Fall Color in Colorado

Copyright 1999, Photo Traveler Publications. Not to be reprinted, resold, or redistributed, except with written permission. You may print a copy for your own personal use.

Colorado doesn’t have the full palette of fall color that you find in many other states. The dominant color is the brilliant golden yellow of aspens. In Colorado your strategy is to use this fall color to enhance photos of scenic, historic, and wildlife subjects. Because of elevation changes, the peak color season can last from late September through October. During that time you are bound to find glorious fall color somewhere in Colorado. Here are some routes to take that provide outstanding scenery, historic sites, or wildlife subjects.

Northern Rockies

Georgetown and Guanella Pass

Georgetown is west of Denver on Interstate 7. A trip here is worth it for the possibility of seeing bighorn sheep, taking a ride on a vintage train through the colorful Colorado scenery, and for driving one of the finest fall color routes in the state—the Guanella Pass Road.

Right off the Interstate near Georgetown is a bighorn sheep viewing area. Although autumn isn’t the best time to see the bighorn sheep (they congregate here in larger numbers from November to January), it might be worth a quick stop if you are in the area early or late in the day. Take Exit 228 to the viewing area.

Just a few minutes from Georgetown you can ride an old train through some spectacular scenery. The train travels over the ninety-five-foot high Devil’s Gate curved trestle and winds through the mountains, making sharp curves, and then finally doubles back on itself around the Georgetown Loop—great opportunities to shoot the train and the scenery together. The ride takes about an hour. The train trips are available only on weekends during September.

Guanella Pass Road to Grant is just south of Georgetown. The best time to find fall color here is the end of September and the beginning of October. Since this is a very popular fall color destination you might plan to take this route mid-week when there are fewer leaf peepers on the road. Most of the road is gravel but is suitable for all types of vehicles. It is 11 miles to the summit and the full trip to Grant is 25 miles.

Just after the start of the Guanella Pass Road, about a mile south, is an overlook that provides a nice view looking back to Georgetown. Three miles later there is another good view looking back to Georgetown. The road follows a creek where the beautiful yellow leaves of the aspen and the rusts and golds of the willows contrast beautifully with the greens of the pine and spruce forests. The road climbs to the 11,669-foot summit that is well above the treeline with some excellent views to the west. At the summit is an outstanding view of Mt. Bierstadt to the east. Guanella Pass is another area where you might find bighorn sheep, though usually only during the winter. The road then drops down and, in about two miles, you come to Duck Lake that makes a good photo subject. The Geneva Park area (Forest Road 119) might be a good place to find deer and elk early and late in the day. The road ends at Grant and the intersection of Route 285.

Peak-to-Peak Highway

The Peak-to-Peak Highway is another outstanding fall color drive. Since the high mountains are to the west, this route is best traveled in the morning. This scenic route includes Routes 119, 72, 7) running north from Interstate 70 (starting at Black Hawk) to Estes Park. An alternate route is to begin your trip in Boulder and take Route 119 to Nederland. If you are interested in photographing historic buildings, you would want to spend some time in the Black Hawk and Central City area. However, the best scenery is north of Nederland. This route is lined with aspens and evergreens, providing some great contrasting fall color.

Starting at Nederland heading north on Route 72 takes you past some outstanding mountain scenery along the 14-mile stretch to Ward. A short trip to Ward is worth it for this photogenic semi-ghost town. Just north of Ward is the turnoff to Brainard Lake to the west. This 5-mile detour takes you to an excellent view of the Indian Peaks from the lake. After the junction with Route 7 you will encounter many groves of aspens and willows highlighting the greens of the pine forests. About three miles after the junction with Route 72 a scenic overlook provides good views north to Mount Meeker and west to Rocky Mountain National Park. About a mile farther you enter Allenspark. North from Allenspark the road follows the eastern boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park, past Mt. Meeker with great views of Longs Peak to the west. About 7 miles north of Allenspark is the Enos Mills Homestead to the east of the road and 1.5 miles beyond that you will pass Lilly Lake to the west. Just beyond the lake is a stunning grove of aspen to the east and a view north to Estes Park. In another 1.5 miles there is a good view looking down to Estes Park.

Cache La Poudre River Area

A superb fall color drive is along Route 14 from Fort Collins to Walden via Cameron Pass. Pick up Route 14 about ten miles north of Fort Collins (north of Denver on Interstate 25). This route goes west through the spectacular Poudre Canyon, following the river much of the way. There are plenty of opportunities to photograph cascading water in a fall color setting. Bighorn sheep, elk and deer are sometimes seen along this route, especially in the area between Rustic and Cameron Pass. It is about seventy miles to Cameron Pass. On the west side of Cameron Pass, in the area of the Michigan River, you might encounter some moose.

About eleven miles from Ft. Collins you enter Poudre Canyon and from this point on the road will be winding its way back and forth across the river for about 50 miles. About five miles after Poudre Park, the road enters the canyon narrows and in another three miles the impressive Big Narrows with some outstanding rock formations. Along this stretch of road you should find plenty of colorful cottonwoods to photograph. About two miles beyond the small town of Rustic is the dominant feature of Profile Rock to the south. About 11 miles beyond Rustic, you start to encounter expanses of aspen. Sixteen miles from Rustic is spectacular Poudre Falls to the north. The road then climbs to the 10.276-foot summit of Cameron Pass and then drops down to the Michigan River Valley. Stop at the scenic overlook for a good view of Mt. Richtofen and Nokhu Crags to the south. The road continues through more aspen groves to Gould. About 12 miles past Gould is a great view of the mountains. The route ends in Walden, 103 miles from Ft. Collins.

Flat Tops

A good early fall color drive is the Flat Tops Byway between Yampa and Meeker south of Steamboat Springs. This is a full day tour on 83 miles of paved and dirt roads. The best time for fall color is usually mid-September to the end of the month.

From Yampa, take County Road 17 and then follow the Flat Tops Scenic Byway signs. The road starts in a broad valley and in about six miles there is a good view of the Flat Tops to the southwest which you will see along most of your journey. The road then climbs up to 9,763-foot Dunckley Pass, about 19 miles from the Yampa.

Between Dunckley Pass and Ripple Creek Pass, you will drive through some spectacular aspen and evergreen forests. The road then climbs up to 10,400-foot Ripple Creek Pass, about 18 miles from Dunckley Pass. About two miles below the pass is the turnoff to the left to the Ripple Creek Overlook. The road then descends back down into the aspen-dominated valley. About five miles beyond the pass, Forest Road 205 leads to beautiful Trapper Lake. It is about 8 miles to this photogenic lake surrounded by mountains. From near the Trapper Lake turnoff there is also an excellent view of the Snell Creek Valley.

About 8.5 miles from Ripple Creek Summit is a good view of the North Fork of the White River looking west. All along the route now aspens dominate the scenery. Fifteen miles from the summit the road is paved again and about 3.5 miles from the beginning of the pavement is another good view of the North Fork of the White River. This whole area is elk range, though they are more often seen during the winter. Just before the end of the road in Meeker there is an excellent view overlooking meadows.

Central Rockies

Aspen/Crested Butt Loop

One of the best fall color drives is the area south of Glenwood Springs. Here you will find some of the oldest and largest aspen groves in Colorado plus the "must photograph" site of the twin peaks of the Maroon Bells. This tour is an all-day trip and part of it is on gravel roads. Vehicles over 35 feet are prohibited over Independence Pass.

You will want to get a very early start for morning light on the Maroon Bells. The tour starts at Glenwood Springs, but you may want to stay in the Aspen area. The best time for this drive is late September.

From Glenwood Springs on Interstate 70, drive south on Route 82 to Aspen. The first photo stop will be the Maroon Bells. About a mile west of Aspen on Route 82, take Maroon Creek Road about ten miles to Maroon Lake. During the fall color season you will be allowed to drive this road during the week. On weekends and in summer you have to use the shuttlebus.

From the end of the road at the lake is the classic view of the Maroon Bells with the lake in the foreground. The early morning shot is best when the lake is calm and reflects the sunlit peaks. The setting is most beautiful when there is some snow on the Bells and they are framed by fall color.

Continue south on Route 82. About seven miles southeast of Aspen, in the area of the Weller Campground, you will find outstanding fall color of aspen groves on the mountainsides among the green fir and spruce forest. Just before the ascent to Independence Pass (about 15 miles from Aspen) you will pass the remains of Independence ghost town on the southwest side of the road, where you can photograph some decaying buildings. The road then climbs four miles above the treeline to Independence Pass. From the 12,095-foot summit there are some excellent panoramic views. From the parking area a short trail takes you south to an even better overlook.

The road then drops down via a series of switchbacks to an area of willows and beaver ponds. Then the aspens again dominate the sides of the roads and the sides of the mountains. As you continue east you pass the north shore of Twin Lakes’ where you can stop for some good views.

Route 82 ends at the junction of Route 24. Continue south on Route 24 to Buena Vista and the start of the second section of our fall color tour. From Buena Vista you will take County Road 306 west. (The mid-section of this road coming down from the pass is gravel.) At about thirteen miles is the distinctive form of Jones Mountain to the south as you pass by mountain slopes colored with aspens. The road climbs up to the 12,126-foot summit of Cottonwood Pass. From the summit you have a panoramic view and you can hike a short way along the Continental Divide for more views. About a mile down from the summit is another pullover with more good views. The road then descends back down into the aspen and pine forests. About 14 miles west of the pass you come to Taylor Lake with some excellent views of the mountains in the area. From here it is about 21 miles through aspen, spruce, and pine forests to Almont on Route 135 and the next leg of our journey.

From Almont, drive north on Route 135 to Crested Butte. If you are interested in photographing Victorian architecture, you might want to linger awhile in the historic district. From Crested Butte you will be driving west on County Road 12 twenty-eight miles to Route 133 and past some of the most outstanding aspen displays in Colorado. The road climbs up past photogenic Irwin Lake to 9,980 Kebler Pass. About 1.5 miles down from the pass is an excellent view of East and West Beckwith to the west. It then drops down into a valley surrounded by mountains splashed with colorful aspens among spruce. Eight miles from the pass you are among some of the largest and oldest aspens in Colorado and the color continues for most of this section of the drive. To the southest are the dominant peaks of East and West Beckwith with impressive groves of aspens covering the northwestern side of West Beckwith that can be seen at about 24 miles from Kebler Pass. To the north is Marcellina Mountain. The road ends at paved Route 133.

On Route 133 turn north. After about 18 miles you will climb to the 8,755-foot summit of McClure Pass. About seven miles down from the pass is Hayes Creek Falls. Bighorn sheep might be seen in the area of Redstone.

Grand Mesa

The peak aspen color along this route is usually in late September. This tour begins just east of Grand Junction. From Interstate 70 take Route 65 east to Mesa. The prominent butte east of Mesa is called the Beehive. About 3.5 miles south of Mesa there is a good view north to the Book Cliff. About 8 miles south of Mesa you enter the aspen grove area. At about 11 miles from Mesa you climb out of the aspen forest to one dominated by spruce and fir, but there are some good fall color views looking north back toward the Book Cliffs.

At about 18.5 miles from Mesa you come to the junction of Lands End Road (FR 100). It is ten miles to the Lands End Overlook on this gravel road and well worth the detour. Aspen forest colors the slopes and the rim of the mesa. There is an excellent view off a spur road at mile 8 and then the Lands End View at mile 10. The view from Lands End looks over the Grand Valley decked out in a colorful aspen display. Return by the same route.

Back on Route 65, continue south through a spruce forest. In about eight miles there is a great view looking south to the San Juan range. And another mile farther an excellent view looking into the Gunnison River Valley. You then re-enter the splendid aspen forest that covers the slopes of the Grand Mesa before the road drops down into oaks and orchards. About 20 miles from the Lands End Road you enter Cedaredge. In Cedaredge you might want to allow some time to visit the Pioneer Town with its many restored historic buildings.

Southern Rockies

Highway of Legends

Highway of the Legends (Route 12) is in the southeast corner of the Colorado Rockies. The counterclockwise direction from Walsenburg to Trinidad is best and the two cities are connected by Interstate 25. The best fall color is in late September.

This tour starts in Walsenburg and travels through pinyon pine and juniper with views straight ahead to the west of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The Spanish Peaks are seen to the south. Just before reaching La Veta, there are good views of the Spanish Peaks to the east and La Veta and the Cuchara Valley. La Veta is 15.5 miles from Walsenburg. Two miles out of La Veta you pass Goemmer Butte a distinctive 500-foot high volcanic plug to the southwest. Seven miles from La Veta is the Devil’s Staircase. Twenty-seven miles from Walsenburg is the town of Cuchara. Beyond Cuchara the road climbs up to Cuchara Pass. The aspen groves surrounding the meadows in this area are stunning. Six miles from Cuchara is 9,941-foot Cuchara Pass with good views all around. After Cuchara Pass the forest is mainly fir and spruce with aspen-rimmed meadows. Fifteen miles from the Pass you enter Stonewall. Eight miles past Stonewall are many interesting old adobe homes, and then the road drops back down to the pinyon-juniper forests ending at Trinidad.

Silver Thread Scenic Byway

The Silver Thread Scenic Byway from South Fork to Lake City is also an outstanding fall color area. Highlighting the fall color is some really spectacular scenery, an old mining community and the possibility of photographing wildlife right near the road. The prime time for fall color is the end of September.

This scenic drive begins at the South Fork. From Route 160 take Route 149 west. You will be following the Rio Grande and the first section is has high cliffs, with a nice mix of spruce and aspens with willow and cottonwoods lining the river. After about 13 miles you enter the narrow gorge of Wagon Wheel Gap. After the gap, you leave the cliffs behind and enter a broad valley.

Twenty-one miles from the South Fork is the old mining town of Creede. This is an interesting preserved historic town well worth spending some time to photograph the old buildings. If you have lots of extra time, consider taking the Bachelor Historic Tour to old mines, ghost towns and some more good views.

From Creede, the road heads out over the Rio Grande Valley and then starts climbing with great views of meadows surrounded by aspens and mixed with spruce and fir on the slopes. You will pass several campgrounds and then come to a scenic overlook with views across a aspen-rimmed meadow to the 13,821-foot Rio Grande Pyramid. You might want to make a short detour on FR 510 to photograph Clear Creek Falls. Thirty-four miles from Creede you reach the summit of Spring Creek Pass at 10,898 feet. The road then drops down into Cebolla Creek Valley and 6.5 miles from Spring Creek Pass you reach the summit for 11,530 Slumgullion Pass. The turnoff to Windy Point is 2.5 miles beyond that. Here there is a spectacular view of many tall peaks. Three miles past Windy Point is a pullover on the left where you can walk a short distance to a view of Lake San Cristobal.

San Juan Skyway

The San Juan Skyway links Durango, Ouray, Telluride and Cortez in southwestern Colorado and has spectacular views and fall color. The most popular section is from Durango to Ridgeway via Ouray. This tour follows the full loop from Durango to Ridgeway, to Telluride, and then ending at Cortez.

Many people take the very popular narrow gauge train ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway. The train travels through San Juan National Forest following the Animas River for forty-five miles. The peak color season here is from late September through October. Advance reservations are necessary, especially during the popular fall color season. You will have to allow an extra day for this. Even if you don’t get a chance to ride the train, you can still photograph it from the stations in Durango and Silverton.

The first leg of this journey starts at Durango and Route 550 heading north. About eight miles north of Durango the road runs near the tracks of the Durango & Silverton Railroad on the east side of the road. If you know when the train has left the station, you may be able to grab a good shot as the train goes by. The best spot to photograph the train is at the pullout where the tracks leave the road again just before Rockwood. Engineer Mountain becomes visible straight ahead. About 35 miles north of Durango is the summit of Coal Bank Pass at 10,640. Many distinctive peaks can be seen from this area. Eight miles after Coal Bank Pass you top Molas Pass. Molas Pass has one of the most splendid vistas along this route. Four miles after Molas Pass you get your first view of Silverton and in another two miles enter Silverton. Silverton is an interesting historic town worth spending some time photographing. Just west of the town is the North Star Mine and Mill in a setting of colorful aspens.

Ten miles north of Silverton you reach the 11,018-foot summit of Red Mountain Pass. Red Mountain to the east makes a striking photo because of its distinctive red color. The descent from Red Mountain Pass can be a bit daunting because of its sharp hairpin curves. After passing through a short tunnel there is an excellent viewpoint looking north to Ouray, 22 miles from Silverto. Eleven miles north of Ouray you come to the town of Ridgeway. Just before reaching Ridgeway, you will pass some meadows where you might find deer and elk grazing early or late in the day.

At Ridgway take Route 62 west. Two miles after Ridgway there is a good view south into the San Juan Mountains. There is a splendid grove of aspens to the south about 13 miles from Ridgway. Twenty-four miles from Ridgway is the town of Placerville and the road then follows the San Miguel River. Thirteen miles from Placerville is a good view into Telluride valley and two miles farther you enter the town of Telluride. It is worth spending some time here to photograph the historic town and Victorian homes.

From Telluride continue your trip south on Route 145 and, in about 12 miles, you reach the summit of 10,222-foot Lizard Head Pass. After descending the pass the road follows the Dolores River. Sixty miles from Telluride you reach the town of Dolores.

Information

Aspen: 970-925-1940, 800-26-ASPEN

Creede: 719-658-2374, 800-327-2102

Crested Butte: 970-349-6438, 800-545-4505

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: 970-247-2733

Estes Park: 800-44-ESTES

Fort Collins: 970-472-3746

Georgetown: 800-472-8230

Georgetown Loop Railroad: 303-569-2403

Grand Junction: 800-962-2547, 970-244-1480

Ouray: 800-228-1876

Southwestern Colorado: (800) 933-4340

Steamboat Springs: 970-879-0882, 800-922-2722

Telluride: 970-728-4430, 800-525-3455

Trindad: 719-846-9285