Kirk C. Watkins & Karen DeVincenzo, Peak to Peak. When the sun starts warming the air in Colorado, people naturally start to feel the itch to get outside and enjoy the mountains. Whether it’s hiking, biking, camping, basking, or even just driving through the mountains to marvel at the beauty being released from its winter slumber, visitors to the mountains can arrive in droves. This exponentially increases the population in the remote towns, national forests and open spaces throughout the mountains. 

This year the urge to escape from the state mandated stay-at-home order, coupled with the standard seasonal cabin fever has the mountain towns bracing for what could be a huge influx of visitors. People desperate to escape the warming front-range and get away into the mountains could create a potential log jam of visitors, all trying to breathe the fresh, crisp air of freedom and calm.

Over the Memorial Day weekend, visitors traditionally flock to areas located around the Peak to Peak Highway. From Estes Park to Central City, the National Scenic Highway is a magnet for people to drive its length and stop in the towns along the way to explore the eclectic shops, to hike the trails accessible from the highway, and to recreate in the forests in the higher elevations. 

While the sun was bright and warm Saturday, numerous trailheads were fairly crowded with people hoping to grab a little fresh air and mountain space. Sunday, however, was quite another story as rain put a damper on Memorial Day weekend activities. For some hearty souls though, a little rain wasn’t enough to send them packing. Friends from down canyon enjoyed their camping experience regardless of the weather. On the Ceran St. Vrain Trail above Jamestown, one family followed COVID guidelines, keeping their group small and not letting a little rain bother them. Along the same trail, another family came out to give their pups some much needed air and exercise. They even stopped for a photo with their furry friends Summit and Zola. 

Jamestown was pretty quiet on a rainy Memorial Day weekend Sunday, not a soul to be found. The park looked pretty sad and lonely with no children on the swings or sliding down the slides. Home is where most locals were on Sunday. 

People will be returning to the mountains, and activities will resume as the state starts to relax the restrictions associated with the Covid-19 safety guidelines. Nature decided over the weekend to slow the hordes from descending upon the towns that maybe need to reawaken more slowly than the years past, but the mountains will call, and the people again will go. 

(Originally published in the May 28, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)