Colorado

Colorado, well known for its outdoor-loving people, has its fair share of natural beauty. Red Rocks, the Rocky Mountains, and Colorado’s various rivers and lakes are simply gorgeous. Outside big cities, little mountain homes blend in with their natural surroundings. Step into the backyard, or simply look out a window, and see deer and elk meandering about. Catch their eye, and they’ll look at you as if you just told them a joke, and they want you to know they didn’t think it was funny. If you look hard enough, you can sometimes find antlers laying about!

Wild bunnies and marmots scamper through the bushes and rocky ground. So very timid – these little guys don’t come close. The most you can do is admire from afar – or scare them by running up real close with a camera like I did.

If you’re lucky, and high up enough, you might even see a moose. Looking like cows with long legs, moose have a majestic yet wonky walk. They can do both a high pitched MOO sound and a bear’s savage roar – moose certainly have a commanding presence. They tend to not mind onlookers, humans are just like any other small, powerless creature to them. 

What do all of these things have in common?

They call the mountains home.

From Garden of the Gods, the Manitou Incline, or any of the various 14’ers (mountains with peaks at or above 14,000 feet,) there are unforgettable mountain scenes practically everywhere. With enough trails to make your brain boil and steam come out of your ears, you can really experience all of what nature has to offer. 

All of this is just to say: go for a walk! If you’re visiting Colorado, take a minute to enjoy the outdoors. Check out that judging deer, those sheepish bunnies and marmots, and that strangely beautiful moose strut. I’ve learned Colorado is best experienced coming face to face with mother nature.

And anyway, who wouldn’t want to see a cute moose??