While I was in Rockport, Texas, I joked that my condo was a geographical oddity because everything seemed to be four minutes away—the beach, HEB, the arts district. Here in Colorado, I’ve found another version of that. Only now, everything seems to be about thirty minutes away—Boulder, Red Rocks, Aurora, Golden. It has made for some really great little day trips.
One morning I headed to Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater. When I arrived, I was literally in awe! In my mind, rocks are small. These were massive red boulders. Now to be honest, I expected big red rocks and beautiful scenery, but somehow the landscape was even more dramatic than I had imagined.
The park road winds upward through a short tunnel carved into the massive boulders before reaching the upper parking area. From there, you walk up and over the crest of the rocks before the amphitheater finally comes into view. I arrived at about 7:00 am one chilly 49-degree morning. There were several people already there walking up and down the steps at the theater. I walked about halfway down the rows of seats, sat down, and closed my eyes. I could only imagine how beautiful it would be to sit out here under the stars and listen to a concert. I imagined that the natural acoustics of the boulders would be unforgettable.
I walked around taking in the views and trying to capture the beauty all around me. The red rocks against the impossibly blue sky felt almost surreal. Off in the distance, I could see the Denver cityscape. I felt small standing among the massive boulders while the distant city skyline seemed tiny by comparison.
After driving around and stopping at different points to take more pictures, I stopped at the gift shop and hiked a little way down the Trading Post Trail. I was surprised by a mule deer crossing the path up ahead of me. I love seeing animals in their natural habitat, though at that proximity I was thankful it wasn’t the bear I’ve secretly been hoping to see. Just a few minutes later, a chipmunk darted in and out of the scruffy shrubs and disappeared behind a rock. I wasn’t quick enough to get a picture of either of these animals, but was happy to have been present in the moment.
After leaving the park, I took a little detour over to Golden, Colorado. I stopped at Mama Bear’s Diner for breakfast and then drove to the historic district. I walked through town and found myself crossing a bridge over Clear Creek—famous for gold mining during the Colorado Gold Rush. I was pleasantly surprised by the walking trail that flanked the creek on both sides. Big boulders in the creek created small rapids. I wandered down the path, crossed a couple of bridges, walked through a historic park, and eventually made my way back through town, stopping in small shops along the way. This was a perfect day, and Golden quickly got added to my list of favorite small towns!
I left Golden and drove the “about 30 minutes” back to my home base. There’s something about these little day trips—the hiking trails, mountain towns, wildlife encounters, and unexpected moments—that has made this stay in Colorado feel really special already.
