Boulder CHAOS

We’ll leave Denver Saturday morning and drive four hours to the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge, near Ellsworth. This is one of the best birdwatching venues in the North America. We’ll spend three hours here. Then we’ll drive three more hours to Ballards Marsh State Wildlife Area, set up camp at a free, primitive campsite (alternatively, if you want a full-service campground, make a reservation at Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area), and then go to the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge for sunset birdwatching.

Sunday, we’ll do sunrise birding at Ballards Marsh. Then we’ll go to Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, near Valentine. A herd of 350 bison live there. Part of Fort Niobrara NWR is a wilderness area. Then leave in the early afternoon for the seven-hour drive back to Denver.

I may leave Friday or return Monday. If you can do a three-day weekend, write in the comments whether you can go Friday or Monday. I’ll stop at Scotts Bluff on the way back for a 4-mile hike.

Sunrise is 7:16am and sunset is 8:13pm. Civil twilight is 6:47am to 8:43pm.

Bring wag bags for the campsite.

My cellphone is (720) 217-6589. Bring walkie-talkies (channel 1) so we can stay in touch outside of cell coverage.

This event is crossposted to Colorado Backpackers Meetup.

This is a short but steep hike. We'll go up the Mallory Cave trail and then up the Dinosaur Mountain trail. We may do some Class 3 off-trail scrambling adventures (nothing dangerous) on the way up.

We'll start at 5pm. We'll get to the top around 7pm. Sunset will be 7:37pm, on the way down. We might out to the Southern Sun (627 S Broadway) for dinner afterwards if it's not too late.

Bring a headlamp and trekking poles.

If you're late hike fast and you'll catch us. My cellphone is (720) 217-6589.

Meet at the "You are here" sign in the parking lot.