ISLAND ACRES STATE PARK (May 30, 2005)

We had planned a trip to Palo Duro Canyon in northern Texas for our Memorial Day camping trip.  However the weather forecast called for rain and low 70s the entire weekend at Palo Duro.  So only one week before Memorial Day we were without a campground reservation.  Randy was lucky to find three sites remaining at Island Acres State Park (right next to the Colorado River).  We grabbed the last remaining back-in site! 

 

The holiday weekend weather was beautiful on Colorado's western slope.  We were also happy with the Island Acres campground.  Our site was very large but not next to the river.  We were in site #70, but our favorite site was #1 or any of the sites next to the river.

 

The backdrop to the campground was amazing.  This photo is taken looking out of our site.

 

   

My 8-year-old Cameron took a moment for a picture while enjoying a cold one.  Doesn't he look happy?  Lea stops for a picture on her way into the camper.

 

Island Acres has several large ponds on the campground, and one is designated for swimming only.  The kids enjoyed cooling off for a swim.  Pets were not allowed in the pond, so Carly stayed lakeside with Mom and Dad who doubled as lifeguards.

 

Fast becoming a camping tradition for us (much like our spaghetti dinner on the day we arrive) is letting the kids cook their dinner over the campfire.  Fire-roasted hotdogs taste good! 

 

Near Island Acres is the city of Palisade, CO...the wine capital of Colorado.  Everywhere you drive are vineyards and fruit trees.  During the mid-Summer months the fruit harvest is at its peak.  There are fresh fruit stands lining the streets.

 

We toured the Canyon Wind Winery.  Here is the underground cellar where the wine is aging in oak barrels. 

 

Our tour guide showed us the machines that ferment the wine and prepare it for aging.  After spending two years in barrels, the wine returns to these vats to be combined, strained, and readied for bottling.  We purchased a bottle of wine at every winery we visited.  You could spend a small fortune in one day touring Palisade.  Luckily the wine tasting bar at each winery is always open and complimentary.

 

CAMPING TRIP GETS EXTENDED !!!

Farther west of Palisade and Grand Junction is Fruita, CO...home of the Colorado National Monument.  When we learned that the Monument offered camping, we extended our trip by one night to camp in this beautiful area.
 

Here is the obligatory family photo (including Carly if you can see her) at the Monument entrance.

 

The Monument was incredible...much more than any of us expected.  Can you believe all of this was carved over millions of years by water, ice, and wind?
 

The vertical striping on this canyon wall was interesting.

 

If you have a chance to visit Colorado's western slope near Grand Junction, visits to Palisade and Fruita are a must.  Our Memorial Day trip was very memorable.
 

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