On the backroads to Aspen

Hands down Colorado gets my vote for Mask Up. The word is out and these residents take CDC guidelines seriously. They even wear their masks outside as well as inside. Take for instance this hat for sale to send out the message.

In downtown Aspen Mask Up signs hung from street lamps. So wish my neighbor Kathleen was here to see these messages. 

We started the day out seeing where Bryan lives. Check out the view from his window. 

We were lucky to have him as a guide. We took a road less traveled (backroads) to Aspen.  And what scenic views!  

Colorado's fall colors are unique because of the golden aspens that paint the mountains with shades of gold and yellow each autumn. Colorado and Utah are home to the largest number of aspen trees in the U.S. Colorado offers the leaf peeper three different climate zones within a two-hour drive from downtown Denver.

Roaring Fork River

Even  the tree trunks seemed noteworthy.

A hidden gem, the funky rustic Woody Creek Tavern located in Woody Creek, a little mountain village most known for this legendary tavern. The census-designated place (CDP) is located 8 miles north of Aspen. It has its own Woody Creek Post Office with a zip code of 81656. The town had a population of 263 in 2010. It’s situated at an elevation of 7,346 feet in the Roaring Fork Valley.

Since it was off season the town of Aspen seemed relatively quiet but still parking places were at a premium. One of our destinations was the John Denver Sanctuary located near the Roaring Fork River. The Song Garden features many of the iconic singer's lyrics etched into native river boulders placed in a perfect circle to represent the circle of life as a score of music. At the circle's center, a single Colorado blue spruce was planted which symbolizes the spirit of John. It is an idyllic location and visitors will not wonder for long where "Rocky Mountain High" originated.

Maroon Bells is a recreation area at 9, 589 feet that provides memorable scenes in the Rockies. There is camping and mutitude of trails available for hiking. Changes in altitude did present some problems, requiring finding a bench to rest. Maroon Lake (photo taken just as sun was setting)  is one of the most photographed lakes in Rockies. The water level was quite low.  Colorado has very little rain with a lot of wind fueling the wildfires you are hearing about. The pictures on TV are just heartbreaking. In Estes and Fort Collins residents had very little time to prepare for evacuations.

Continuing west to Utah's Arches National Park.