Florissant 6/8

 

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument 6/8/13

A perfect day spent embracing the beauty that we sometimes take for granted.

 

My heart belongs to Colorado, for it's majestic mountains, thousands of trails, endless beauty that you can walk among week after week until the end of time. Nestled past the hustle and bustle of the city is a place that holds so much history, the Florissant Fossil Beds. Marked by a tiny sign off of Highway 24, you come upon a vast field not knowing what once lived in that very area. Enormous trunks of prehistoric sequoias, the relative of the colossal redwood trees of California lay throughout the land. These trunks once buried in mudstone at the bottom of the ancient Lake Florissant now preserved for all to see. Standing on the path that guides you around these historic pieces, you can't help but take a moment, look out at the land, and imagine what life was like those millions of years ago. I stand there with my eyes closed, breathing the fresh air, feeling the cool wind and imagine a lake and land with thousands of species of plants and bugs, who are now preserved perfectly. Keeping my eyes closed, I transport myself to that time, seeing the massive lake, the towering volcano, and the gigantic trees you can't help but visualize a region full of life. Immersing in the peaceful and simple beauty of the area gives a deep appreciation for how rich the land was and how lucky we are that a place like Florissant is being preserved. It is a therapeutic retreat hidden from the world we entertain.