Omayra Acevedo, Peak to Peak. Every once in a while, I’ll select a destination and I’ll tell you all the wonderful things you can do there for free. Today, there is no specific destination - there are many. As I drove through the mountains on my way home, I found the urge to stop at every bend to snap a photo. Needless to say, I did. 

I caught myself saying things like: I live here! I’m so lucky! I can’t believe I get to see this! I also couldn’t help but send the photos to everyone I knew - all five of them. Now, I would love to share a couple of those photos with you, along with some of my favorite places to enjoy Autumn. I have about a million of them, but I’ll only share a few. 

Our first scenic byway is our local Peak to Peak Highway. Between Central City and Estes Park; fifty-five miles invite you to drool, elevate your senses and convince yourself that you’re a part of an intricate oil painting. If you catch it at the right time, you can spend a few moments sitting by the St. Vrain Creek while the aspen trees surrounding it glow in bundles of gold.

Speaking of gold, Highway 46 through Golden Gate Canyon State Park is another sight for sore eyes. Besides all of the hiking options, there are endless aspen trees shimmering in the wind and inspiring you to go ahead, get out of the car and take a hike! Don’t forget your water, snacks and camera. 

My next two favorite spots are the 48 miles on Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park, between Grand Lake and Estes Park, and the 22 miles through Guanella Pass between Georgetown and Indian Hills. Rocky Mountain National Park will cost you a small fee to enter, but if you can manage it, go! Trail Ridge Road is open seasonally, but every so often it is still open through late-September/early-October. 

Guanella Pass is also open seasonally, and last I heard, it was still open and the aspens were still in full Autumn bloom. However, living in Colorado, we all know that things can change in a matter of minutes. So, check first before you go. Remember to stop a while, not just to take in the view, but to take one moment to appreciate how beautiful life truly is. 

My last, but definitely not least, favorite drive is Squaw Pass Road between the town of Idaho Springs and Evergreen. Squaw Pass Road is another great scenic route that offers you opportunities to pull off and listen to the songs of the Chicago Creek. 

If you’ve missed the colorful changes of the season, I hope you can live vicariously through my photos. Perhaps, you can consider adding a September drive to your bucket list. Take advantage of it, but don’t take it for granted. The patches of Autumn are something not everyone gets to experience.

(Originally published in the October 3, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)