A list of our favorite places from 2020

Every year we look back over our travels and make a list of the things that we enjoyed the most. We would recommend any of these experiences, and happily do them again if we traveled in the same area again. Our list of hikes is longer than usual, because we were blessed to get to walk in the majesty of the mountains this summer! We are listing our favorites not in the order of our preference, but in the order that we experienced them in 2020. We try to include the nearest town as the location for most of our activities, but some trail heads can be very far from any town. These long lists are a reminder that we were once again blessed with the privilege of wandering God's wonders full-time. We are so glad to get to hike, bike, and kayak, and we also include our over-all favorite experiences of the year.

Favorite Experiences
Gathering sea shells at Sea Rim State Park - Sabine Pass, TX

Counting 69 alligators in one day at Brazos Bend State Park - Needville, TX

Watching ATVs crawl up rock cliffs at Disney State Park - Disney, OK
ATVing to Goose Lake - Red River, NM
Eating and dancing at the "Cowboy Evening" show - Red River, NM
Cutting wood for the firewood angels - Angel Fire, NM

Eating the goodies from "Worth the Drive" bakery TWICE- Monte Vista, CO
Driving the passes of the Rocky Mountains (especially Cottonwood, Independence, Kebler . . .)
Rafting with family on Roaring Forks River - Glenwood Springs, CO

Riding the Gondolas of Red River, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Telluride

Exploring the Indian Ruins of Southwest Colorado

Going to Riversport Water Park and Scissortail Park - Oklahoma City, OK

Welcoming our second grandbaby, and spending two months camped close to that precious family - Lenexa, KS

Favorite Short Hikes
Jetty Walk - Port Aransas, TX

Trails of Tishomingo State Park - Tishomingo, MS
Goose Lake - Red River, NM
Clear Creek Trail -  Cimarron Canyon, NM
Williams Lake - Taos, NM
Great Sand Dunes National Park - Mosca, CO

Big Arsenic/Little Arsenic Trail - Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument - Cerro, NM
Continental Divide Trail on Cottonwood Pass - Buena Vista, CO
Grotto Trail and Ice Cave - Aspen, CO

Lily Pad Lake - Silverthorne, CO
Loveland Lake Trail - Loveland Pass, CO
Shrine Ridge Trail - Vail, CO

Ouray Perimeter Trail - Ouray, CO
Scarp Ridge Trail - Crested Butte, CO
Vallecito Trail - Vallecito, CO
Penitente Canyon - Del Norte, CO

Favorite Long Hikes
Mount Baldy Loop - Red River, NM
Mount Wheeler Loop - Red River, NM

Ptarmigan Lake - Buena Vista, CO
Spruce Creek to Mohawk Lakes - Breckenridge, CO
Peaks Trail via the free summit stage - Breckenridge to Frisco, CO
Maroon Bells Trail to Crater Lake - Aspen, CO

Marble to Crystal Mill - Marble, CO
Blue Lakes - Ridgway, CO
Ice/Upper Ice/Fuller/Island Lakes - Silverton, CO
Kilpacker and Navajo Lake (just not on the same day!) - Rico, CO

Wilson Meadow - Telluride, CO
West Peak Summit Trail - Cuchara, CO

Favorite Kayak Trips
Vermillion River at Palmetto Island State Park - Abbeville, LA

Illinois River - Tahlequah, OK
Cottonwood Lake - Buena Vista, CO
Twin Lakes - Leadville, CO

Dillon Reservoir - Dillon, CO
Woods Lake - Sawpit, CO
Trout Lake - Telluride, CO

Beaver Creek Lake - South Fork, CO

Favorite Bike Rides
North Padre National Sea Shore Beach - Mustang, TX
Brazos Bend State Park with the Alligators - Needville, TX

Tanglefoot Rail to Trail - Pontotoc, MS
Arkansas River Trail - Little Rock, AR
Mineral Belt Trail - Leadville, CO

Carbondale Bike Trails - Carbondale, CO
Boggy Draw Trail - Dolores, CO

We'll always have fond memories of 2020, even though it was hampered by the corona virus. But even when there is a pandemic raging, we are still blessed to get to wander His wonders in these favorite places from 2020!