In my fifth novel, Broken Portal in Rocky Mountain Park, my characters often look to the mountains for inspiration. But I create the characters and they reflect me.

While hiking in the Park last November I stumbled over some exposed roots, forcing me to catch myself and look down. What I saw took me by surprise: dry ribbons of golden grass entangled with brilliant blue berries. The sweet smell of juniper filled the air. I stopped to take a picture and admire the beauty that lay just beyond my feet. I wondered, had Jackson Pollack seen this? Was his art inspired by nature?

Every vista in the mountains is breath-taking, from the tops of the mountains to the trails that encircle them. I gazed around me, at my immediate surroundings. Just to my left, I discovered a partially frozen lake with rolling white mists skimming the surface. Winter was settling in and the park would soon hibernate. Like the lake, I froze in awe of the beauty all around me.

If you haven’t traveled to Rocky Mountain National Park, take time to do so. Any season will surprise you with its glory. Winter is harsh, quiet, white, solitary, and cold. Summer buzzes with activity–insects, birds, plants, beavers, wolves, bear, and elk. Visit in September when the aspen rain gold on the forest below. And most of all, go the the Park in the springtime when new growth pops through the brown tired grass, newly hatched birds stretch their necks toward mothers’ beaks, and the rustle of fresh green leaves fills your heart and soul.

When you hike in the mountains, or in any of the national parks, do you feel inspired or calmed by the beauty?