Omayra Acevedo, Peak to Peak. I’m only human and will openly confess to you that as hard as I try to fight it, I’ve been experiencing a bit of despair. Being a fairly positive person, I work to focus on the good things in life more than the negative. However, there are moments when this is a challenge even for me.

You see, it isn’t just the pandemic affecting me, it’s other parts of life that have become sudden and unexpected. Things are happening that I never thought would. Things that are forcing me to question if I’m truly prepared to live life as it has been written. Do I have any say? I guess to a degree, I do. All of this thinking is driving me crazy. I need an escape. Let’s go somewhere, shall we?

Roughly three hours Northwest of Nederland, 90 minutes from Grand Lake and two hours west of Fort Collins on Highway 14 in North Park, is a small isolated town near the border of Wyoming. It rests on a high glacial plain and has been deemed the moose viewing capital of Colorado. Its old Americana roots, farming families, activities and quintessential Colorado ruggedness are all part of its charm. Welcome to the town of Walden, Colorado.

Walden is home to the biggest state park in our state, and with 71,000 acres of wilderness, it is rightfully named State Forest State Park. Adventure enthusiasts can enjoy 365 days of every outdoor recreation activity you can think of. Some campsites and cabins remain open during winter months. After your out-of-doors escapade, head on over to Downtown Walden. Though smaller than its neighboring towns, you can find several places offering shopping and dining. It is said that there are views you can only see when you’re in the town of Walden. I’ll admit that I did see some beautiful sights while I was there. 

I’m always grateful when I can discover and explore new places in Colorado. Perhaps, I should utilize the same excitement when I’m dealing with new and different things in other portions of life. I need to remember that the keeper of the stars has a plan and I am part of it whether I like it or not. Though some of the things I have been experiencing scare me, I can’t allow fear or pain to keep me from living what could possibly be the greatest story I’ve ever lived. 

(Originally published in the August 20, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)