Enjoying Fall @ Farish

A crisp morning ... 38F when we woke up @ 7:00a ... 48F when I bundled up and sat down @ 8:30a to enjoy a cup of tea on the patio and read my book ... 56F when we set off at 10:00a to enjoy the fall colors under a blue sky filled with sunshine and nary a hint of smoke from the wildfires in Colorado or any of the neighboring states. Leaving behind temps in the 80F+ range at home, we felt like it was truly autumn ... even if fall was officially still one day away on the calendar.

We started off by wandering around Lake Grace ... stopping often to appreciate the patches of golden yellow where the aspens had peeked ... and the patches of light green to yellow where the transition from summer to fall was just beginning. The lighter, brighter colors stood in stark contrast to the deep green of the pines. A calm morning meant that the scenery was reflected on the water, creating a mirror image to double our pleasure.

From Lake Grace we drove to Lake Sapphire and parked at the trailhead near the interior fence line that splits the developed section of the Farish property from the undeveloped area. Though there were a couple of anglers at both lakes, there was absolutely no one on the trails.

What a delight to have the peaceful, wide expanse of land with patches of fall color all to ourselves ... with the exception of the four elk we saw grazing as we looped back around the lollipop of the Flatland Trail. We didn’t even mind the passing shower that had us seeking shelter under the trees before we continued our hike ... nor the clouds moving in to fill the sky. Both had been in the forecast ... neither marred our enjoyment of the fresh air.

Back at Lake Sapphire, we sat down on one of the benches on the shore line, sharing the peaceful scenery with two men quietly fishing a ways down from where we enjoyed our mid-day snack.

It was getting on towards 2:00p when we left to return to the Cruiser. We didn’t make it far. Instead, we decided to take a drive on Loy Creek Road. Somehow we got on Rampart Range Road instead. No matter ... there was plenty of fall colors to enjoy on that road as well. Since we ended up driving all the way back to the fork in the road, we detoured into Woodland Park and found a strong cell signal to check in with family and friends.

Further jiggling our plans, we then decided to drive the short distance to Mueller State Park to check out the fall colors there. Nope, no foliage changing there. Maybe another week or two? We enjoyed the drive nonetheless and had a chance to check out the site we’ve got reserved for mid-October. It will likely be too late by then to see any fall foliage, but we were unable to get in earlier. No matter ... we’ll enjoy the miles and miles of trails regardless.

It was 4:30p by the time we got back to the Cruiser. Though the temp was down to 66F, there was just enough sun to keep us cozy while we sat outside for wine and snacks in lieu of dinner. I kept an eye out for the mule deer that visited us when we camped here in June. Alas, they were a no show.

My plan to bundle up and sit outdoors until nightfall was foiled by rain. I persevered at first, protected from the light rain by the overhead awning. But then the wind picked up, the rain continued to fall steadily, and the temp dropped like a rock. Time to move indoors ... catch up on the news and watch a movie or two.Leggi altro