Jeanine McKelvyGrowing up surrounded by the enormous, sun-drenched valleys of Arizona filled with cactus and sand, my eyes were conditioned to a very different kind of beauty: towering saguaros, wide-open horizons, and rugged mountains washed with hues of copper and rose. That is what home feels like to an Arizona native. So, when military orders sent our family across the country, trading those open desert skies for dense canopies of trees felt like a dramatic shift.
I’ll be honest…I miss my unobstructed views and the familiar stillness of the desert, but experiencing autumn here is completely different.
For someone raised in the Southwest, watching the leaves gradually change isn’t just a seasonal shift…it’s a mesmerizing revelation. As a military spouse, change is our constant companion. It arrives on short notice, uproots our routines, and demands that we adapt and bloom where we are sent to find our footing. Looking out over a forest that’s changing from a wave of deep green to vibrant shades of amber, gold, and crimson has struck me with a quiet truth: the leaves are a gentle reminder of God’s intentional design.
No matter what season of life we find ourselves in, even when change feels sudden or overwhelming, there is hidden beauty waiting to reveal itself. Change isn’t something to merely survive; it is something to embrace!
High Views on a Budget: The Overlook Above Ruby Falls
If you’re seeking a sweeping, panoramic view without navigating dense forest trails you’ll have to carry the kids through when they’re tired, or pay for cavern admission. I found the perfect vantage point atop Lookout Mountain at Ruby Falls.
Right outside the entrance of Ruby Falls sits the Mountain Tower and surrounding plaza. This area is completely free, and these observation points give you front-row seats to the entire valley below. Standing on the mountain’s edge gives you that rare, open-horizon feeling, allowing you to see miles of gorgeous changing colors spanned across the landscape in the crisp fall air.
Making the Most of a Free Visit
Having smaller kids, I knew my toddler would be tired and unwilling to walk through the Ruby Falls tour as required. So, we decided to satisfy our leaf-peeping craving with the budget-friendly choices available right above ground:
- Embrace the Golden Hour: Arrive in the late afternoon. As the sun slowly begins to dip, the warm light catches the treetops along the ridge line, illuminating the valley in brilliant gold making for stunning photos.
- Bring a Warm Drink: Grab a cup of your favorite coffee on the way to cling to as you take in the fresh air and extraordinary views. It makes the entire experience feel just a little more wholesome and complete.
- Pause and Reflect: Take a moment to step away from the hustle and bustle of traveling to arrive at this amazing destination, and just sit back. You don’t need expensive tickets or a busy itinerary to soak in the season’s quiet lessons on embracing change.
A Reminder for the Journey
As a military family, we don’t always choose the roads we take, but we do get to choose how we view the scenery along the way. Whether you’re passing through for a weekend road trip to escape reality for a bit, settling into a new duty station nearby, looking to breathe in some crisp fall air, or setting out as a leaf peeper. Just remember…every season brings beauty all its own. How you choose to embrace it is all up to you, even if the path you’re on isn’t the one you would have initially picked!
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Rachel Slack
