Like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese, some things are simply meant to be together.

Enter: lakes and mountains.

Throughout my national park travels, I have been privileged to experience some incredible lakes – soft and shimmering in their placidity, juxtaposed against the hard edges of a mountainous backdrop. It’s phenomenal, and creates many powerful, breathtaking moments. [In Glacier National Park, I explored lakes that were formed from glacial melt, hiking miles to experience the magical wonder of a uniquely-colored lake enclosed by mountains. Rocky Mountain National Park also has some excellent lake-mountain combos.]

But back to the Italian Dolomites…

Lago di Braies is located in the heart of the mountains, exhibiting absolutely striking colors that depend on the angle of the observer and the position of the sun. It is the largest lake in the Dolomites and extremely popular! I showed up around 10 am on a Sunday and the parking lot was already packed. Although my preference is to avoid the crowds, sometimes maneuvering herds of people is inevitable.

In this case, it was totally worth it.

I had worn out my legs and lungs from so much hiking the day before, so I began a leisurely stroll around the circumference of the lake. I wanted to experience the beauty of this place from every possible perspective, doing my best to tune out from the chatty groups around me. I decided to stop as often as I felt like it, to take pictures, appreciate the view, or simply reflect.

I must have stopped at least 20 times.

The weather was perfect, the mountains were majestic, and the lake was a sight to behold. There were places around the lake that were shaded and serene. Other sides boasted pebbly beaches that beckoned visitors to skip rocks or get their feet wet. Tiny spurs off the trail allowed me to get closer to the water, and I often found a solitary rock on which to perch.

It was 2 miles of pure hiking bliss, even with so many other people enjoying this natural place alongside of me. It took me a couple of hours to complete the circuit, only because I chose to relax at so many places alongside of the trail.

While I’m a true fan of a solid peanut butter and jelly sandwich, give me lakes or mountains any day of the week!

Better yet, I’ll take both.