Chautauqua Park, Boulder, CO

This weekend, my friend and I took a quick trip to Colorado. We stayed at my cousin’s house in Denver, but drove all around the state to fully explore its beauty. As I drove along the freeway with the Rocky Mountains in the distance, I felt very at home. On our first day in Colorado, we chose to drive to Boulder to go hiking at Chautauqua Park, a popular destination for both Colorado visitors and residents. The drive to the park was absolutely beautiful. Near the park were windy, switchback roads lined with vibrant, green foliage and the occasional sign pointing toward the hiking trailheads. We parked in a small gravel lot that only had space for four or five cars, got out, and began our climb up the mountain.

Our hike started from a central trailhead that eventually led to an intersection that led to even more hikes. We opted for a path that had a spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains far off in the distance the entire time. The mountains appeared a rusty brown color, with splashes of green from the foliage toward the base of the mountain range. They were harsh and spiky, piercing the clouds without any curved edges or continuity between them. I would love to see what these mountains look like when they are covered in snow. I am sure it is a majestic sight.

My friend and I both felt the difference in altitude between Texas and Colorado as we climbed up the side of the mountains. It made the hike a challenge, but even more rewarding when we looked back and could see how far we had climbed. We observed beautiful pink and purple wildflowers along the rocky trail, crossed over small creeks and waterfalls, and had beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains above us and the city of Boulder below us. As we climbed higher and higher, the city below us seemed to disappear, and we entered into a world entirely surrounded by untouched nature and beauty. We only saw two other hikers along the trail the entire time, so we felt isolated and in our own world in the mountains. Once we reached the top, we looked down to see nothing but greenery below us and mountainous landscapes everywhere we turned. It was absolutely beautiful, and an amazing beginning to our weekend adventure.