Monday, August 23, 2010

Colorado Chronicles - Nature's "Gold Rush"

Gold Rush*
Many posts on this blog mention the fact that at one time or another over the past 150 years or so, Colorado has had a sporadic gold rush in this place or that. I have not, however, made mention of the "gold rush" that comes like clockwork every year, year after year. It's as dependable as, well, an old clock. The gold rush of which I speak has nary a thing to do with mines or miners. It has to do with trees, namely aspen trees. In my experience while living in Colorado on and off for over 20 years, mid-September seems to be about the time that the aspens start their annual change of color from green to, eventually, gold. In my eyes, the golden leaves of the autumn aspen tree are worth more to me than any amount of gold ore dug out of the mountains underneath them. It's one of the most beautiful displays of Nature's artwork you'll ever see. If you're planning a vacation to Colorado soon or maybe even in the future, mid-September is a great time to do so. The seasons are changing along with aspens, so the weather is neither too hot nor too cold to enjoy a leisurely drive or hike through the Rockies to witness this spectacle. To help with planning your trip to Colorado, I found this place, this place  and this place, all of which contain useful information for doing so. Nature's Gold Rush, over 1 billion aspen trees strong....... and growing.

*Photo from photography-on-the-net.com

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