They say laughter is the best medicine. But have you tried forest? I’m talking about administering a full-body, immersive dose of leafy/needly alpine medicine replete with fresh air and dappled sunshine falling on a centuries-old root-network underfoot?
As many of us are, I was long overdue for my prescription. For the past several months — energy depleting and length of fuse-to-anger shortening — my body knew exactly what my mental health needed. Our bodies often know. She sassed, get out of the city, girl, and hug some trees already!
I had blocked out a few autumn weekends in my busy-season calendar for tree-time. But I’d watched as, one by one, the pale-blue blocks designated for “travel” were gobbled up and replaced by my inability to say no to pleading client requests. And by Friday morning of last week, all fall options had vanished but one: the one early October weekend when autumn foliage often peaks in the mountains. The one weekend that, uh, began the very next day.
I’d somehow managed to hold sacred a three-day span. But I hadn’t had a moment or thought to assemble an actual plan.
After a gentle nudge from a friend at my coffee shop, I did some research and discovered — like a sign from the universe — exactly ONE remaining (required) timed entry ticket to the Maroon Bells (a perennial favorite deep in the Rocky Mountains and wholly accessible without a car).
Twenty-two hours later I was on the 7am Bustang heading west. Giddy.
Buses were all on time and I arrived in Aspen early enough for coffee, a visit to Explore Booksellers (another favorite), and a quiet mountain hike.
And the next morning I was hiking in the Maroon Bells wilderness, frankly rather stunned I wasn’t dreaming…
I could tell you about the quiet — how I relished subtlety of aspen leaves quaking in the breeze, the soft thuds of steps on dirt, the flapping wings of camp robbers and the gurgling of mountain streams.
Or the light — how the sun rose five times over different peaks as I hiked, and up by Crater Lake the ground sparkled like a carpet of diamonds as October morning sunshine crawled over hoar frost. Looking up, patchworks of aspen canopy shimmered gold against the azure sky, while below thick tree roots roped and braided in dappled pools of sunlight across the trail.
And the trees. So many trees. As I hugged them, giggles bubbled up involuntarily and escaped. They scattered freely, as though coiled anxiety that had taken residence in my lungs unwound and sprung free, vaporizing in the form of laughter in forest and snow-melt flavored air.
That’s some damn fine medicine.
My wish — now more than ever — is that everyone around the globe had access to feel what nature can inspire: Connection. Grounding. Empathy. Freedom.
“Get out of the city, girl, and hug some trees already!”
TRAVELING to wilderness the Good Footprint way:
I love that it’s possible to get from Denver deep into the mountains without the guilt of driving. Instead of the impact of a single-passenger vehicle and dealing with traffic, you can read, enjoy spectacular views, and relax knowing you’re sharing the ride and resources (the ridership of my buses alone took about 50+ cars off the road each way!)
That’s like a win-win-win-win-win!
Resources for car-less options to the mountains from Denver:
Denver to Glenwood Springs
Amtrak: California Zephyr travels once a day between Denver and Glenwood Springs (continuing to California). The trip is *beyond* spectacular, hugging the Colorado and Frasier Rivers into canyons you can’t see any other way. Not always on time but worth the gamble if you have the time. Prices vary.
Bustang: West line departs Denver several times a day and heads to mountain towns including Frisco, Vail, Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction (you can connect from there to Telluride and Durango). $28 each way (except during August and September when fares are cut in half as part of Colorado’s No Fare for Better Air initiative).
Glenwood Springs to Aspen
RFTA: Roaring Fork Transit Authority (which goes by “VelociRFTA” and has a cheeky dinosaur on the side) departs frequently from the Bustang stop. RFTA is free within zones and $5 from Glenwood to Aspen ($3.75 if purchased through the app).
Aspen to Maroon Bells
Aspen Chamber of Commerce sells timed bus tickets spring through fall (check site for dates). Five years ago, in an effort to reduce traffic and emissions, they closed the road to private cars between 8am and 5pm so, in addition to being the good footprint way to go, the bus is actually the way to go!
FINALLY
I’ve been thinking of assembling a Good Footprint Travel Guide to compile wilderness travel without driving. Visiting a precious place feels better if you know you’re not contributing as much to its demise. If you have ideas (places you’d like to explore or places you’ve been via public transportation), please leave a comment!
Until next time, stay curious and keep leaving Good Footprints, my friends…
Good Footprint Travel Guide is genius.
My sister sends me places we should add to our "adventure list" via IG and she recently sent places to check out the fall foliage here in AZ. Definitely need to take advantage before it snows.