Colorado Fall 2014

David and I have experienced some pretty stunning fall foliage in New York’s Hudson Valley and the Smoky Mountains of Appalachia, but nothing can quite compare to Colorado, where the yellow aspen trees set the mountains on fire.

Our activities were pretty limited because Biscuits was still recovering from his surgery, but we did manage to venture out on a few road trips up to the mountains. With Biscuits lying on a pillow in my lap, our first couple outings were to Rocky Mountain National Park. Every turn on Trail Ridge Road revealed another mountain lit up in vibrant fall colors. It was also nearing the end of the elk rut, so echoing throughout the park were the bugles of bucks calling out to their herd.

David and I had some family stay with us before continuing their way up to Vail. And after receiving several texts and photos of the foliage along the western slope, we knew a day trip out there was in order. We first wandered out past Nederland to explore Moffat Tunnel, a 6-mile long railroad tunnel that passes under the Continental Divide.

The tunnel was at the end of a dirt road that winds through the valley. We passed the picturesque yellow schoolhouse before the road started following South Boulder Creek. David and I actually rounded the bend right as a train was making its way through. The road ended at the mountain where the tunnel entrance was located. The surrounding area was covered in yellow aspen trees and the ruins of houses where the workers lived during the tunnel’s construction. There were also a few trails that started at the base of the tunnel that we knew we wanted to come back and explore once Biscuits was feeling better.

Our last fall excursion was to Vail, Colorado. Driving west on I-70, the more we gained in elevation, the more vivid the colors became. David and I first stopped in the quaint mountain town of Frisco – dubbed the Main Street of the Rockies due to its close proximity to several ski resorts. It didn’t matter where you were in town; there was always sweeping views of the sparkling lake and the sky-high mountains towering overhead. Even standing in the Safeway parking lot had amazing views.

Vail was absolutely gorgeous. The patches of aspen trees that we’d seen off in the distance along the highway were within arm’s reach along the town’s roads. With Biscuits in tow, we were able to hike around a large aspen grove. It felt like we were in a Dr. Seuss book – it looked too pretty and too perfect to be real.

After grabbing lunch at the Smiling Moose Deli, we decided to drive the small loop down to Leadville and back up to Frisco before heading home. One of our favorite spots along the way was Camp Hale. The U.S. Army used this area as a training facility for mountain climbing, alpine skiing, and cold-weather survival. We sat and watched the clouds cast shadows on the multicolored mountains and wide-open fields.

Although we didn’t make it out to other mountain towns like Aspen, or have the ability to venture out on a few trails, the parts of Colorado that we did see were incredible.