September 7 - Bergen Peak so close to home

10 miles from our house there is an Open Space park where we did our first ever "hike" in Colorado. The boys were two years old and we walked approx. 1/2 mile into the meadow. It was very pretty and quite exciting. Since then, I have always loved the park and have returned there often. There is a great meadow loop and I have done it under all conditions. Dry, wet, icy and snowy. If one ventures a bit further along the trails one can climb pretty high above the valley below. During the week one of the boy's friends convinced us that a hike to the highest peak in the park is quite achievable. We wanted to do a hike with the kids so we decided to do it instead of attempting a 14er. We were on the trail by mid morning and spent the next three hours slogging to the top, almost 2000ft above the car park. We kept hearing the chant that "the view from the top is worth it". It really is worth it! One can see Denver and gaze over the plains to the east.(pic) Looking west are endless peaks.(pic) After completing the 10mile hike we treated ourselves to great milkshakes. We returned home exhausted and I was so pleased to drop into bed early.