Colorado is vying for our top spot, alongside Oregon and Utah. Colorado Springs was just gorgeous – we hiked to the top of a nearby peak to capture the sunset on our last evening.

Minki’s stunning photo
Emily Chang | #mobilebiosphere | Colorado | Minki camera
Me capturing Minki capturing the sunset

A few hours’ drive brought us to Mesa Verde. If you’d like to pause for a meditative <1min, here’s a glimpse of our relaxing drive.

The Mesa Verde national park is closed, which is a bummer. This UNESCO World Heritage Site protects some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan archaeological sites in the United States. I guess even if the park were open, we would have avoided it to maintain social isolation. For reference, here’s what those cliff dwellings look like:

Cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde.

Lucky for Laini’s social studies education, we did visit the Sand Canyon Pueblo. We walked the kiiseo or Hopi ancestral place, where several hundred people lived between A.D. 1245-1290. Laini had us rolling as she described where she imagined the spa, nail salon and microwaves must have been located.

After that, we hiked 5mi of the Rock Creek Trails. A pretty tough hike, we were proud of Laini for making it! Here’s another <1min glimpse.

Holly tried to eat a cactus along the way and required a little rudimentary surgery, but recovered quickly to appreciate the expansive views and complete silence of the canyon.

Emily Chang | #mobilebiosphere | Colorado | Holly

This hike was breathtaking! We highly recommend it, but wear hiking boots, sunscreen, and take care, as you’ll sometimes find yourself right on the edge of the canyon. Also, tell your dog not to eat the cacti.

Emily Chang | #mobilebiosphere | Colorado | Hike
I see you seeing her.

Puffin, as usual, hung out in the RV. Blind and deaf with severe arthritis and bent front legs (we think he was kept in a too-small cage by his owners), he can barely manage the flat ground, much less hills.

Some great books set in Colorado are On the Road by Jack Kerouac and Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. We’re currently listening to The Dog Stars, more age-appropriate for a tween.

If interested, our RV camps were Mountaindale Cabins & RV Resort in Colorado Springs, and Ancient Cedars Mesa Verde RV Park in Mancos. We’d highly recommend both if you’d like to find yourself in the middle of nowhere with gorgeous views. Both offer full hook-ups, online reservation/payment.

We haven’t seen a single other human at Ancient Cedars, but came across a herd of incredibly sweet and curious horses.

Emily Chang | #mobilebiosphere | Colorado | Laini horses

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