Cottonwood Lake Camping 10.1.16-10.2.16

After a month of no fun in the mountains due to a busy work schedule and 2 family weddings, I finally had a weekend of zen. Where else but...west! Well, south west.

Up and early Saturday morning to drive down by Buena Vista. I needed some fall colors in my life. The changing leafs to that gorgeous golden hue. We headed towards Cottonwood Lake. There was a national park service campground there, but we opted to stay off the beaten path. :)

Just down the road...

...about 1 mile west of Cottonwood Lake, was this little piece of heaven...

We set up camp at the base of a mountain, with a stream just nearby. It was so quiet and peaceful. In fact, after we set up the tent and supplies, we just sat by the fire pit in silence for about an hour. I read my book, and Joe whittled some sticks with his knife.

After some quiet time, we decided to go for a little walk. Just back down the road was the entrance to the Avalanche trailhead in San Isabel National Forest. Up we climbed for about an hour before stopping to catch the views, and head back down.

Back at camp, it was time to get ready for dinner. On the menu: pan roasted veggies and pork!

Well...Joe got dinner ready and I sat and enjoyed Mountain Merlot. 

Not too shabby for outdoor cooking!

Classy camping ;)

We ended the evening with s'mores, quiet chatting, and a perfect view of more stars in the sky than I've ever seen before. It was so peaceful. My soul felt so content and at ease. It was exactly the break I needed from the craziness of life.

Bedtime was a little early because we ran out of firewood. So bundled up in our sleeping bags, we played cards, and then passed out at about 9pm. Not to wake up until about 9am. 12 hours of sleep?! I can't remember the last time that happened.

We quietly woke up, made some campfire coffee and pancakes, and began packing up.

We also opted for the extra long way back home. Taking in some more scenic views and those epic fall colors.

Quick stop at a scenic overlook where you could see over 30 of the iconic mountains off in the distance - from Princeton to Harvard - from Lincoln to Elbert. 

And...as it always goes, the second I could see Denver and the busy 'burbs, I got grouchy. Back to reality...until next time, mountain zen...

xo, Jaclyn