Omayra Acevedo, Peak to Peak. The day was young, and the unknown was calling. I got out of bed, grabbed my bag full of water, snacks, a first aid kit, my journal and of course, my camera equipment. I wasn’t sure where I was headed until I recalled a hike a friend had mentioned in the town of Eldora, near Nederland, Colorado. She told me she was certain that I would love it.

Love doesn’t begin to describe how much I enjoyed this hike. I drove through the town of Eldora, following the signs to the Fourth of July trailhead, as this is where the hike officially begins (Arapaho Pass Trail #904). Before heading out, I’m going to highly recommend you travel in a high clearance vehicle. The bumpy drive is worth it. Little did I know, I was going to experience falling in love with yet another picture-perfect destination.

I jumped out of my truck and took a slow, deep inhale to take in the air one can only breathe during a crisp Rocky Mountain morning. Off I went. One deliberate step at a time. I was barely a quarter mile into my hike and already I couldn’t stop taking pictures. Every turn seemed to invite me into a new world. It was like jumping into a Bob Ross painting that was still in the process of being created.

Once you reach your first mile make sure you head West (left). This will take you past some more incredible views, switchbacks, cascades, creeks, remote waterfalls and eventually to Diamond Lake. There I was, staring deep into the sparkles of yet another beautiful Colorado lake. The hike was only slightly over five miles. Yet, my breath was struggling to catch up to the beat of my heart. I guess you can say that beauty does that to me.

It was like coming home – exciting yet calming. Invigorated, I couldn’t stop smiling. I felt my spirit twirling like a child partaking in her first moments of a dance. The sound of silence, the smells, the sensitivity in my heightened senses rejuvenated my soul and I couldn’t believe where I stood. That was the first time I had ever seen diamonds in the water.

(Originally published in the April 11, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)