I heard about a place called Aspen Alley, Wyoming, several years ago. It was a popular spot for photographers, I discovered, and the pictures looked incredible. I had to see it for myself!
So this fall, I asked my husband if we could drive over there one Saturday afternoon. He obliged, and we tucked the baby into his carseat and headed out.
I didn't get any photos of the drive over there, but it was so beautiful!! Maybe next year I will go again just to take pictures of Route 70. It is a pleasant scenic route that winds up the Sierra Madres and crosses the Continental divide, then drops down the other side into the Red Desert.
To get to Aspen Alley, WY, you must take Highway 70 west from Encampment. You stay on it for approx. 25 miles, and when you are almost down off the west side of the mountain you will see a small dirt road to the right that points to Rawlins.
I think it is marked 71 on Apple Maps, but the signpost says 8-something. Also called Sage Creek Road, I believe, It starts as paved, but in 1/4 mile turns to gravel road.
You drive about a mile or so and then up ahead you'll see a mature stand of aspen with the dirt road running through them. The gravel road narrows to one-lane through aspen alley, but if you should meet a car in it, you can still pass in several spots.
The first time we went, we arrived at 2 pm. The sun was high in the sky, shining a light, golden glow through the trees.
The following week, my daughter wanted to go see it, so we drove over in the evening and barely made it before the light was gone. The sun had just set, and the afterglow was a dark gold.
I like both lighting situations, but the late evening was stunning. Next year I want to go at sunrise and sunset to get those sun streaks through the trees! I think that would be pretty neat.
My youngest daughter got bored waiting on me, and when I turned around and saw her playing in the gravel with the car lights illuminating her - I just had to get a picture of that!
It is less impressive in real life, but definitely a fun place to see, if you are nearby.
Lovely pics. What a fun outing. Autumn is my favorite time of year.
i worked on the sage creek project that leads to the Aspen alley . and i was there for 2 years working on that project, i stayed in Rawlins until the project was completed. I just have to say there was alot of stories about the things that happened in them part back in the 1800s, and the grave that still lays there with its headstone still in tack, ,and the old barn where the 2 farmers crossed paths and one was shot through some argument that the 2 got into, They buried the one man right where he fell pretty much, and those kind of disagreements were settled like that in those days, what a great place Wyoming is and Encampment is. I really loved it there and plan on returning again in a different mind set. So much history in Aspen alley i was enthralled with all i learned there.