While Maya and I have made many visits to Palmer Park, we hadn’t yet done any “real” hikes together until today. This morning, we hit Section 16 and the Palmer-Redrock Loop. This trail is one I stumbled upon during a business trip to Colorado Springs the summer before I moved here, and in some ways, I think that hike sealed the deal that I’d eventually move here (or at least somewhere not FLAT like Houston).

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Topo map of the trail — I start at the top right arrow, and make a complete counter-clockwise circle (roads connect the two trailheads).

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Here’s a description of the hike, except I do it from the right side to the left, opposite of the description here. This info covers from arrow to arrow — doesn’t include the linkup on the roads.

Trailhead — about a five-minute drive from my condo.

The pups enjoy some offleash time as we start on the first, relatively innocuous part of the trail. This won’t last for long.

Just look at the sorts of rock formations we pass. It’s a gorgeous, clear day, and it’s early enough that the (soon to become) oppressive heat hasn’t hit yet.

Within the first 10-15 minutes, Maya’s OUT. My theory is that I hiked enough while pregnant that she finds the movement calming now.

FINALLY, I can see blue sky above the hillside! By this point, we’ve gained more than 1000 feet in altitude over the space of 1.5 miles, and I’m dying.

After we hit the top of the first big climb, Little Miss decided to wake. She quickly learned how the Camelbak worked…sort of. She still hasn’t gotten that whole “sucking” think down (go figure), so for her to drink, I’d bend over and squeeze the mouthpiece just over her mouth. (Funny…I give the dogs water the same way!) After a sputtering false start, she got the hang of it, and learned that if she wanted water, she could just grab the hose, and I’d figure it out.

Flowers along the trail.

View to the east about halfway through the loop — that’s the city down below, giving you an idea of how high we climbed!

We reach Hunter’s Run, a small stream feeding into Bear Creek. The dogs are delighted to drink heavily (instead of waiting for me to Camelbak them), and I pray that they don’t encounter giardia.

View back down the trail over the stream bridge.

Hiking is such strenuous work, Maya decides to rest a little more. I keep plodding along — no rest for the wicked, you know.

More flowers along the trail — these grew in large patches. They’re actually the same flowers as I have in my garden, just much, much, smaller and more plentiful.

Ah, High Drive…we finally pass the higher trailhead and make our way along the road back to the car at the lower trailhead. The dogs are *definitely* leashed by now — day-trippers often zoom down this road after a drive in the mountains forgetting about us unsuspecting hikers!

Back at the Jeep, Maya’s just waking up again, and I’m HOT. Not only did I have a baby on the front of me, I had a Camelbak on the back of me…not a whole lot of breathing space! After this first (real) hike, I realize that a frame backpack is in my immediate future.

I turned on the car to hear the CD player pick up on Toby Lightman singing “Angels and Devils,” and laughed when I realized it’d been stuck in my head the entire hike… walk on, walk on, keep my feet movin’ on…walk on, walk on… How…appropriate, eh?

We wandered around town through the afternoon, and I picked up a pack from REI that actually has space built in for a hydration bladder. Even after all that naptime during the hike (and in the car while running errands), Maya STILL fell asleep in the frame backpack during a test-drive. Yeah, that passes the baby test.