Every road trip eventually comes to an end. After several days exploring the deserts of Arizona and Utah, our final national park felt like we had entered an entirely different world. The towering red rock formations gave way to dense pine forests, crystal-clear lakes, rushing streams, and snow-capped peaks (even in the middle of summer). The temperatures had dropped enough that we pulled our jackets out, something that seemed almost unimaginable after hiking through the desert just a day earlier.
Rocky Mountain National Park was the perfect place to conclude our father-and-son adventure. One of the highlights of our visit was driving Trail Ridge Road, the 48-mile highway that crosses the park and climbs to more than 12,000 feet above sea level. It is the highest continuous paved road in North America. For miles we drove above the tree line, surrounded by breathtaking views in every direction. Every turn seemed to reveal another mountain peak and another valley stretching toward the horizon.
The wildlife made the experience even more memorable. We saw more animals here than anywhere else on our trip. A moose and her calf quietly grazed in a meadow. Deer wandered through the trees. Elk seemed to be everywhere, including one gigantic bull elk that stood just off the roadside.
One stop especially caught my attention. The Continental Divide. Standing there, I was reminded that this invisible line determines the destination of every drop of rain that falls upon it. Water falling on one side eventually makes its way to the Atlantic Ocean. Water falling just a few feet away begins a journey toward the Pacific. It was a simple reminder that small decisions often determine very different destinations. One conversation. One decision. One act of obedience. One step of faith. Sometimes God uses what appears to be an ordinary moment to redirect an entire life.
That evening we watched the sun slowly set from more than 12,000 feet along Trail Ridge Road. As the last rays of light disappeared behind the Rocky Mountains, the sky was painted with shades of orange, pink, and purple. It was one of those sunsets you simply stop and enjoy because no photograph can fully capture what you’re seeing.
After dark, we made our way down the mountain to Bear Lake. We stood at the trailhead for a moment, debating whether we really wanted to take a walk around the lake at night. Eventually, curiosity won, and we started down the trail. I should probably admit we didn’t get very far before deciding we’d seen enough. The thought of unexpectedly meeting the lake’s namesake gave us just enough motivation to turn around while we were still comfortably ahead.
When we got back to the truck, we paused for a moment and looked up. The stars were incredible. Far from the lights of the city, the night sky seemed brighter than any we had seen all week. I put my phone on a tripod, started the timer, and captured a few pictures of the night sky. They became some of my favorite pictures from the entire trip.
Somewhere along Trail Ridge Road, God preached another sermon. The higher you climb, the clearer you see. As I stood looking across the Rocky Mountains, I thought of the words of the psalmist:
I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
The psalmist wasn’t placing his confidence in the hills. His confidence was in the God who created them. That is where our help has always come from. The higher we climb with Christ, the clearer we see His faithfulness.
When we first begin following Christ, our perspective is often limited. We see only today’s circumstances, today’s struggles, and today’s unanswered questions. But as we continue walking with Him year after year, our perspective begins to change.
Standing on those mountain peaks reminded me of that truth. The higher we climbed, the farther we could see. Valleys that once surrounded us stretched out beneath us. Roads that had disappeared around the next bend became clearly visible from above.
Our walk with Christ is much the same. Looking back, we begin to notice God’s fingerprints in places we completely missed at the time. We remember prayers He answered differently than we expected, doors He wisely kept closed, and seasons that quietly shaped us into who we are today.
Looking back over my own life, I realize there were many seasons when I couldn’t understand what God was doing. At the time, I could only see the next step. Now I can see His faithfulness. Not because life has always been easy, but because God has always been faithful.
As my son and I drove through Rocky Mountain National Park, I found myself reflecting on what an incredible week we had shared together. Thousands of miles. Seven national parks. Countless conversations. More laughs than I can remember.
It reminded me that spiritual maturity doesn’t mean we have everything figured out. It means we’ve walked with God long enough to trust Him more deeply than we did before.
As our time in Rocky Mountain National Park came to an end, we began preparing for the long drive home. The miles were almost behind us, but the lessons God had preached through His creation would stay with me long after the road trip was over.
Looking back, I realized the greatest view I experienced wasn’t from Trail Ridge Road. It wasn’t from Bear Lake. It wasn’t even from the Continental Divide.
The greatest view wasn’t found from the top of a mountain. It came from looking back over years of God’s faithfulness and realizing that He had been guiding every step of the journey.
The higher we climb with Christ, the clearer we see His faithfulness.
Personal Reflection: Take a few moments to look back over your own journey with the Lord. Where have you seen His faithfulness, even in seasons you didn’t understand at the time? Thank Him for His constant care, and ask Him to help you trust Him with whatever mountain or valley lies ahead. Your help doesn’t come from the hills. It comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Part One – God Can Preserve What Time Cannot (Petrified Forest Naitonal Park)
Part Two – God’s Greatness Produces Humility (Grand Canyon National Park)
Part Three – The Narrow Way is Always Worth It (Zion Naitonal Park)
Part Four – Every Life is Unique (Bryce Canyon National Park)
Part Five – God Sees the Whole Map (CanyonLands National Park)
Part Six – God Shapes Us over Time (Arches National Park)
Part Seven – The Higher You Climb, the Clearer You See (Rocky Mountain National Park)
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