Welcome to Rich's virtual trail run of Buttonrock Preserve!
Click on each thumbnail to see the full-size image.
The trail starts here, next to the North Saint Vrain Creek:
We start on a dirt road, behind a locked gate, and almost instantly we're treated to a waterfall over the Longmont Reservoir, and then the reservoir itself, which is usually bustling with fly-fishermen and colorful lines:
Then the trail breaks off from the dirt road and we climb to our first of two peaks... Along the way are Ponderosa Pine trees, with their characteristic long needles and yellow bark, that smell of vanilla or butterscotch all spring and summer:
Then we get to our first meadow, which looks like a scene from the cover of Runner's World:
And we continue to the next peak overlooking Ralph Price Reservoir:
Then we follow the old dirt access road to Hall Ranch down to the base and outlet of the Buttonrock Dam where the crashing waters are nearly deafening:
And then one last push up the side of the dam to Ralph Price Reservoir itself... The first picture is looking back down at the outlet of the dam:
And then a relaxing trip back down the dirt road to where we started... Later in the season, there is a gorge where the water is released from the top-side of Ralph Price Reservoir:
Finally, we are back to the car, where we meet the ranger who just got a new pomeranian-chiuaua puppy:
