Full Moon Rising–Good Times on the Way

Unlike the apocalyptic lyrics of John Fogerty’s Bad Moon Rising (“I see a bad moon rising. I see trouble on the way…I see bad times today”), I choose to focus on the positives of a moon rising.

About 15 months ago, I was feeling discouraged about the resurgence of Covid-19 and the inability to return to any semblance of “normal.” I was tired of staying away from people and being continually cautious. Although I was active outside every day and enjoyed the timeless beauty of my area, I longed for social interaction outside my tiny bubble.

I wanted to do something healthy for my friends who had been generous over the months with their time and efforts in making masks, sharing their handiwork, sending notes, and dropping off little goodies.

Something I missed from volunteering at the park was structured park activities such as the monthly full moon walks led by interpretive rangers and supplemented with volunteers. A gift I thought I could give my friends was to organize monthly get-togethers outdoors, fully masked, and socially distanced to enjoy the full moon as it rose at twilight in the park.

Rocky Mountain National Park has plentiful landscapes where people can observe the moon as it crests the eastern horizon and heads across the night skies.

I invited potentially interested friends to meet me for the first time at Sprague Lake for a ¾-mile stroll around the lake at dusk. I had no idea if anyone would show up. Thirteen people came. I had experienced the enchantment of the first moonlight edging over the horizon, but some folks had not recently had that experience.

We eagerly awaited the illumination on the horizon on that first cold November night. When the Beaver Moon appeared eerily through the clouds and shown down, a new world opened for us. The reflection of the moon across the partially frozen lake provided radiance to the area. Eventually the moon shadows from our bodies emerged as we made our way around the lake. We stopped frequently to absorb the moonlight, dance with the moon shadows, and take photos. Words were not needed to describe our experience.

Throughout the rest of the winter and into April, I led the full moon rising strolls at various places in the park. Each one was different. The moon appeared from behind the clouds almost every time. We experienced the Cold (December), Wolf (January), Snow (February), Worm (March), and Pink (April) moons aptly named by indigenous peoples over the centuries.

I am continuing the monthly walks this year. Social distancing and masks are no longer necessary as long as everyone is vaccinated and boosted. I love sharing these monthly strolls to collectively experience the brilliance and heritage of the moon. To rewrite Fogerty’s song, “Full moon rising, I see beauty on the way, I see good times this day.”