New Castle, Colorado to Grand Lake, Colorado

Highland Cemetery

Sign for Highland Cemetary
Highland Cemetery, New Castle Colorado
Great grandparents
Great Grandparents
Grandparents
Grandparents

We made a brief stop in New Castle, Colorado, to visit the Highland Cemetery. My great grandparents and grandparents are buried here as are great uncles and aunts. This is a special place for us.

I've always thought the Highland Cemetery was a special place. The cemetery is not maintained except by family members. In 1999 when we visited, we spent a lot of time cleaning up the family plots. But the view from the cemetery is wonderful and the place has character that well kept plots don't.

New Castle has changed considerably in the past several years. The old road to the cemetery was closed to accommodate a new golf course development. The orchard in the back of the grandparents home has been replaced with condos and their house is totally unrecognizable. I can't figure out where the wealth necessary to support all this development comes from.

One of the interesting things about New Castle, is that once you get off the main road (US-6/24), it looks just like it did when I was growing up a long long time ago. My Grandparents first home hasn't changed a bit.

I've got a lot of photos from my father of New Castle a long time ago that I plan to post when I have time to scan them.

Drive to Grand Lake

Glenwood Canyon looking at Colorado River
Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon
Two Rafts headed down the Coloraod
Rafting down the Colorado River.

After or visit to the cemetery, we headed to Grand Lake, Colorado. The drive took us through Glenwood Canyon, where we stopped for lunch at one of the roadside tables. The Colorado River was clear--not the muddy red we left behind in Moab, Utah. We saw a couple of rafts going down the river. Was a good day were it rafting on the river.

Fall colors were evident on the hillside along the canyon.

Colorful hillside in Glenwood Canyon
Hillside in Glenwood Canyon

The aspens were in full color on many of the hillsides as we drove east. The higher elevations were especially colorful.

Aspens in full fall yellow
Aspens in fall yellow

We followed Interstate 70 under the Continental Divide via the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnel. The Eisenhower tunnel is the longest mountain tunnel and highest point on the Interstate Highway system. At the time it was built it was the highest vehicular tunnel in the world. It is still the highest vehicular tunnel in the US.

Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel
Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel I-70
Interstate 70 east of Eisenhower tunnel showing steep grade
Headed down after going through Eisenhower Tunnel

The tunnel takes the place of Loveland Pass which was the way we had to go when I was growing up.

It was late afternoon by the time we reached our first view of Grand Lake. This is the start of the Colorado river--the most important river in the Southwest US. We were glad to reach our motel and call it a day. The next day would be the last day of our trip before we had to head home.

Grand Lake
Grand Lake
Gateway Inn our motel
Gateway Inn, Grand Lake, Colorado