Pawnee Buttes
Because of all the snow we got the previous week, we figured everywhere in the mountains would be snowy, icy, muddy, or all 3. So we decided to venture into the Pawnee Grasslands instead. It was a little bit further of a drive than we'd like, about an hour and a half, but the views were worth it.
The hike itself was pretty easy, just over 5 miles and only 600 feet of elevation gain. But you can't expect much for Eastern Colorado where it's pretty much flat everywhere. Just looking at the length and elevation, this isn't a hike we would have chosen, but I had always wanted to go back here after coming here in March of 2010.
5.16 mi
2 hrs
5,350 ft
604 ft
Katie and The Bluff
Katie was standing in front of the Lips Bluff when I took this photo.
Lips Bluff
This is the view you get as you enter between the Lips Bluff and the Overlook as you hike to the West and East Buttes.
Colorul Grass
The landscape was pretty colorful, ranging in different shards of yellows, browns, and greens. This is looking at the West Butte.
West Butte
As we walked past the West Butte, the profile of the butte changed from round to rectangular.
East Butte
We hiked all the way tot he East Butte, but the view from the West Butte was incredible.
Looking Back
Again, a photo of the West Butte, but this time from the East. You can see the Overlook bluffs in the distance that gives this view of the West Buttes a different perspective.
East Butte Panorama
Just to show the weird landscape that's around these buttes, here's a panorama of the trail that goes around the East Butte.
Weird Geology
The rocks and ground had weird geology. Nothing was like it is in other parts of the state. This rock was rough and appeared porous with all the holes in it. There was mold and moss on all the rocks, which is usually green or brown in color in other places in the state, but here it was multiple colors ranging from green to gray.
