I love to go on long hikes in the mountains, and with the onset of the temperate fall climate, it’s the perfect time to get lost in nature’s glory.

I live in the lovely state of New Jersey, and contrary to popular belief, it is not the arm pit of America. New Jersey is home to many beautiful landscapes, including the Ramapo Mountains, which is where I usually go hiking. There are numerous trails that wind along and in between the wooded hillsides, and Mother Nature always has a surprise hidden around every bend, which is why I almost always bring my camera along. I love snapping digital photos and then going home and reliving the moment on my computer screen. Two years ago I even used a digital picture that I took as the cover for my holiday photo cards.

I had quite an experience during a hike I went on last November. It was one of the last warm days of the season, and I wanted to get my final fix of nature before it became too cold and icy to go on the trails. I started off on my usual route…a flat trail that wraps around a lake at the foot of the mountains. As the trail dips behind the lake, I follow another path that ascends the steep slope of the hillside, which eventually leads to a rocky precipice that overlooks the valley below.

On this particular day, I stopped about half way up the trail for a quick water break and to take in the scenery around me. I don’t usually hike this late in the season, and it was surprising to see how barren the hillside appeared. All of the leaves had dropped to the ground, covering the slope in a carpet of oranges and browns. Even though everything appeared stark, there was something so beautiful about the peacefulness of it all.

I felt the urge to take some digital photos, so I pulled out my camera from my hiking pack. The sun was peeking through the naked branches and limbs, making for some spectacular imagery. I was in the middle of taking pictures of the horizon line when I heard the crunch of leaves behind me. I thought to myself, “Please let that be a human.” I slowly turned around and was stunned to see a bushy-tailed coyote standing along the hillside only a few yards away from me. He just stood there, staring at me as I stared back at him with bewilderment. For a few seconds, I was paralyzed from the shock of being so close to this wild wolf-like creature. But then I regained my composure and instead of fleeing this potentially dangerous scene, I realized what an amazing photo opportunity I had.

With my camera still out, I lifted it up and snapped a few shots of the coyote. He continued to stand a few yards away, almost as if he were posing for me. There was enough sunlight shining through the trees so that my flash didn’t go off. I’m very thankful for this because the flash probably would’ve startled the coyote, resulting in him either retreating from his pose or moving in on me.

After taking about a dozen spectacular pictures, I reached in my pack for my camera case. While placing my camera back in its pouch, the coyote lost interest in me and continued his trek along the hillside. I watched him for a few more moments before I turned around and continued my way up the mountain. I took a several steps and then looked over my shoulder to see if my bushy tailed subject was still visible. He had vanished from sight, but I thought to myself how lucky I was to have captured such a rare moment on film…or rather on my memory card. And you can take a wild guess as to what image will be appearing on my digital photo Christmas cards this holiday season.