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Passing Through Meeker
By PK | July 15, 2008
Meeker, Colorado is home to only 2200 people, but they have got to be some of the luckiest. I found Meeker not so meek. To me, it was quaint, with an old western feel. It is also close to the entrance to the western side of the Flat Top Wilderness Area and houses some of the best fishing, hunting, backpacking, horseback riding, rafting, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and hiking you’ll find in White River Valley where Meeker sits.
We traveled south on Hwy 13 out of Craig to reach Meeker, Colorado.
The scenery changes as you travel south into Meeker. The land is sandier, drier, rockier, and is not as mountainous. I think the rockier cliffs and edges are more interesting than a huge mountain with nothing but trees.
Did I mention hunting?? Meeker is an excellent place for hunting and is actually famous for deer and elk hunting. Check out the sign….
It says, “Visitor Hunter Information One Mile”. You know this is a serious place to do hunting with that sign.
One of the most unique buildings I seen in Meeker is the Meeker Hotel…
The Meeker Hotel was built in 1886 and is home to world-renowned trophies of non-typical elk and mule deer. Teddy Roosevelt was said to have stayed there a time or two. Wonder if he was hunting??? You can visit their website and see an interior shot of the hotel and read more.
The White River flows through Meeker just south of town. It is famous for its cutthroats, whitefish, bow fish, and rainbows. You can read more about fishing the White River here.
A little further south of Meeker we turned around and headed back. I was so excited I could hardly sit in the truck until he could pull off the road. I jumped out, camera in hand, and took these shots.
ONE, TWO, THREE
FOUR
FIVE
I had never seen five mule deer bucks together at one time. Well, okay, I’ve never seen a mule deer buck that big either. Dalton grabbed the binoculars while I took these photographs. He said the biggest one was a 5 x 5, according to western standards. Back east, they’d be a 10-point.
We continued heading south on Hwy 13 toward Rifle, Colorado. It was very hazy towards the mountains.
The mountains began to change drastically around Rifle. It was a part of Colorado I’d never seen, west of the Rockies. I can understand why the brave pioneers kept heading west as the land here is very arid.
We got on I-70 south of Rifle and headed west so we could pick up Hwy 65 south toward Grand Mesa.
These photos were taken along I-70.
When looking at the road atlas, these mountains aren’t even listed. I find that amazing and such an injustice because these rocky, craggy mountains are beautiful as they are unusual.
The Colorado River runs alongside I-70 making it’s journey toward Utah.
You go through one tunnel before exiting onto Hwy 65 south.
Next stop…Grand Mesa, Ouray, and the Uncompahgre National Forest including the mountains south of Ouray which some call ‘Little Switzerland’. These mountains and the roads we traveled had me literally in Dalton’s lap! An article you don’t want to miss…
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Topics: "Post Cards From the West", Colorado, Hiking, Camping, Fishing,, Wildlife and Hunting |
July 15th, 2008 at 9:01 am
[...] Passing Through Meeker [...]
July 15th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Great photos… I liked those.
Dave Kion
http://www.ezedir.com
July 16th, 2008 at 7:02 am
[...] Passing Through Meeker [...]
July 17th, 2008 at 4:42 am
Thanks Dave for visiting and glad you liked the photos. Come back and see the rest of this journey!
July 18th, 2008 at 10:44 am
[...] Passing Through Meeker [...]