During autumn, when the leaves begin to fall, we love taking walks among the fallen leaves. Especially when there is a slight breeze and the leaves fall all around you. If the leaves are dry, the soft crunch as you walk along the trail or sidewalk makes for a relaxing background noise. It can be very colorful seeing all of the leaves spread all across the ground. It is no wonder that it is something that we revisit again and again in our photographs as it invokes such strong memories both visually as well as with the other senses. When looking at photographs like these, it is almost as if you can feel the breeze, smell the autumn air, and even hear the rustling of the leaves overhead.
Tree Lined SidewalkEntrance to a Castle Covered in LeavesLeaves in a Park in WarwickCool Temperatures and Fallen LeavesColorado TrailWalking Along the Rhine RiverLeaves Blowing on the SidewalkLeaves Beneath the Trees
Autumn (or fall) is truly our favorite time of year and we often travel during this season as it can be an off-season in many countries. The changing leaves are certainly part of the attraction for autumn, but we also enjoy the cooler temperatures and the anticipation of the holiday season. Because we live at a higher altitude, the trees change earlier here in Colorado than in most other places, so we often get to see the changing colors more than once during the season.
Autumn in KoblenzVibrant Colors in the Colorado MountainsView down the River in Heidelberg
There are many festivals at this time of year, such as Oktoberfest, sausage festivals, and different markets, which makes it even more interesting. The list of places that we have visited in September, October, and November is quite long and the scenery can be quite varied. Obviously, the later that you travel into November, you have to take into account the potential for weather issues, but that can be a risk whenever you travel.
Changing Colors in GermanyEiffel Tower and Autumn LeavesAspen Leaves and Blue Skies
There is something special about traveling during this time of year when the trees around the sights are vibrant with color. In our opinion, it only adds to the experience and we have many fond memories of seeing the countryside, mountains, and rivers. Is there a time of year when you prefer to travel?
Falling Leaves in Alexandria, VirginiaContrasting ColorsNear Cripple Creek, Colorado
We certainly love hiking in Colorado and one of our favorite destinations is Mueller State Park, which is in Divide. We always plan a trip for this time of year as the Aspen leaves turn to a vibrant golden-yellow. We are a few weeks away from our annual pilgrimage, but we have gone hiking in the park at least a dozen times over the years. Any time of year when the ground isn’t covered with snow is a great time to visit the park and there are trails to suit any level of hiker. There are also camping sites, but we would highly recommend making reservations in advance as they often book up during the busy seasons.
Aspen GroveBeautiful ScenerySnow in the DistanceAspen Tree
One of the reasons that we like hiking in Mueller State Park is that it has beautiful views of what we in Colorado Springs consider to be the backside of Pikes Peak. We have seen many different animals during our visits including deer and elk, but seeing wild turkeys was definitely one of our favorite memories. It is always a good idea to stop at the visitor center and talk to the rangers there about what trails to hike and which ones to avoid. Bears usually get active as winter approaches and they start foraging to store fat for their hibernation.
Wild TurkeysView from a HikeColorful Aspen TreesThe Elk Rub Their Antlers Against the Trees
We certainly enjoy the beautiful autumn colors from many different places around the world and we will always remember how beautiful it was traveling down the Rhine River in Germany with all of the colorful trees. There is, however, something special about the vibrant colors of the Aspen trees against the backdrop of the pine trees and dark boulders. We would certainly recommend that anyone visiting Colorado Springs, if you have the time to make the 50 minute drive, go to Mueller State Park. Even if you don’t get out and hike, just driving through the park and seeing the incredible scenery is well worth it.
Autumn in KoblenzTrees Starting to ChangeNot Just Colorful TreesHiking in the Park
