Never before did I enjoy such a vibrant autumn. Never before did I meet a morning decked up beautifully in gold. The charming yellow leaves of aspen trees during the fall in Grand Lake made me realize that departure from the life need not be scary and instead can be beautiful. The fall foliage in Grand Lake is like a poem; a poem that can be lived.
My first Morning in Grand Lake
I wanted to sleep a little longer but in vain. The morning slipped through my window and woke me up. I rubbed my sleepy eyes, wrapped myself in the blanket and put down the window screen to see the Grand Lake.
The fall foliage in Grand Lake is like a poem; a poem that can be lived. Click To TweetDisclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
My first morning in Grand Lake gifted me a grand view
Words fail me to describe the first glimpse of the lake but I will still give it a try. The lake was silently reflecting the fall colors. No tiny waves shook the reflection. The water of the lake stood still under the spotless blue sky. Trees in the mountain afar had started turning yellow here and there.
The lake was silently reflecting the fall colors. No tiny waves shook the reflection. The water of the lake stood still under the spotless blue sky. Trees in the mountain afar had started turning yellow here and there. Click To Tweet
Eye soothing, soul-nourishing view that calms down one’s mind.
The serenity and the beauty of the lake inspired me to go out then and there. I put on my shoes, took the camera and then off I went.
A stroll beside the Grand Lake
Life in front of a computer screen and life while walking beside a lake is so fundamentally different, I thought while taking a stroll by the lake. Nature and its pace make us calm, and the computer screen makes us rush and run!
Nature and its pace makes us calm and the computer screen makes us rush and run! Click To Tweet
A vibrant autumnal view
After some time I saw some simple and elegant wooden benches beside the lake. I sat there for a while. Benches come with a possibility; one gets to share some moments with a stranger if alone; perhaps a conversation sparks, perhaps not, or one just ends up observing a stranger closely for a while. I have always loved seeing people; each of them has a story. I love reading those stories in my own way and add some imagination into it.
Benches come with a possibility; one gets to share some moments with a stranger if alone; perhaps a conversation sparks, perhaps not, or one just ends up observing a stranger closely for a while. Click To Tweet
I sat on one of them!
That day no one shared the bench with me. I sat there for a while all alone.
Empty benches always come with a possibility of conversation. Don’t you think?
I saw a man running and interestingly there was no earplug. I was surprised and happy. I saw a man standing quietly with a fishing net.
He inspired me to start fishing! Someday I will.
I saw two boats afar slowly sailing on and one boat was anchored. By that time, the sun came out bright and beautiful. The lake too wore the sparkling attire and looked different.
Gorgeous and beautiful day!
Fall foliage in Grand Lake
Fall made me realize death is beautiful in the realm of nature.
I wanted to stand amidst trees full of colors. I didn’t want to just see them from afar. I wanted to feel them up and close. So we decided to drive in the direction where there are fall colors. The idea resulted in a picturesque afternoon.
And we followed the fall colors
My wish to see and touch those falling leaves came true.
Moments from that afternoon!
Shadow Mountain Lake
Sometimes traveling without a plan turns out the best. During the Grand Lake trip, we saw colors and followed the fall colors. We went to walk a trail but when saw a silent lakeside, I decided to spend some quiet moments beside the lake with my daughter; watching her play while the water lashes on the shore and the birds sing was a pure joy.
We sat beside the lake and listened. Whistling winds. Music of the tiny waves. Whispering of the rustling leaves.
Likewise, while driving, we saw a sparkling blue waterbody and decided to stop by that. When I stepped out of the car, the peaks of the Rocky Mountains in the background greeted me and some of the drifting clouds on the blue sky wished me sunshine. I tried to find out about the name and found out it is the Shadow Mountain Lake. Later I learned that the Shadow Mountain Lake is a high-elevation reservoir.
The Rocky Mountains afar, blue sky above and a sparkling blue lake below! Do I need more?
Sunset in Grand Lake
We were in a dilemma whether to see the sunset while sitting beside the lake or from the hillside above Grand Lake Village. I can’t say the exact reason but eventually, we decided to go up to the hills.
Can you see the junction between the Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Lake?
We went up to the location of the Grand Lake Lodge and saw both the Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Reservoir. We spent some precious moments in the well-maintained vista point.
We loved being the spectator of our daughter’s performance on this beautiful stage.
Fall colors, lakes, mountains and a beautiful sunset made our evening special. It is hard to accumulate and describe all the feelings through writing. Perhaps a beautiful piano composition would do it full justice. Moments and places such as these are best described by music, not words.
Where I stayed in Grand Lake
The tree house at the Western Riviera gifted me two beautiful mornings, two starry nights, cozy comfort and all the amenities a family would need to spend some wonderful time together.
Gorgeous tree house
Comfort and convenience both in abundance
The lake view from the tree house at the Western Riviera is an instant relief from all the chaos of our daily modern life. The stillness of the lake in the morning, ripples during the day and the silent darkness during the night all have a different charm. One needs to stay there to experience. Book your stay at Western Riviera Lodging.
How I miss this balcony!
Travel Realizations
The fall foliage in Grand Lake is picturesque. I wished I was a painter when I saw the bright yellow of the aspen trees. I wished I was a music composer when I heard the rustling of the golden leaves before they were falling down. The last night when all of a sudden I saw the Milky Way above the Grand Lake, I wished I was an astrophile. Before bidding adieu, I wrote a letter to the Grand Lake while sitting beside it. I left a bit of me there at its shore.
The fall foliage in Grand Lake is picturesque. I wished I was a painter when I saw the bright yellow of the aspen trees. Click To Tweet
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Disclosure: While this post was in partnership with Grand County Tourism, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Jim Evans
That is a very beautiful photo.. I’d totally make that my homepage banner.. 😉 😉
Carly | Fearless Female Travels
That header photo is absolutely stunning! I love shoulder season travel, and autumn in Colorado looks like the perfect place to enjoy nature while escaping the crowds!