The Devil’s Backbone is a distinctive rock feature located just west of Loveland. Many tourists pass the brown and white park sign as they head toward Rocky Mountain National Park. The rocky ridge is located just out of sight from Highway 34, but is actually only a couple hundred yards from the highway. A day pass of $10 is required to access the area, but Larimer County Parks and Rec also sells a yearly pass for $80. The yearly pass is good for numerous additional area parks.
Last year, I missed taking photos of the yellows cottonwood leaves at the Devil’s Backbone. This year, I concentrated a lot more on photographing the area during the short lived change of seasons. The photos were captured between October 11 to October 17, concentrating mainly on days with clouds. The wind is blowing now and some of the leaves are falling as I make this post. I’d love to catch a similar shot on a morning after a heavy snowfall.
The jagged ridgeline runs a mile or so north from the parking area and pit toilet. A well maintained hiking path extends the full length of the Devil’s Backbone, but it continues for miles towards Horsetooth Reservoir west of Ft. Collins. The parks is open year round, but closes occasionally after a heavy rain to help preserve the trail.
As seen in the previous photo, the cottonwoods are located at the south end of the ridge. Hiking north on the trail takes you closer to the rocks, but I seldom take pictures from those vantage points. A popular stop along the trail is the “Keyhole”, located about 20 minutes from the parking area.
Notes: These images were captured with a Sony A1 and a Tamron 35-300mm lens, handheld. Most were stitched from 4-6 individual photos.