This may be a great weekend to hit the mountains (go, Dave and Hunter, on the Grand Traverse!), but if you're hanging around town, grab a Fiver and head to Cheyenne Mountain State Park. There's 20 miles of trail. Here's a look at Sundance, which covers a few. We'll go back soon and share other mini travelogues.

Sorry, no photos of prairie dogs. Next time, I'll take Gaz camera and not just my point-and-shoot. As I noted in our Happy Trails of March 23, the trail is well-marked and there's interpretive stuff that's worth a pause.
You move through the prairie into oak thickets and then under and through these branches. I would have totally dug this as a kid. I was lovin' it even now.

If you go early int he morning you're more likely to see deer or fox or coyote and, in season elk and turkey. But even if you go now in the middle of the day there's plenty to see, such as these homes in a tree trunk.




Don't forget to look up!

And don't forget to look down beside the trail, too. The earliest flowers are just starting to bloom. I can't wait to see what springs up in coming weeks.

There are these great bones - perfect in keeping kids interested in the hike. I'm pretty sure they're near where the Sundance and Zoop Loop trails meet. Way cool.

Another reason to keep your eyes open - and occasionally to look down at the trail!

Check it out, have fun, and give us a shout with your trail reports. Oh, call before you go out there, too, cuz hours are still kinda spotty: 227-5250. To see an online trail map, click here.