American songwriter John Denver once said, “Colorado Rocky Mountain high…I know he’d be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly.”
I am all the richer then, spotting not one but two of these majestic birds of prey on the drive out of Estes Park.
The sighting in the town, a base camp for adventurers in the famous Rocky Mountain National Park, tops off a day of wildlife spotting that has included a bull elk and his harem of females, some bighorn sheep, and a chipmunk I initially mistook for a squirrel.
Nature is on Denver’s doorstep, around 90 minutes drive away, making the Colorado state capital a convenient place from which to both enjoy city life and explore the stunning surrounds of the Rockies.
A new route from UK airports via Dublin to Denver with Aer Lingus, which launched in 2024, allows travellers to clear US immigration and customs in Ireland before take-off. Avoiding long queues stateside on landing means the adventure starts immediately.
So what is there to do, see and enjoy in this western American state?
In the mid 1800s visitors came in search of gold; now many come for the skiing in winter and hiking in summer.
Denver, the singer, is said to have changed his surname to match a city he loved, and Rocky Mountain High – his musical tribute to the wonder of the area’s natural beauty – became an official song for the state of Colorado in 2007.
Standing amid the golden yellow foliage reaching up into the clear blue sky as the mountains surround me, I can see why he felt moved to pen such lyrics.
It’s autumn – or Fall as the Americans call it – and leaf-peeping season is in full flow. The term is a new one to me, but flicking through the news channels in the hotel room at the beginning of my trip, I realise it’s a popular pastime here, with a section of the weather forecast dedicated to the best spots to go that weekend to check out the vibrant changing colours of the leaves.
The national park seems an obvious choice but, as it spans 415 square miles, including 350 of miles of hiking trails, it can be difficult to know where to begin.
My day trip takes me to Horseshoe Falls, around 70 miles northwest of the city and to the north of the park.
It’s testament to its beauty that I happen upon two artists standing at their…
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