Sunset Over Courthouse Mountain & Chimney Rock
Courthouse Mountain & Chimney Rock
Uncompahgre National Forest, Colorado
In hindsight, I knew I had seen pictures of them, but when I had driven Owl Creek Pass for the first time, I didn’t realize that Courthouse Mountain and Chimney Rock are the iconic monuments along that pass, prominently rising high above most vantage points. I had gone in totally unprepared and simply shot the main viewpoint of Courthouse Mountain and Chimney Rock, right off County Road 8.
Courthouse Mountain & Chimney Rock, shot Fall 2016.
It was beautiful, but that wasn’t the vantage point from the images in my mind – I had seen pictures from a much higher point with a much more epic view. This year, after researching topo maps and Google Earth, I set out to bushwack my way to a clearing to the north.
I got skunked on sunset colors, which teased me to the west, but it’s for-sure one of the most beautiful overlooks I’ve found throughout Colorado…
Teasing colors to the west…
And a bonus sunrise the next morning back at the main viewpoint.
I love this area and have driven through many times. Could you elaborate on the hike to get the vantage point of the second and fourth image in this post? I’ll be there again September 26 & 27 of 2019. Thanks.
Sorry Bob. It’s off-trail so I’m not comfortable giving out the specific location.