Solo Trip to Rampart Reservoir

Last summer I only went camping once at the end of May. I had planned several trips that never panned out for various reasons. However, a common reason had been that my camping buddies couldn’t get time off. In hindsight, I should have gone anyways. So this year, I have selected several different areas I would like to go camping and will go regardless of whether someone can come with me.

IMPORTANT: Although I enjoy solo hiking and camping, I always let someone know where I will be and when I plan to be back.

I love camping with my friends and we always come back with great stories. However, solo camping allows me to enjoy a not-so-new love of simply being alone. I love being able to truly hear the birds singing to each other and to hear a gust of wind moving towards me from over a mile away. I enjoy sitting and reading without interruption

Thunder Ridge Campground

There are two campgrounds in the Rampart Reservoir recreation area. I stayed at the Thunder Ridge campground in site 1. Sites 1 and 2 sit at the entrance of the campground, separate from the main area, which provides some solitude and minimal foot traffic.

Bed in the Back

While I do actually enjoy sleeping in a tent, I also have a memory foam mattress that fits in the back of my Xterra. This is where I usually sleep when I go camping alone or when the outside temperatures drop really low.

Didn’t Get to Kayak, but…

On this trip I wasn’t able to go kayaking, primarily because Roxy, my 10-year-old Siberian Husky, puts up a fight when you try to put her in a boat. I didn’t particularly feel like getting flipped on this trip. However, you can go boating on Rampart as long as you don’t create wake. There is also a 13.7-mile trail (Rampart Reservoir Trail) that runs around the perimeter of the lake. I only did approximately 5-miles of the trail, but was able to get some great photos of the area.

Rampart Range Road

Rampart Range Road is an approximately 60-mile long dirt road that runs from Garden of the Gods all the way to Highway 67 near Sedalia. While much of the road requires a SUV/4-wheel drive vehicle, the section that takes you into the recreation area is well maintained and easy for any car to drive on. The recreation area also sits right next to the Waldo Canyon burn area, which I was able to drive and explore a little.

For those who don’t know, the Waldo Canyon fire started in June of 2012 and burned over 18,000 acres of national forest. It also destroyed well over 300 hundred homes and resulted in the deaths of two people. The effects of the fire continue to be felt through the increased risk of flooding and in the visual scar that will remain for decades. What’s more infuriating is that the cause of the fire is believed to have been manmade.

Although the burn scar is jarring in comparison to the rest of the area, visitors are still presented with amazing views of Pikes Peak and the surrounding wilderness area. Overall, my trip up to Rampart Reservoir was refreshing and a great way to reboot.

#Photography #RedmondAdventures #RampartReservoir #RampartRangeRoad