Eleven Mile Canyon Drive & Hike 10-24-21

I took a Sunday drive to Lake George, CO and through Eleven Mile Canyon. The road through the canyon follows the South Platte River which flows from the Eleven Mile Canyon Dam where the road ends. It is a $7 toll road for day use. The toll likely pays for maintenance of the many picnic areas, pay campsites, and bathrooms found along the road. The entire canyon is very popular with fishing enthusiasts. The charm of the canyon is the river changing momentum through a boulder strewn canyon valley. At the dam, I took short 1/2 mile hike on trail 641 straight uphill to an overlook. There I had a birds eye view of the reservoir, dam, and even the continental divide with its snowy peaks in the distance. I stopped a few times more just to appreciate the river in the afternoon light. In late October, there are sections of this canyon that never see light. I can't believe that I've lived in Colorado over 20 years before seeing this amazing canyon. What a beautiful autumn day to enjoy the fleeting mild temperatures.