Rollins Pass East
After doing most of the Moffat Tunnel Road we headed up Rollins Pass East. It was a Saturday, so there was traffic. We didn't see much on the way up, but we saw a lot on the way down. The weather was still fantastic on the way up, though, so the scenery was inspiring. We took time to check out the valley below us at every opportunity.
It's such a bumpy road, though, and sometimes it's not very fun. We were passed by someone on a bicycle, and then later we passed her. We drove slowly through the mud puddle, though we fondly remembered flying through it in the past.
We stopped for a break at the campsite parking area just before Jenny Creek so we could stretch our legs. It was starting to get cloudy but it didn't look like rain yet. We did Jenny Creek to get to Yankee Doodle Lake, and it rained on us there. It never really cleared up again.
There were lots of people near the top. A few were fishing at Yankee Doodle Lake, and it didn't have any ice on it. There was a bit of snow above the lake, draining water into it. There were wild flowers all around, and everything was very green. It was one of the most scenic times we've had there.
There was no snow anywhere near the trail all the way to the top. We stopped at Jenny Lake for a snack and there were people camping all over the place. It definitely didn't feel like a quiet getaway in the mountains. The place was packed.
We kept going, passing a full parking area near the hiking trail. When we got to the end of the 4x4 trail there were a couple of cars. We had seen people hiking to the Needle Eye Tunnel, but it wasn't in our schedule for this trip. It had been raining, and it was getting late. We got out for a bit, but then headed back down.
There was a lot of slow-moving traffic on the way down, so we took our time. It didn't rain, so it was nice. It sure is a bumpy trail! Still, it made for a great time in the mountains.
Reports from Other Days: 7
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