Tag: fall photography

Crater Lake – Maroon Bells

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Maroon Bells is an iconic wilderness area in Colorado that is home to some of the most photographed mountains in North America. I’ve wanted to visit Maroon Bells since moving to Colorado in 2020, and my husband and I finally got the chance to go the second weekend of October.

From May to October, peak season at Maroon Bells, you need a reservation to enter the wilderness area. You can either get a reservation to drive into Maroon Bells and park there yourself, or a reservation to park in Aspen and take the shuttle. We weren’t able to snag a parking reservation but we did book a spot on an 11am Saturday shuttle.

Maroon Bells is about 3.5-4 hours from Colorado Springs, so we got up bright and early to make our way to Aspen. We arrived in Aspen early enough to spend about an hour grabbing coffee and exploring the town a bit. There was a farmer’s market going on which we strolled through, and we also popped into a couple shops. We ended up parking in the garage at Aspen Highlands Village which was pretty expensive but very convenient. The shuttle system was very straightforward, and soon we were pulling up to one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen in person.

We decided to take the less than 4 mile out-and-back trail to Crater Lake. The trail begins gradually ascending through a gorgeous aspen grove before heading into a forested area. The trail gets pretty rocky for the last half mile or so to the lake, but is fairly easy with less than 700′ of elevation gain in total.

Crater Lake was very low when we visited given the time of year, but the views were absolutely stunning. We stopped to eat some PB&J’s before heading back down the trail to the visitor’s center. We had to wait for the return shuttle for about 10 minutes which wasn’t bad at all.

I’m so glad we took the time to visit Maroon Bells, and I’d love to return and explore it even more. Have you visited this beautiful wilderness area yet?

Crags Trail + Fern’s Diner Review

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The aspens are still beautifully vibrant here in Colorado, so last weekend my husband and I decided to check out the Crags Trail. The weather was supposed to be chilly and misty, but the trail is only a little over an hour from our house, and we figured it might be less crowded because of the conditions. We began the hike around 8:30am – there were a handful of other cars in the parking lot when we arrived, but we didn’t see anyone until two miles in or so.

The trail begins with a moderately steep ascent through the forest before giving way to open meadows. The trail leads you through what feels like a gentle valley with rock formations and forested hills on either side. We actually saw a family of three moose about 1.5 miles in! This stretch of the trail is mostly flat and a nice break after the initial push.

The last half mile or so quickly ascends through another forested area before reaching a rocky outlook. The views were a bit obstructed by clouds when we visited, but were still incredibly beautiful with the changing leaves. In total, the trail is roughly 5 miles in length with 800+ feet of elevation gain, making it moderately challenging but thoroughly enjoyable.

On the drive back to Colorado Springs we stopped at Fern’s Diner in Cascade so I could pick up a vegan lunch. I tried the 80’s burger – a Beyond burger topped with fried onions and blue cheese crumbles (all vegan!) – with tots, and a cup of green chili. All of it was incredibly delicious, and the diner itself was super cute. I definitely plan to return to try the breakfast menu!

Leaf Peeping in Colorado

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Fall is officially here and I couldn’t be more excited! Growing up, fall has always been my favorite season. There’s just something about a chill in the air and a cup of hot apple cider that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
This is my first time celebrating fall in Colorado and I knew I had to plan a day for my husband and I to take a drive and enjoy the beautiful colors. We settled on Interlaken Trail near Twin Lakes, and it did not disappoint.

Twin Lakes is about two and a half hours from our home base in Colorado Springs and located just north of Buena Vista, a cute mountain town. We got a late start to the day but still made time to grab drinks from The Coffee Cottage in Woodland Park, another little town worth a visit. The drive to Twin Lakes was beautiful in and of itself, and we spotted lots of aspen groves that were bright golden yellow.

We finally made it to the Interlaken Trailhead around 3:30pm, which turned out to be a great time to visit as it wasn’t crazy crowded and it wasn’t too hot. Some clouds were starting to roll in which contrasted beautifully with the golden aspens.

We started to hike along the Interlaken Trail but soon decided to head straight for the shoreline of the lake. My husband brought some fishing gear and our dog Willie was super eager to explore. We wandered along the shoreline, took some family pictures, and headed back home after about an hour of meandering around.

I would love to revisit Interlaken Trail another day when we have more time to explore as I’ve heard there are some old abandoned buildings at the end of trail! All in all, I was blown away by how beautiful Colorado is this time of year, and I’m so thankful we got a chance to experience it firsthand.