Goal: Larimer County Passport Program

Another goal we started as part of homeschool and just general awesomeness is the Larimer County Passport Program. We picked up some "passports" from the county which give instructions for taking certain hikes around the area. At each of these hikes there is a post with a plaque. You use a crayon or pencil to make a rubbing of the plaque onto your passport to prove you actually went there. Once you have completed all the hikes, you turn in the completed passport to receive prizes and be entered into drawings for grand prizes. We each already have 4 of the 16 stamps in our passport. We can probably finish them in the next week or so. The ones we have done are:

Audra Culver: Part of Horsetooth Mountain Open Space. Audra Culver is an alternative route to Horsetooth Rock. It's really pretty, and I can't believe I've never previously hiked that trail. Certainly less crowded than the Horsetooth Rock trail.

Soderberg: This one was only abut 100 feet up the trail. Nice and easy to get the stamp on our way past.

Fossil Creek Reservoir: I've been to Fossil Creek Park before, but I guess I didn't even realize Fossil Creek Reservoir existed. It's a really beautiful area FULL of birds and other wildlife. We saw two snakes... TWO! We were only there about 30 minutes and nearly stepped on a 2.5 foot bull snake followed by a Gray Racer. The bull snake startled me and caused me to take a big twirling leap. I thought for sure I was about to be a snack for a rattler. So happy to find upon further examination that it was just a cute little bull snake. We took two different trails at the reservoir where we got two different stamps. One was a little farther than the other, but neither very difficult. It was a hot day though and there was a very "snakey" feeling in the air that made us feel happy to see the snakes, but also happy to be getting back in the car.

Looking forward to finishing the passport!