Late September in the Rockies

My dad always said the aspen leaves in the fall looked like glittering gold coins when they fluttered in the wind. I've never forgotten the image. We spent most of the last week of September hiking in the Rockies, and with those golden coins littering the ground, I felt very rich.

Our stops in order of appearance:

Sky Pond at Rocky Mountain National Park - the most magical, sparkliest, aqua water I have ever seen. Bonus: From our campsite in the Park we could hear elk calling all night long.

Hanging Lake - We saw our first bits of fall color dripping over the lake, which looked like glass.

Camping near Vail - The sweetest cozy campsite covered in golden aspen coins.

Backpacking Eccles Pass - Finished off the trip with a hike to Eccles Pass near Frisco, CO.