For one last trip to the hills before leaving Colorado, my wife and I planned to have a picnic lunch along Barker Meadow Reservoir, at Nederland. Unfortunately, road work and crowds forced us to reconsider and we settled on a shady spot along Middle Boulder Creek, just downstream from the Reservoir.
Middle Boulder Creek rises along the Continental Divide west of Eldora and flows eastward to Nederland. East of the Reservoir it enters the upper reaches of Boulder Canyon where it soon merges with North Boulder Creek to form the primary channel of Boulder Creek; their combined flow courses through the lower canyon and downtown Boulder before receiving South Boulder Creek east of the the city. Eventually, Boulder Creek enters St. Vrain Creek and thence the South Platte River.
Our lunch spot was on the north bank of the stream amidst a grove of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Joining us at that idyllic location were a noisy pair of Steller's jays and a squadron of violet-green swallows while an American dipper made his way upstream, repeatedly diving into the turbulent waters. Though a nearby road sign warned of moose in the area, we did not encounter one of those large herbivores along the creek.
Middle Boulder Creek rises along the Continental Divide west of Eldora and flows eastward to Nederland. East of the Reservoir it enters the upper reaches of Boulder Canyon where it soon merges with North Boulder Creek to form the primary channel of Boulder Creek; their combined flow courses through the lower canyon and downtown Boulder before receiving South Boulder Creek east of the the city. Eventually, Boulder Creek enters St. Vrain Creek and thence the South Platte River.
Our lunch spot was on the north bank of the stream amidst a grove of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Joining us at that idyllic location were a noisy pair of Steller's jays and a squadron of violet-green swallows while an American dipper made his way upstream, repeatedly diving into the turbulent waters. Though a nearby road sign warned of moose in the area, we did not encounter one of those large herbivores along the creek.
