Of all the mountains and all the places I enjoy the most, Rocky Mountain National Park remains top the list.  There is a long list of reasons why this is the case, but to name a few, the Rocky Mountains were my first introduction the  real mountains, and Rocky Mountain National Park is the place where I have one of my first really firm memories of hiking.  Obviously there are tons of beautiful trails, but one of my favorite, pretty moderate hikes, is the hike to Bierstadt lake.  I think its a lake I visit pretty much every time I get there, and with good reason.  The lake is peaceful, and fun, and an added novelty is how shallow the lake is.  (My parents have pictures of my six year old self, wadding way out toward the middle, in my underwear, and staying dry…well mostly.)   You can find more trail information from the National Park Service. Meanwhile, here are some of the scenes I captured on my last Bierstadt venture.