Colorado – July 2019 – Irish Canyon

From Vaughan Lake we traveled to Irish Canyon, Colorado.

A sign near the entrance to Irish Canyon, Colorado. iPhone photo.

Near the canyon entrance are boulders with early Native American (Fremont) petroglyph etchings.

Native American Petroglyphs in Irish Canyon. iPhone photo.

These iPhone photos of the petroglyphs have been edited more heavily than normal to bring out the petroglyphs, which are faint in the unedited images, so the colors are enhanced beyond what one might see in bright sun light.

Native American petroglyphs in Irish Canyon. iPhone photo.
Native American petroglyphs in Irish Canyon. iPhone photo.

This area is on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) public land.  There is a nice campground just a short distance into the canyon.  There is a typical, but well maintained, pit toilet in the campground.  There is no water available, but there was at least one trash can near the pit toilet.

An informational sign at the Irish Canyon campground. iPhone photo.
Irish Canyon Campground. iPhone photo.

When we arrived, there was only one other camper in the camping spot most removed from the roadway and a couple of motorcycle riders in the front most campsite.  We drove through the campground and picked the most level looking of the remaining campsites.

We walked around and talked to the motorcyclists, who were retired uranium miners from Wyoming.  It turned out that they were just taking a break in the campsite, so when they moved on, we moved into that campsite, since it was more level than the others and had a picnic table with better shade (and it was a warm day).

Campsite in Irish Canyon. iPhone photo.

There was not enough shade in which to park the Sportsmobile, but it was a breezy day, so leaving the vehicle open helped keep the temperature from getting excessively high inside.

Irish Canyon Campsite. iPhone photo.

The setting of the campsite provided very good scenery and we walked around to scout possible photographic compositions for sunset and/or sunrise.

Irish Canyon Roadway at Irish Canyon Campground. iPhone photo.

The roadway in the canyon could be used as a leading line.

Irish Canyon scene. iPhone photo.

This old dead tree might be a suitable foreground for a sunset photo.

Irish Canyon scene. iPhone photo.

This big boulder might be useful as foreground in a composition, but it was right at the edge of the trees and slope near the canyon wall, so it might be difficult to get a clean composition here.

Irish Canyon Campsite in late evening. iPhone photo courtesy of Sean Kemp – WildOpenLandscapes.com

That’s all for now,

Ken

 

 

6 thoughts on “Colorado – July 2019 – Irish Canyon”

    1. Thanks for the comment, Shutterpug. Yes, there is a bed in the “Penthouse”. With its almost 360 degrees view, softer mattress and lots of ventilation it is my favorite place to sleep. The bench seat below with a pad above the back storage space also converts into a bed, but it is a bit too firm for real comfort without adding some additional cushioning.

      1. OOPS! I think that was Rebecca’s question but I was wondering that too. I assumed so. You definitely need to be organized to travel that way! Looking forward to more of your adventures!

        1. Shutterpug, I would like to claim ESP, but it was really a mistake. I hit cancel as the reply was processing, when I noted my mistake. I actually thought that I was successful in the cancellation, until I just got your comment. Apparently the electrons moved from my computer over the internet at least a little faster than my lightning like reflexes on the computer mouse.

    2. Yes, Rebecca, there is a bed in the “Penthouse”. With its softer mattress than the one below, lots of ventilation and wide field of view, it is my favorite place to sleep.

    3. Sorry about the mistake in the initial reply. I hit cancel as soon as I noted the error, but I was slower than the electrons moving along the information highway.

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