Fall Color in Colorado

[Judy1187]

We've never been to Colorado in the fall to see the aspens. Thinking of going this year to the Denver area. What location would be best to stay, where we could take a few drives. Also what would be the best estimated time for color this year? We're not sure if we are going to take the MH, or just drive our car. We are only about 10 hours away. We would welcome any suggestions as to where to stay.

[Allworth]

Rio Chama CG in (of course) Chama.

Ride the train to the pass while you are there.

[Busskipper]

s1214 wrote:
'We would welcome any suggestions as to where to stay.'

VERMONT!




Sorry, had to say it.

As beautiful as Fall is here on the East Coast, there is just something that Takes your Breath away when you contrast the Mountains the BLUE Sky and the Golden Aspen. I thought I would never say that but it's Just the Truth.

Would still never turn down a couple of weeks in Upstate or Vermont in the Fall.

JMHO,

Busskipper

[s1214]

'We would welcome any suggestions as to where to stay.'

VERMONT!




Sorry, had to say it.

[Busskipper]

Judy1187 wrote:
Thanks so much for all the great information! It looks beautiful!! I sure hope we time it right for good color. Judy

The Secret is to take the time, as beautiful as those Photo's are it is 10 times more Beautiful when you are just surrounded by those Golden Aspen.

Once you get west of Denver it's hard to go wrong with your areas selection, just be patient and play with your elevation to extend the Color.

BOL,

[Judy1187]

Thanks so much for all the great information! It looks beautiful!! I sure hope we time it right for good color. Judy

[Lauren]

Ah yes, Fall in CO! I doubt we will see such color though!

[Clattertruck]

The Colorado mountains for fall scenes that I like the best are in the southwest corner of the state. Ouray, Ridgway and Durango are superlative.

Here are some examples:


Sneffels Range near Ridgway.


Owl Creek Pass.


Aspen trees close up


East Dallas Creek road near Ridgway.


Fall Creek near Telluride


Woods Lake on the Fall creek road


Lone Cone north of Norwood.


Ophir Pass


US Grant Peak from Ophir Pass road.


Ingram Basin East of Telluride.

[4runnerguy]

If you're coming from SD, your first logical choice might be Estes Park. Just take your car and stay at one of the motels in town. Then you can visit the east side of RMNP, plus drive along the peak-to-peak highway to Idaho Springs. I wouldn't bother going all the way to Grand Lake as the aspen aren't as thick there. Leaves in this area generally peak around the third week of September. As noted, it get's very busy in the park that time of year, but if you travel on weekdays, things aren't quite so bad.

As mentioned, the area around Buena Vista and Salida have good aspen displays. The road up to and esp. above St. Elmo has whole hillsides with nothing but aspen. Being further south, this area tends to change closer to the end of September. The nice thing about this area is you have flexibility. Head up to Leadville if the leaves around Salida aren't changing yet, or head south to Salida if the leaves around Leadville have dropped. The road north from Leadville to Minturn (US 24) also has good displays. From Leadville, you can also head over Independence Pass to Aspen (might be some aspens around there!). From Aspen, head up to Maroon Bells somewhere around the 3rd week of September for fantastic yellows against the red of the mountains below azure skies. If you hit the leaves and weather there at the right time, those pictures will be the highlight of your trip. We enjoy Salida as the downtown has undergone a nice rejuvenation with some quality restaurants and interesting art shops, antique shops, etc. without being too upscale or pretentious.

Your car will give you a lot more flexibility. Plus, some CG's in CO close right after Labor Day.

But IDman noted, there are some places where a few aspen are beginning to change. We heard elk bugling above Unaweep Canyon at the north end of the Uncompahgres two weeks ago, and others I've talked to have heard them bugling in the hills south of Glenwood more than a week ago, so it may be an early winter.

[Lauren]

As mentioned, it is kinda a******shoot on the colors. Like Thunder Mountain we lived in Estes but not as long as he did. We used to call Sept and Oct as the season of the newly weds and nearly deads. Great time to visit.

But we will once again be back in the southern part of the state this year... Mancos (Mesa Verde RV Park), Vallecito Lake (Blue Spruce) , Buena Vista (Valley Rv Park - first time for us at this park), Montrose (KOS), Ouray (KOA) --- leave 9/3. But heading to Capitol Reef in UT to be there third week in Sept for Escalante Staircase aspens, down to Bryce again, a day a Zion again and the Grand Canyon and home). So we will most likely be a little early for the peak colors in CO.

Hey, if you get to B V you will want to drive up to St. Elmo. Some call it a ghost town but they like to call it a restored town. It either case well worth the drive.

Western CO is beautiful most anytime but in the fall it simply cannot be beat.

Enjoy

[padredw]

I would also suggest the Buena Vista area and a drive up to the "ghost towns" of Vicksburg and Winfield (up toward the highway to Aspen from Buena Vista.) Aspen and the Maroon Bells are also good possibilities.

Another is to go on over to Gunnison (over Cottonwood pass) then up to Crested Butte. A good drive in that area would be up Ohio Creek road to Crested Butte--some of the best foliage viewing anywhere.

Oh, places to stay: we like Arrowhead Point Campground north of Buena Vista, but there is also a good KOA out south of town (Johnson Village), and several other good RV parks right in town.

There are several good RV parks in Gunnison including Tall Texan (out on the Crested Butte highway), Mesa RV Resort (west of town), and the KOA. We usually stay in the Tall Texan.

Either Buena Vista or Gunnison would be a good base camp for the RV as there are several good choices in both places, and there are multiple good day trips with the auto (or pickup if you RV is a fifth-wheel.)

[jessjerr1831]

As everyone says the middle of the mountains or west slope area would be your best color. How ever if you are just doing the front range area, Rocky Mountain National Park, The Peak to Peak highway west of Boulder, Gunella Pass always has excellent color. It is by Georgetown on I-70 west of Denver. Poudre Canyon west of Fort Collins. Down Colorado Springs way. So many places to see the "GOLD". The last couple of weeks in September would be your best bet. Maybe first week in October.

[Thunder_Mountai]

33 year resident of Colorado... Every year is different. As IDman said, it is a combination of moisture and temps. However, the primary factor is hours of sunlight. Moisture and temps have much more to do with how long the leaves will hold on an mid and lower elevations. Some years we get an early hard freeze and the leaves turn black and fall off. It's a******shoot. Bet on late in the third week of September for prime color. By the mid to end of the fourth week of September most/all of the leaves at the higher elevations will be gone.

The Salida, Buena Vista, Aspen and Gunnison areas are great. We'll spend two weeks camping, Jeeping, ATVing, hiking and chasing the color this year. Aspen ridge in BV is amazing. Also found an equally large aspen grove near Bonanza, but you will need high ground clearance.

If you are limited on time, etc. You can always go up to Estes Park. However, be forewarned, it is absolute gridlock in Rocky Mountain National Park during color season. I know, I lived there for 30 years. Guess why I live in Buena Vista. Before we lived here we stayed at Snowy Peaks in BV.

[roam1]

Last few weeks in September
Take 285 to BV from Denver
Enjoy

[TexasShadow]

you might find better color if you get over the first range of mountains. we went to Salida one year and then drove the jeep up to Aspen and we sure saw a lot of gold.