The Best Places to See Fall Colors in Colorado

Every September, the days begin to shorten, the air gets crisp, and the beautiful aspens across Colorado start their annual journey from green to gold. Then, weeks later, they hit the ground.

This is fall in Colorado. And my gosh, it’s magical. As you look to adventure to the best places to see fall colors in Colorado, you are in for a treat!

Now, I might be a newbie to Colorado, so this list will keep growing each year. But for one year in, I think I did pretty well when it comes to chasing fall colors in Colorado. So bookmark this page and come back next year to learn about more epic places to see fall colors in the state.

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Where to find the best fall colors in Colorado

Looking for beautiful places to see fall colors in Colorado? I’ve got you!

Guanella Pass (near Georgetown)

Not breaking any news here with Guanella Pass. It’s one of the closest aspen hotspots to the Denver metro area, and crowds surge on weekends in late September and early October. We avoided the worst congestion by coming in from the back side of Guanella Pass via 285.

Maybe the weather kept traffic down, but we had no trouble finding parking before hiking the Abyss Lake Trail (see below). After our hike, we enjoyed a peaceful drive up and over the pass with hardly any cars on the road.

If you can, visit on weekdays to avoid the crowds. This will help you enjoy one of the best places to see fall colors in Colorado without people bumping into you.

REMINDER: Only park where you’re allowed to. They are towing incessantly, and you’ll either have to walk to Georgetown or get an Uber/Lyft. Not ideal at all.

Abyss Lake Trail (Guanella Pass)

This is a BEAUTIFUL trail, but you have to hike two miles to get the best views. There are a bunch of aspens at the trailhead that portrait photographers will use. But there are also a ton of people in the area that you’ll have to contend with

In all, we hiked around seven miles round trip and were blown away by the slopes of aspen further into the hike. And we even saw a moose, which was pretty cool. We also got hailed on twice and rained on. So we truly got the full Colorado experience.

This trail eventually climbs above treeline and is 16 miles round trip. (It would make a good summer backpacking trip.) But there’s no need to go that far. I suggest stopping at the second creek crossing.

Maroon Bells (Aspen)

The cream of the crop for fall in Colorado. Maroon Bells is hands down one of the best places to see fall colors in Colorado. And it’s no secret. I went for the first time in 2025 and had my socks blown off with a sunrise for the ages. But everyone else knows about Aspen in fall and Maroon Bells, which is why it’s heavily regulated.

To visit, one must reserve a permit in advance to bring one’s own car in, or book a shuttle permit. If you take the shuttle, those start after sunrise, so you’ll miss the Bells lighting up.

We camped in the area, which gave us two opportunities to watch the sunrise here. It’s so worth it. One of the coolest spots I’ve ever been to.

Find hotels and more near Aspen.

Castle Creek Road (Aspen)

After spending sunrise at Maroon Bells, we headed up Castle Creek Road to hike Cathedral Lake. There are some fall colors at the start of the trail, but the yellow aspens don’t live too high. However, if you drive the road for some 20 minutes, you’ll have colors that you thought only existed in dreams.

I was blown away by how beautiful it was, and this area is definitely one of the better places to see fall colors in Colorado.

Kebler Pass (Crested Butte)

I never knew a place could be so yellow! Even though Kebler Pass is a dirt road, it acts like a mini-highway. Even midweek, the place was teeming with people leaf-peeping. Kebler Pass, just south of Crested Butte, is home to the largest display of aspen trees I’ve ever seen.

The road is easy to drive and offers crazy photo and hiking opportunities.

One place we enjoyed was Horse Ranch Park (dispersed camping), and we also did a nice hike from there. Take the trail clockwise and cover the first two miles before reaching an overlook. It’s perfect for sunset or sunrise.

Crested Butte

2025 was also my first year visiting Crested Butte, and boy, is it a beautiful area. The fall colors pop in all directions. We spent a night up at Washington Gulch (free camping), and the aspens up there are 10/10.

I’d also recommend driving Gothic Road for views of the river and Mount Crested Butte. If you have a drone, you’ll be in great shape.

Find lodging near Crested Butte.

McClure Pass

2025 was the first year I drove over McClure Pass, and holy smokes, the fall colors were phenomenal. We stopped before ascending over the pass to drone, but the pass itself would offer magnificent photo opportunities and plenty of fall colors.

Another spot within shouting distance is Penny Hot Springs. They’re small, natural hot springs right off the road. Regardless of which way you are driving, it’s a nice way to break up the car ride.

Dallas Divide (Ridgway)

Immediately off the highway, Dallas Divide is a great place to soak up the views of the San Juan Mountains. It makes for an easy place to watch the sunrise or sunset with Mt. Sneffels as the high point among the jagged skyline.

There’s plenty of fall colors in the foreground to make a beautiful picture.

Find hotels near Ridgway, CO.

County Road 7 (Blue Lake Trailhead Road)

The road you take to reach Blue Lake and Mount Sneffels offers some pretty cool photography spots. The first is Mount Sneffels viewpoint (there’s a Google Maps location, so this isn’t secret info).

The second spot can be anywhere you want if you have a drone. I put it up halfway between the main highway and the viewpoint. It was cool to see the fall colors along the road in a way I usually wouldn’t.

Debs Meadow and Courthouse Rock (Ridgway)

Owl Creek Pass Road (also known as County Road 8) is a gorgeous drive suitable for any vehicle. (Though the last two to three miles to the pass had more potholes, and doing it in the Roadsurfer was very bumpy.) That said, it’s a fantastic place to see and photograph fall colors in Colorado without too much effort.

From here, you can explore Deb’s Meadow or bushwhack your way up the side of a mountain for views of Courthouse Rock. I made it halfway up the bushwhack and, with the light fading, called it quits and launched the drone. (My bushwhack route wasn’t great, and I wouldn’t recommend it.)

Leadville, Independence Pass, and Fremont Pass

Jaimie and I just spent a weekend in Leadville and already had lovely fall colors for the second weekend of September! The south side of Fremont Pass was golden, as were many trees around Leadville. Then, around Twin Lakes and Independence Pass, there were plenty of fall colors as well.

Breckenridge and Frisco

Breck might be one of the most popular places to chase fall colors in Colorado. Aspen’s slopes are covered in color in some areas, making it absolutely beautiful. I just spent a weekend in Breck during peak fall colors and have a few recommendations.

First, trailheads get crowded, so take a shuttle if you can.

While many people head to Aspen Alley, I’ve never been on a more crowded trail. Sure, it’s nice, but it’s chaotic. You can hike this a few different ways. Get dropped off at the Boreas Pass trailhead and walk down, then take the free shuttle to the Ice Rink. Or, park at the ice rink and take the shuttle to the bottom of Aspen Alley.

If you go up and down, it’ll be 3 miles round trip and 500 feet of gain.

We also did the Minnie Mine and B&B Trail and loved this 3-mile loop hike. Less elevation gain than the above and far less crowded.

Find hotels near Breckenridge, CO.

Just drive I-70 (Cheat Code)

If you’re looking to leaf peep, hop on I-70 and head west through the mountains. You’ll see so many aspens that you’ll be blown away. The slopes around Vail are ridiculous. Same for around Frisco and Breckenridge.

Breckenridge

• Boreas Pass Road: This gravel road follows an old narrow-gauge railroad grade southeast of town toward the Continental Divide, and its lower switchbacks run through dense aspen with long views over the Blue River valley. Low-clearance cars can usually handle it in dry conditions.
• Aspen Alley: This short singletrack is known for aspen so dense it forms a golden canopy over the path, and it runs to the Breckenridge Sawmill Museum as part of the Golden Horseshoe trail system with its 1860s mining history. It’s about 1.2 miles one way with roughly 500 feet of elevation change, and it pairs well with a drive up Boreas Pass Road. For 2026, the town is running a free shuttle to the trailhead from September 12 through October 3, daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with loops about every 15 minutes, since parking is tight and the trail is shared with mountain bikers.
• Peaks Trail: This singletrack links Breckenridge and Frisco across the flank of the Tenmile Range, passing through groves of aspen interspersed with lodgepole pine. You can hike a short stretch from the Breckenridge end or arrange a car shuttle and walk the full traverse.

Vail

• Shrine Pass Road: Starting at the Vail Pass exit on I-70, this dirt road descends toward Red Cliff through meadows and aspen, and a short spur hike up Shrine Ridge frames Mount of the Holy Cross on clear days.
• Booth Falls Trail: From its East Vail trailhead, the trail climbs steeply into the Eagles Nest Wilderness through aspen and wildflower slopes to a roughly 60-foot waterfall about 2 miles in. Parking fills early, so arriving before 8 a.m. improves your odds.
• Piney Lake: An unpaved road north of Vail winds through aspen-covered hillsides before reaching Piney River Ranch, where the Gore Range reflects in the lake on still mornings. Plan for about 40 minutes each way on the washboard road, and check whether the ranch is still operating for the season before heading up.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Plenty of aspens in Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park to enjoy.

Aspen groves in Rocky Mountain National Park usually turn from mid-September into early October, starting with the higher stands and working downslope over a week or two.

Bear Lake Road threads through thick aspen on the way to trailheads like Bierstadt Lake and Glacier Gorge, while the west side’s Kawuneeche Valley sets ochre willow carrs against the Never Summer Mountains along the headwaters of the Colorado River. The color coincides with the elk rut, and bulls bugle across Moraine Park and Horseshoe Park at dawn and dusk.

Photography Tips for Shooting Fall Colors in Colorado

What gear do I use?
Canon R5
Canon RF 24-105 f/4
Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8
Canon RF 100-500
See my entire bag.

Go wide and get low

This is a great time to pull out your wide-angle lens or use your phone’s widest setting. This will let you capture as many trees as possible, creating some unique pictures. Then, crouch or sit on the ground and shoot vertically.

I promise, the photos will look rad!

Don’t forget your telephoto lens.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, don’t forget to bring your telephoto lens on Colorado hikes. When we did the Abyss Lake Trail, we saw a moose, and all I had was a 24-105.

Sure, it’s better than nothing, but it would have been great to get more zoomed-in photos of the moose against a yellow aspen background.

Backlit Aspens

The way to make aspen (and any tree, for that matter) pop is to have the leaves be backlit by the sun. This lights them up, making them brighter and more vibrant than ever. It creates a truly magnificent scene.

Look up

Last but not least, look up. A 100% skyward shot will show the aspens’ leaves against the sky. The contrast is really cool—especially on a bluebird day—and offers a unique perspective.

What you should know about fall in Colorado

Know when hunting season starts

Hunting season in Colorado coincides with chasing fall colors. Have an understanding of which areas may also have hunters. You may want to wear orange or other bright colors to avoid being hit.

Here’s a general rundown of when hunters will be out:

When do fall colors appear in Colorado?

Fall colors in Colorado start to appear in mid-September, with peak season varying by location. For example, southwest Colorado (the San Juans) peaks in early October.

However, the aspens along I-70 are well past peak at the same time.

Guanella Pass peaked in 2025, the last weekend of September.

It’s smart to keep an eye on social media and other forecasts to help plan your fall adventures.

When do fall colors in Colorado typically wrap up in the mountains?

You can expect the best places to see fall colors in Colorado to be past peak or even barren by October 15. However, the further south you head, the later the colors will turn.

And this doesn’t even include inclement weather. Everything can be going right, but if a big storm rolls through with a lot of wind, it could be a speedy fall season.

In 2026, it’s looking like we could be wrapped up by October 1 in the mountains. The drought has caused trees to start turning 7-10 days sooner than normal.

Be prepared for all sorts of weather.

Fall in Colorado is a changing of the guard. Summer warmth bade goodbye, and colder, wetter weather arrived. When I left for my fall road trip, it was sunny and 78 in Denver. One week later, as I drove home, I hit snow while crossing two passes.

That said, come prepared during your fall adventures. You never know what weather you’ll encounter in the Colorado Rockies.

Fall Hiking Gear to Bring and Use

As you explore the best places to see fall colors in Colorado, remember to pack accordingly!

• Base Layers
• Sun Hoodie – Men’s & Women’s
• Fleece – Men’s & Women’s
• Hooded Puffy Jacket 800+ down – Men’s & Women’s
• Lighter Puffy Jacket, no hood – Men’s & Women’s
• Beanie
• Gloves
• Hiking Poles
• Waterproof Boots
• 30L+ Hiking Pack – Men’s & Women’s
• Snacks while on the trail
• Bear Spray
• Headlamp

Final thoughts on where to see fall colors in Colorado

As you can see, the best places to see fall colors in Colorado range across the entire state and offer incredible colors and views. I kick myself for never coming up to Colorado when I lived in Arizona to soak up the colors.

But now that I live here, I’m trying to maximize my fall days here. I hope this list helps you do the same!

To put a cap on it, I think my favorite places would be the Maroon Bells—I mean, how could you not fall in love with the views? Next up would be Kebler Pass. I was truly amazed by the sheer amount of aspen.

Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.

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