Rocky Mountains National Park, Continental Divide

From Leadville, I journeyed to Grand Lake, a town at the westernmost tip of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Grand Lake is gorgeous, situated on the largest body of water in the park, and staying here allowed some time to relax. I spent the days bathing in the alpine waters, and the nights enjoying the company of the hikers and holidaymakers who have also come to experience Colorado’s natural beauty.

Finally, it was time to leave. I got up before daybreak and packed my backpack, heading out as the first rosy fingers of dawn appeared over the horizon. I followed the Tonahutu Creek Trail, which leads the CDT out of town, passing through the trees and babbling brooks until I reached Big Meadows. This huge expanse of soft grass and pine forests, cut in two by a winding river, was the perfect place to stop for a picnic. As I’d left town today, I had some fresh bread, a couple of ripe tomatoes and a hunk of cheese. I enjoyed this simple meal, watching a herd of moose crossing the plain, heading to the river for a drink.

I gained elevation and began to reach the upper levels of the park. Here, the alpine scenery turned to tundra, where small white snow drifts clung to the slopes and the great flat stones that lay on the mountaintops were covered in blankets of lichens. The view below was obscured by the clouds, which formed a soft bank above the treeline. Cut off from the modern world by the clouds, I savoured the perfect stillness and calm.

The next couple of days were blissful. Stunning mountain vistas were always around me, and whilst some of the inclines were difficult, the weather was clear and perfect, only a slight breeze lifting the air. The next highlight was the Rabbit Ears Pass. The pass is named after two tall, thin rock formations that stick up at the top of a small mountain, resembling two rabbit’s ears poking up over the slope. I tried to imagine a huge stone rabbit crouching behind the mountain and tried to decide if the idea was scary or funny. 

I began to head downhill. I entered the forest, and then, as I came out the other end, the air became warmer, and the vegetation sparser. Soon, I was trudging along the barren desert flatlands which extended over to the Wyoming border. I sat down for a while and looked back over Colorado, proud of myself for conquering the state’s huge peaks and perilous wilderness, but excited to discover the mysteries of the Sagebrush State.