Silver Jack

While in Utah, we were sure we were going to come home and forget our plans for one last camping trip before summer was over. But the mountains were calling, and we decided we really did want to get the camper out one last time.  It was a beautiful couple of days and we headed to a gorgeous location in the San Juan moutains, called Silver Jack reservoir.  The water was very very low this year, so the kids loved playing in the mud flats, and little streams.  Incidentally the mud was very thick and took us ages to get everyone cleaned up after the fun was over.  I could have sat there all day looking at the beautiful backdrop.

And when the evening approached the scenery got even better. 

 Dave brought fishing equiptment for the kids and he, and they spent most mornings and evenings trying to catch a few little fish.  They didn't have much success, but did manage to catch a couple of small trout one morning, that we cooked up for lunch.  The kids all eat fish, but are more used to tilapia or salmon, and found the trout a little to strong for their taste buds.  There faces were so funny.

We took a long hike one day up the middle fork of the cimmaron river.  It was not an easy hike, but it was so gorgeous.  After folowing the river for a while we started going up a bunch of steep switch backs that eventually brought us to above the tree line and more gorgeous views.

This orange creek greeted us as we approached the trail.  I wonder was causes the rocks to turn orange like that?

There were waterfalls, and beautiful peaks surrounding us, and it seemed like around every bend there was another view you just wanted to take in a for a few minutes.  Luckily we had a to catch our breath every few minutes too.

This was a huge waterfall, and we finally got a view of it, after hearing it for sometime.  it was breathtaking.

Going off the trail a few times to explore around the water made for fun times with the kids.It was pretty rugged, and the stram crossings were not easy.

We found this cabin just below tree line on the hike.  It looks like something people still use possibly.  The setting was perfect place for lunch.

Maren, Dave, and Jacob continued up a little further to get some views, and while up there Maren dropped her phone.  She didn't realize it for a while, and then had to retrace her steps to find it.  Luckily Dave found it, and she was very happy.  Mostly because she had taken a lot of photos she didn't want to loose.  She loves hiking.

Back at the campsite we enjoyed a few more days of hanging around...literally!

We did one more short hike before heading home the last day.  It was to a lake that is known to have a lot of fish.  We got there too late in the morning to make fishing worth it, but it was fun to explore.

I love these times I have with my kids.  It is nice to not have all the things from home that distract and take our time.  I love that my kids will have these memories of beautiful places, hard hikes that stretch them, and fun evenings playing games and chilling in the hammocks in the fresh mountain air.