The First Day Of Fall

Today is the first day of fall, and the leaves are already changing up in the mountains. My sister Susan and I drove up to Golden Gate Canyon State Park this past Thursday afternoon to check out the colors, and it looks like they will be at their peak pretty soon. I have driven past the entrance to this park many times, but have never really explored it. It is over 12,000 acres in size, and so if you want to hike its trails, it is advisable to get a map from the visitors center first. Or be lost forever. Which is a damn long time.

Years ago, my then wife Lisa and I came up to this park to write our wedding vows. She was much more familiar with Colorado than I was at the time, and I remember we found a spot in the park with a spectacular view. I have absolutely no idea where it was, but saw on the park's website that Panorama Point Scenic Overlook is supposed to have a great view of the Continental Divide, and can be accessed via the Mule Deer Trail. Naturally, of course, this spot is located on the opposite side of the park, close to the Peak-to-Peak highway between Black Hawk and Estes Park, and so it requires a bit more time to get to. Perhaps I'll get to it next year. Or the year after. Or even the year after that. These things take time, right?