This was one of those fall mornings in Colorado that I know I will always remember.

We woke up early on a Saturday morning with one thing in mind, to make our way to the east side of the Gore Range and spend the day surrounded by Colorado’s fall colors. After making the drive along I-70, we turned off the highway and onto a rough mountain road that slowly climbed deeper into the mountains.

The farther we went, the rougher the road became. It was slow going at times, but around nearly every bend we were rewarded with another large grove of aspens glowing in brilliant shades of yellow and gold. The colors were right at their peak, and by the time we finally reached the end of the road, my wife could not have been happier. We had picked the perfect weekend.

I loaded up my day pack, grabbed my camera gear, and we headed out for a short hike along a beautiful mountain lake. A huge grove of aspens covered the north side of the lake, and as we walked down the trail, a light breeze began moving through the trees. With every gust, thousands of aspen leaves crackled overhead before breaking loose and gently falling around us. At times, it almost felt like it was snowing golden leaves.

There was so much beauty surrounding us that morning that it was hard to know where to point my camera.

But near the beginning of the trail sat this old wooden wagon, weathered by more Colorado winters than I could ever imagine. I had passed it earlier, but now the mid-morning light was falling across the wagon while the brilliant yellow aspens covered the mountainside behind it.

I knew I had to stop.

After the early morning drive, the slow climb up that rough mountain road, and miles of wondering whether we had timed the fall colors just right, everything seemed to come together in this one scene. The old wagon, the golden aspens, the rugged mountainside, and that beautiful Colorado light.

Sometimes you spend hours searching for a photograph.

And sometimes, after doing everything you can just to get there, Colorado gives you one.