Estes Park: The Search for Moose

Do you like moose? ​​I had always wanted to see a moose! It was my dad’s favorite animal, so we’ve been spending time at Rocky Mountain National Park looking for them. We went up to Bear Lake which is 9,400 ft above sea level. There was still lots of snow then and the elk were everywhere. I was surprised to even see a turkey. He even gobbled - twice!

It was cold at first when we arrived in Estes Park. I never did see another turkey. Gobble, Gobble!

But we were determined to find some moose. Did you know moose are the largest members of the deer family, growing to about 6 feet tall? A full-grown moose's antlers can weigh about 40 pounds. Moose are naturally good swimmers. We read a sign that said in 1995 that there were hardly any moose in Colorado, but now there are about 3,000 statewide.

We woke up at 4 am to drive over an hour to Brainard Lake where they also have a timed entry. We got the last ticket and were lucky to see two bull moose grazing in the meadow.

My Soul Is My Camera

With that many around, we were bound to run into them eventually. In late May we did a short hike in Rocky Mountain National Park because we knew it was going to get really busy within a week as it is the fourth most popular national park. We hiked among the melting snow and all the beauty around us. It was 44 degrees.

On our way out, we took a different turn and I’m so glad we did as we saw an adolescent bull moose, F7. I had the wrong lens on my camera, so that’s why he is slightly blurry - I didn’t anticipate he would come closer to me. At one point, I stood behind a car to keep a safe distance.

Another time on the Lily Lake Trail, we were taking a rest on a big rock when I looked down at the lake and saw a moose. I was torn between backtracking to photograph the moose or going forward. Jeff said, “Just enjoy the moose with your soul.” Then he said, “Oh wait, your soul is your camera.” Love it when someone gets all of you!

We backtracked and didn’t see the moose in the spot where we saw it earlier. I thought maybe I’d missed it, but then at the end of the trail, we saw this beautiful adolescent male enjoying his dinner. He didn’t seem bothered by having people mesmerized by him.

I’m so grateful Jeff understands that my soul is my camera. It was great to see this juvenile moose grazing at Lily Lake. I captured Jeff walking down the mountain to get to the moose with the golden sun setting.

Hummingbirds and Coyote Pups

Later we saw a beaver who slapped his tail on Mary’s Lake as we tried to catch the sunset, and we saw two hummingbirds. We also found a coyote den in our campground. I saw them when I was hanging out at a safe distance with my longest lens. There are seven pups in total. They are so cute playing together. Did you know if the coyote population decreases, the mamas give birth to 11-12 pups to bring the population numbers back up? Wile E Coyote got his name honestly.

It was so neat to photograph these playful pups. The mom yawned as she was tired from taking care of her 8 pups. That’s the dad foraging for food in the lower right.

One week we biked up a mountain (seven miles at 1,500 feet elevation). It took several hours to get up, but it took just minutes to come back down. Who knew? Jeff is amazing and withstands the steep elevation while you’ll find me huffing and puffing. Thankfully he waits for me.

We came across some breathtaking views. The road was closed to cars, but open to cyclists. On the way back, we came across a momma moose and her sleeping yearling (baby moose are calves, but a moose in its second year is a yearling). I cropped the image so it looks closer.

I had never seen a moose before this adventure, but now I keep running into them. Moose are a majestic animal standing 6 feet tall. Maybe that's why my dad loved these animals so much. 

One evening, we went to Sheep Lakes and we found an adolescent male swimming in one of the lakes. He was following an older male. Then they went across the street and we found them on another path. Then as we headed back to our campground we came across a female moose and her calf, but I couldn't get a clear shot of the baby. 

 Unfortunately, when people see you using a big camera, they start coming over with their iPhones. I had to tell one man not to get SO close to the moose. I've heard they’re the most dangerous animal in the park because they don't have good eyesight.

One morning we got up before sunrise to go to Sprague Lake. We heard you could see moose there. We were delighted to see a momma and her calf. Then on the other side of us was a bull elk with his harm. I didn’t know which way to turn and photograph.

Lily Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park

Our favorite area is Lily Lake. It feels good to be in nature with the majestic mountains surrounding us, but I love it when there’s also a beautiful body of water, too. One day as soon as we entered the area, we saw a large bull moose munching on some trees. He was serene, methodical, and knew he was close to humans, but he didn’t seem to care. I took shots with my iPhone while standing in an enclosed area where I would be safe.

One afternoon, we came to Lily Lake and there was a moose close to the entrance. I was able to go to the fishing pier and took pictures of this bull moose with my iPhone. I was mad at myself for not carrying my big camera and being prepared.

On a few mornings we got up early to arrive at Brainard Lake by sunrise to look for bull moose in early September. We needed another timed entry into Brainard Lake and scored the last one. When we approached the lake, we saw two bull moose eating together. We went around the bulls to get better lighting and a better angle. It was amazing to be in their presence. What a treat! It's amazing how they know how to disappear and still find their mate.

There were lots of other photographers to witness these bulls. Unfortunately, Sept 11th is the beginning of moose hunting season and they will be hard to find. 

Adventures on Mountain Bikes

We also went mountain bike shopping. Uh oh – I’m learning to mountain bike! Thankfully Jeff is patient with me. I went through an area that I was scared about, but I made it just fine. I am thankful that the bikes give us electronic assistance for those steep mountain climbs.  They allow us to see our ‘home’ from way up high. I’m concerned that after this I’m not going to like my gravel non-electric bikes so much. 

We made plans to take a skills course to ramp up my abilities. Jeff is a natural since he used to ride dirt bikes, but in the skills course, I crashed my bike, blacked out for a minute, and scraped the right side of my face, right arm, both knees, and hands. I spare you the ugly pictures of my road rash.

The hummingbird’s wings are so loud. I never heard of a hummingbird being so loud before and at first, I thought it was a huge insect. Fortunately, this one stayed long enough in one place to let me capture it.

Being Present Is a Choice

One evening after the afternoon rain, Jeff and I did a short exploratory hike around Lily Lake. We found new paths which gave us different perspectives. You hear these short bursts of loud noises and it’s the hummingbirds beating their wings. One stood still long enough for me to capture it. 

We found a baby bird that recently learned to fly.

We found beautiful purple wildflowers and wild iris.

The rain had chased away the crowds, so we almost had the park to ourselves.

There is so much to love here.

Time is life’s currency. I always wish I had more time and I bet you do, too. When I radically changed my life to simplify it and have more time for the things I enjoy, I naively thought I would have an abundance of time. But life still gets in the way.

I realize it’s my choice to feel overwhelmed, even though it feels like my nerves instantly go there. This is my journey and I hope to get there: just be present. 

We are making so many great memories here!

I’m always sad to see a stuff animal. This moose in a shoe store downtown Estes Park looked like he was smiling at the customers.