in the summer of 2022, my family and I did a lot of driving on our road trip; more than 9000 miles…read moreto be specific. Our travels took us from Los Angeles to Key West, and back through the south: Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Missouri... then onto Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado before making a big left turn south and heading home.
And during those travels, we spent most of our time in wild natural areas, including several reserves. We traveled across the Florida Panther Reserve, The Key Deer Reserve, a gopher tortoise reserve... swamps, deserts, seashores... glad to see all this land set aside for the critters and plants that live there, and the people that would like to go see and enjoy.
Our journey from Dodge city, KS to Durango, CO followed a route by design that was off the beaten path. Sure, it takes a little extra time, but the view is worth it. Along this journey, we enjoyed the Alamosa reserve. Granted, our mid July timing was not ideal for seeing the water table at maximum capacity, or watching the sky go dark with millions of migrating water fowl. but there's a natural beauty to this place and it's simplicity, and if you slow down enough, even when the place isn't full of cranes, there's still a lot to enjoy.
Our family only enjoyed a short time here, with several hundred miles of driving behind us and ahead of us in a single day, but any opportunity to stretch your legs in a natural area is always worth the time you spend. Access to some areas was limited, but from the looks of it, the main attractions in those paths were probably seasonal and migratory anyway. However, we manage to see several wading birds, water fowl, songbirds, and something that appeared to be a muskrat, but we're really not sure. A few birds of prey, holding silent vigil on a snag or two was also need to see, although in truth, driving across the country, there is no shortage of hawks and falcons and kites and such.
If the chance ever arises, I would love to check this place out at exactly the right time. Maybe someday, I'm driving is my only thing, we will make that happen.