Aspen Autumn Amble – Golden Gate Canyon State Park

A fall hike in Golden Gate Canyon State Park

The first place someone and I lived together was a ten minute walk along a bike path to a neighborhood bar and grill.

The food was good and solid.  Never terribly expensive. There were convenient happy hours and the limited, but good, beer menu provided some beverages to quench the thirst.  The small booths and nooks and crannies of the place allowed for quiet conversation vs other, noisier, watering holes.   The bar area itself was great for meeting some nearby friends for a pint or two and a chance to catch up.

It was a place I never considered among my favorite places in Boulder, but it was place that was fairly frequently visited. A place to go before we headed out on trips, and did not wish to cook or go grocery shopping. Or it was Friday night and neither one of wished to drive and we wanted to just relax.

And now that we are no longer in such easy walking distance, we miss the place. There is no equivalent place right around the corner.

Which are the thoughts the come to mind when thinking about Golden Gate Canyon State Park.  It is never among the places I mention for great hikes.

But I seem to have been there quite a bit.  More than I realize at first.

It is less crowded than the Boulder open space. It is less than an hour’s drive away. It is a place with many trails. And I have always enjoyed my time spent there.

Going to Golden Gate gives us a chance to see early spring wildflowers and view the snow covered divide from a distance. Or perhaps  a sunrise hikes in May.  We can go on fall hikes where the aspens are blazing. And, of course, our wedding was held in the park.

I seem to make my way back there.

And so I found myself doing a Fall hike with my friends one beautiful Sunday morning. I wanted something nice. Something not too crowded. Something not far away.

So I found I found myself at Golden Gate Canyon State Park again.

It was the perfect time to be in the higher foothills as the aspen were at peak.

The meadows were a mixture of red and gold.

And to see that winter is about to start up in the high country.

And have one last look at some aspens before heading back to the car.

And, come spring, I am sure I’ll be back again.

A quiet, neighborhood bar is good. And so is the quiet, local, state park. Both aren’t thought about too much. Both seem to be there just when we need something like them.