Make North Park Your Social Media Detox Destination for Fall

Step away from the smartphone!

Have you had one of those days when you realize you have just been staring at your phone? Doomscrolling and not even realizing what kind of brain rot you’ve been only half paying attention to? We often think of vacations as a way of getting away from the daily grind of our jobs, but when was the last time you took a trip and just found yourself staring at your phone? Or worse yet, arguing with the kids to get off theirs? 

Getting away from the grind means a lot more these days. Studies have shown that social media can play a major role in dopamine addiction. This is when our availability to whatever triggers the feel-good hormones in our body are overwhelmed. We get anything and everything we want to see, hear, or experience with just a few taps on our phone.

If you’ve found yourself trying to get off your phone and like a smoker trying to quit the habit, you have no idea what to do with your hands, there’s help. Ask your doctor, or just about anyone who cares about you if Getting the Hell Off Social Media for a Few Days is right for you. It’s likely the only one who would say “no” is the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

In North Park, our remote mountain passes and dead zones make a great excuse for getting off social media and staying off for at least a few days. You can replace that urge to doomscroll with getting back to nature. Going on a sightseeing roadtrip of the best mountain scenery in northern Colorado, or simply experiencing what Colorado used to be before it got so commercialized.

North Park is waiting for you!*

*Side effects may include wanting to do this kind of thing all the time. Chucking your smartphone into a junk drawer, and chopping firewood for a weekend at a remote cabin.

What to Actually Do in Colorado When Social Media is Killing Your Brain

Are you having a hard time focussing? How about remembering anything? Do you have difficulty using the bathroom without a smartphone in your hand? Are you shaking your head every time there’s more “Breaking News” on your FYP?

Being addicted to social media is a great way to ruin your creativity, self-image, and increase depression. Outdoor recreation goes a long way to solving many of those problems. Here’s where you can get started.

Hunting

The mountains and forests are alive with color, and that orange you see is more than just aspen leaves. Since September, North Park has been a hotbed of activity when it comes to hunting season in Colorado. The first rifle season began on October 1st, and since September, we’ve been seeing blackpowder and archery hunters in the wild. Jackson County is a world-renowned destination for big game hunting in Colorado, from deer and elk to bighorn sheep, bear, and our most famous resident, the moose.

Fishing

Though the water levels have dropped at our creeks, lakes, and rivers, the larger fish are still on the hunt for forage as the last of the bugs go into hibernation. This might be a good time of year to cast a line at Lake John or try one of our Blue Medal waters such as the North Platte or Delaney Lakes. They are currently pulling some monsters out of these places!

Wildlife

For big game animals, we are deep into the fall rut. You’ll know this from the scratches on trees as ungulates such as deer, moose, and elk try to rub the velvet off their antlers. Not to mention the haunting call of bull elk as they call out other bulls and compete for breeding rights with the cows. North Park has the largest number of elk in Colorado, topping out at just over 2000 animals.

For other animals such as bears, beaver, marmots, and even river otters, it’s the last of the season when they hope to pack on the weight before a long, cold winter. You might see bears browsing the last of the year’s berries or scavenging a kill lost by a hunter in the chase.  When game becomes scarce in the wintertime, you might see predators that don’t hibernate packed up together to coordinate hunts of deer, pronghorn antelope, and other prey.

This time of year brings out the animals with cooler temperatures, less coverage in the trees, and constant movement due to the activities of hunters.

Birdwatching

Another sound you’ll hear during the fall is the telltale honk of Canada geese on their migratory path towards warmer weather in the southern latitudes. The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge in Jackson County is one of the largest wildlife refuges in Colorado and home to dozens of species of ducks, geese, cranes, and other avians. The last of the redwing blackbirds, meadowlarks, and robins are also on the way out to winter over someplace more hospitable. Take a driving tour through some of the Refuge and there’s a good chance you’ll see plenty of birds before the snow starts to fall.

North America’s largest songbird, the North American raven, will make an appearance at lower elevations as competitors such as hawks and falcons head for warmer climates.  

You still might get a chance to see some lingering jays, finches, and other birds before they also check out for the winter. What you will see soon enough are an influx of bald eagles, snowy owls, and at higher elevations ptarmigans are still thriving among the lichen-covered rocks above treeline.

Know Before You Go!

Much of the public land in North Park allows hunting throughout the fall months. To not be confused with game animals, make sure you are wearing bright orange colors for you and your pets. If you don’t feel comfortable being in an area with hunters around, there’s plenty of places to choose from instead! Check out our campgrounds and fishing areas, or simply enjoy a fall drive in your car for the day.

Enjoy Your Stay

Check into a hotel , VRBO or AirBnB to give yourself more time to enjoy being cut off from social media and other distractions. Check out the link in the menu above for Places to Stay to get started on a longer trip to North Park.

Hiking

In spite of hunting season, there are still plenty of great trails to hike in North Park. Here are just a few to top off the list!

• Rainbow Lakes: In the shadow of the Park Range and Mount Zirkel, Rainbow Lakes is one of those areas that is quintessential North Park. Check out 22 West, which makes the top 10% of AirBnB’s in the world! Your stay will go to help support wildlife rehabilitation in northern Colorado.

• Lake Katherine: This might be the second deepest lake in Colorado after Grand Lake. Or it could be the deepest! We don’t know. This area was formed millions of years ago with volcanic activity. You’ll notice a pattern with Rabbit Ears and Spicer Peak not too far away. Just a few miles of moderate hiking with some elevation gain takes you to this gem of Colorado high country lakes.

• Lake Agnes: At the base of the Nokhu Crags you’ll find picturesque Lake Agnes. While access is still permitted by the State Forest, a short walk with some elevation climb will reveal a glacial lake with a small island. One of the most stunning locations in North Park, be sure to bring your camera!

• Kelly Lake: Another lake to check off your bucket list for the best hikes in Colorado. Kelly Lake is part of the Colorado State Forest State Park and is a moderate to difficult hike. In the summertime, ultramarathon runners pass by this beautiful feature of the North Park landscape, but on a good day in the fall, you can enjoy the vibrant colors of the season reflected in Kelly Lake. Check out our interactive trail maps to plan your next expedition.

• Routt National Forest: Several access points will take you into the National Forest in Jackson County. Some of the most popular campsites will be a lot less crowded (with the exception of hunters). 

• Ranger Lakes: Part of the Gould/Colorado State Forest State Park trail system, Ranger Lakes will give you a front row seat to moose in the area as well as access to the Moose Visitor Center, not far down the road on HWY 14 (part of the Cache la Poudre-North Park Scenic Byway between Walden and Fort Collins, CO).

Camping

Whether it’s one more trip in the RV or pitching a tent and sleeping under the stars is more your thing, experienced campers can enjoy some world class Colorado camping without all the crowds of summer. Check out Big Creek Lakes campground or Bockman Campground in the State Forest State Park.

If you want to kick your camping game up a notch to glamping, you won’t want to miss Yonder Yurts, which offers several heated yurts with spectacular views. Or if you want to experience the southern end of North Park, the Old Homestead Campground is now open year round for RVs, cabins, and even tent camping. Check out this iconic piece of North Park history, not far from the ghost town of Teller City on the road between Walden and Granby, CO.

Prepare for weather changes

Bad weather can roll up at any time in North Park, and your guess is as good as ours as when the first major snowfall will be. Typically heavy snows start at the end of October, but in recent years we’ve had some milder winters that don’t really get started until December. As much as we hate to see autumn go, North Park relies on heavy snowfall throughout late fall and winter to replenish our lakes, rivers, and groundwater. 

If you follow this blog, you might have noticed this year that the fall colors started to turn earlier. Part of that is because of an unseasonably mild winter and dry conditions during the summer. The trees have been stressed out as a result and shedding their leaves sooner to conserve energy for the cold temps to come.

If you are enjoying the outdoors, whether it is camping, hunting, fishing, or other recreational activities, know that sudden weather changes can be life-threatening if you aren’t prepared. Remember to stay dry if possible and dress in layers so you can regulate your body temperature. Dress for all seasons, especially since temps can be unseasonably warm and drop down to snow and winter conditions in just a few hours. You don’t want to be caught out in that!

Use Caution when Enjoying the Outdoors!

Don’t take risks with your safety. Don’t drink untreated/filtered water from creeks or rivers; even if you are nearly certain you know the source of the water. Girardia and other pathogens in untreated water can make you very sick and ruin your trip! 

We are still under a fire ban in Colorado, so be sure to obey regulations and use common sense when using fire outdoors. Simple mistakes with fire in Colorado have a history of literally blowing up into something much worse. Keep our forests, wildlife, and people safe by observing all fire regulations and restrictions.

Do NOT approach wildlife! There’s a reason YouTube is full of idiots trying to pet elk and bison. The results are never good for the tourist. But did you know that these unwanted contacts with wildlife usually end in the euthanasia of these beautiful animals who were just minding their own business? Colorado is currently under a one-strike-and-you're-out rule when it comes to animal attacks. Don’t be the reason an animal has to die needlessly this year.

Driving in snow

When the snow does hit, be careful on the roads. Snowplows typically only operate from 7am-5pm. Watch for snowplows on the road. Not only can they create whiteout conditions while following them, it might be nearly impossible for them to see you ahead of them. Make a habit of checking weather conditions and make sure your vehicle is up to snuff when it comes to mountain driving in extreme weather.

Cell Service

Be aware of interruptions in cell service. Not only does our remote location mean plenty of dead zones (which are what you want when detoxing social media) but sudden storms and cloudcover can turn four or five bars into zero in a hurry.

Pull over and take a break from socials!

Even though we offer plenty of vistas worthy of an Instagram story, try to restrain yourself for your own well-being. North Park offers a great place to detox from social media. Not only is it remote enough to have a great excuse for not being connected, there are so many incredible things to see when you visit us! 

Avoid the busy highways and congested parking lots of Colorado’s more well-known destinations for fall and escape the Front Range (and your phone) with a visit to your next favorite place!

Check out our socials (If You Must)

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