Lake Solitude. Yes, you can do it.. But it’s not easy.
When I got back to the boat dock I found a line of people stretching quite a ways up the hill. There was an hour and a half wait to board the ferry. Really?
My back was really killing me and I could barely tolerate the pain of just standing in a long line. I talked to fellow travelers who had no idea just how far I had hiked and had been content to just see Inspiration Point.
At one point a black bear appeared near the trail and many of us left the line briefly to see if we could see it. I saw it, just for a moment. Not long enough to photograph it.
I debated leaving the line and hiking around the lake. Many did. But the longer we waited, the more it felt like a huge waste of time to have been in it. I went from hiking 14.5 miles through snow, to now standing in an amusement park line.
Finally, I got my turn, boarded the ferry and sank onto the seat. Ah, relief at last for my back. Once back at the opposite shore I trudged back to my truck, set my backpack on the opposite seat, and called Shelley. I was on my way back to Colter Bay.
Colter Bay
Once back at Colter Bay I was happy to see Shelley and Evan and hear about their ranger-led hike. They would take me on the trail tomorrow to see the bear claw marks and frogs and other fun sights they had seen on Colter Bay’s loop trail.
What we all were was hungry, tired, and ready to celebrate. So we went to Colter Bay’s main restaurant. A place we had eaten at before in 2017 and 2019: John Colter’s Ranch House.
We had a nice waitress from Kentucky and again I thought of my eldest son who is 18 going on 19. Wouldn’t it be cool for him to work in the parks next summer? The staff looked happy and they were all his age. I wish I had done that when I was a college student.
After three beers and plenty of food we walked back to our cabin to crash for the night. I really was pretty tired. I needed a good night of rest now. And I was glad we still had one more full day to enjoy before heading home.
