Before I started college, I lived in the small town of Leadville, Colorado, which boasted a mere 3,000 people. A few days before I left for Boulder to start my life in the dorms, my family moved to the outskirts of an even smaller town, Kremmling. My family technically lives 10 miles away from this blink of a town, and so they are firmly in what one would call “the country.” Around there, it might seem like there’s not much to do. Kremmling has one stop light, barely any shopping, and only one coffee shop. However, it’s a beautiful place, gorgeous in any season and it only takes stepping outside the door to see that my parents actually chose a prime place to live.
One of the best parts of the area is all the wonderful hiking. My family’s favorite place to hike is the trail that goes around Cataract Lake. We take this hike at least twice a year. The trail is great for beginner or casual hikers. It’s exerting in a way that makes you feel good, but not taxing or especially challenging. (However, on the hike in these pictures I had a hard time because my brother ran off ahead, taking all the water with him. I had a terrible headache by the end of it.) More importantly, the view is absolutely gorgeous all the way around. In the summer, the water is a deep blue and the surrounding hillsides pop with a bright green color. White aspen trunks soak up the sunlight, surrounded by an abundance of wild flowers. The state flower is the wild Columbine, which is usually blue and white, but can also be found in shades of purple, light pink, and a reddish-pink. You’ll also find pink wild roses, bright red Indian paintbrushes, and a dozen other flowers that I cannot name.
Of course, it’s equally beautiful in the fall, when all those pretty green aspens turn yellow, gold and orange. If you ever visit Colorado in the fall, enjoy the colors as much as you can, especially if you’re in the higher altitudes. Trust me; they will be gone in two weeks’ time.
(Justin, me, and an AIU exchange student, Haruka, who was studying abroad at our school.)
This post doesn’t have much of a story, and it’s more of a photo dump, I suppose. But I hope it inspires you to visit Colorado, and also to consider the smaller towns which make up most of the state. We may not have many activities, but our views will take your breath away.
Do you like hiking? What are some of your favorite spots? When you travel, do you try to give a little love to the small towns, too?