Golden Grove - Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado by David Balyeat

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Rocky Mountain National Park, Golden Grove lives up to its name in every sense. In early autumn, this hidden stand of aspens turns into a cathedral of gold—slender white trunks rising like columns, their leaves glowing in brilliant yellows that seem to light the forest from within.

Photographing here feels like stepping into a living painting. The air is crisp, scented with pine and the faint sweetness of fallen leaves. Catching the trembling leaves as they flutter in the breeze—each one a tiny sun. The contrast of the aspen’s pale bark against the saturated foliage creates endless compositional possibilities, from wide forest scenes to intimate detail shots.