Best Fall Color Spots in Colorado

Colorado's aspens turn gold for a few short weeks, usually from mid-September in the north and high country to early October in the south and lower valleys. These are the spots that deliver every year, from roadside overlooks you can shoot from the car to hikes into the middle of the groves.

Tip: Peak color moves fast and wind can strip a grove overnight. Check the live Fall Color Right Now page before you drive, and go early on weekdays; popular passes fill up by mid-morning.

1.Ohio Pass (The Castles Overlook)
A quiet back road off Kebler Pass, with aspen-clad slopes and views toward the volcanic spires of The Castles.
Pass elevation: About 10,065 ft · Road: Gunnison County Road 730 (unpaved) · The Castles: Rock pillars topping out at 12,296 ft, West Elk Wilderness
Best light: The Castles sit west of the Ohio Creek road, so morning light falls on their east-facing walls and the aspen slopes in front of them; at sunset they turn to silhouettes against the western sky. Peak aspen color usually lands in late September.
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2.Kebler Pass
A gravel pass west of Crested Butte through one of the largest aspen forests in the country.
Summit elevation: 10,007 ft · Road: Gunnison County Road 12, mostly gravel · Length: About 30 miles, Crested Butte to CO 133
Best light: Peak aspen color usually lands in the second half of September, but it varies by year and elevation, so watch reports. Mornings are the prime time: low east light backlights the aspens on the west-facing slopes, and fog often fills the valleys after a cold night. Overcast days are excellent for saturated color inside the groves.
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3.Kenosha Pass
Front Range fall-color central: a sea of gold aspen spilling down to the wide-open basin of South Park.
Elevation: 9,984 ft · Highway: US 285, between Grant and Jefferson · County: Park
Best light: Sunrise on the east side of the pass lights the aspen slopes and South Park with low, warm light; late afternoon backlights the aspen leaves so they glow. Peak color usually falls in late September, varying by year.
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4.Maroon Bells, Aspen
Colorado's most photographed view: twin maroon fourteeners mirrored in Maroon Lake outside Aspen.
Peak elevations: Maroon Peak 14,163 ft; North Maroon 14,019 ft · Lake elevation: About 9,580 ft (Maroon Lake) · Fees/permits: Reservations required for parking or shuttle (visitmaroonbells.com)
Best light: Sunrise. The Bells face northeast toward Maroon Lake, so first light paints them red and orange while the lake is still calm. Aspen around the lake usually peak in late September; early summer brings snow on the peaks and green meadows.
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5.Horse Ranch Park (Kebler Pass Road)
A broad meadow trailhead in the heart of Kebler Pass aspen country, with The Dyke and the Ruby Range above.
Location: About 11-12 mi west of Crested Butte on Kebler Pass Rd (CR 12) · Elevation: About 9,000 ft · Trails: Dyke Trail #838, Dark Canyon Trail #830, Cliff Creek/Three Lakes
Best light: Morning is best: the sun comes over the ridges to the east and backlights the aspens on the slopes around the meadow, and fog often settles in the low ground on cool fall mornings. Late September is peak aspen season, and July brings wildflowers in the meadow.
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6.Snodgrass Mountain
Crested Butte's aspen-cloaked neighbor, with meadow trails and golden fall color just north of town.
Distance: About 5.6 mi round trip · Elevation gain: About 1,500 ft · Summit elevation: A little over 11,100 ft
Best light: Fall is the headliner: the aspens usually peak around mid to late September, and backlit morning or late-afternoon light makes the leaves glow. In July, the lower meadows fill with wildflowers in front of Mount Crested Butte.
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7.Guanella Pass
A paved scenic byway to 11,669 feet, with fall aspens, willow flats and Mount Bierstadt right off the road.
Summit elevation: 11,669 ft · Route: Georgetown to Grant (CR 381 / CR 62), fully paved · Distance: About 11 mi from Georgetown to the summit; 13.5 mi from Grant
Best light: Sunrise is the move at the summit: Mount Bierstadt and the Sawtooth sit to the east, so you can shoot the alpenglow on the Square Top side to the west or a backlit sunrise silhouette of Bierstadt over the willows. In fall, mid-morning light on the aspens of the Georgetown side is beautiful once the sun clears the ridges.
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8.Red Mountain Pass
The rust-red summit of the Million Dollar Highway, where mining ghosts meet some of the San Juans' wildest scenery.
Elevation: 11,018 ft · Highway: US 550 (Million Dollar Highway / San Juan Skyway) · Counties: Ouray and San Juan
Best light: Late September is prime, when aspens turn gold against the red slopes; overcast days bring out saturated color without harsh contrast. Sunrise and sunset side-light the Red Mountains dramatically, and a dusting of early snow can make the scene unforgettable.
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9.Crystal Mill, Marble
Colorado's most photographed mill, perched on a rock ledge above the roaring Crystal River.
Distance: About 8-9 mi round trip on foot from the Marble lot · Elevation gain: About 850 ft · Trailhead: Parking area past Beaver Lake in Marble (start elevation about 8,150 ft)
Best light: The mill sits in a narrow, tree-lined canyon, so contrast can be brutal under midday sun; bright overcast or the softer light when the canyon is evenly lit is often easiest to work with. Late September aspen color and early-summer runoff, when the falls under the mill are at their fullest, are the two classic windows.
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10.Marble, CO (Crystal River valley)
A tiny Crystal River town whose white stone built the Lincoln Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Elevation: 8,009 ft · County: Gunnison · Incorporated: 1899
Best light: Late September is the headline season, when aspens light up the valley walls. Mornings are calm for reflections on Beaver Lake, and the Marble Mill ruins photograph well in soft light.
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11.Cottonwood Pass
The highest paved pass over the Continental Divide, linking Buena Vista and Taylor Park above the Collegiate Peaks.
Summit elevation: 12,126 ft · Route: Buena Vista to Taylor Park · Road: Paved both sides (west side paved 2019)
Best light: Sunrise at the summit lights the Collegiate Peaks to the north and east and the tundra in front of you; sunset glows on the peaks above Taylor Park to the west. Aspens on the lower Buena Vista side and toward Taylor Park usually peak in mid to late September.
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12.Gothic (East River / Crested Butte)
A silver-boom ghost town turned mountain research station, tucked beneath Gothic Mountain's spires above the East River.
Elevation: About 9,500 ft · County: Gunnison · Founded: 1879
Best light: Morning light hits the east faces of Gothic Mountain and lights the valley meadows; evenings put the townsite cabins in warm side light. July is peak wildflower season in the Crested Butte area, and the aspens along Gothic Road usually turn in late September.
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13.Georgetown Loop Railroad
A narrow-gauge steam train spiraling over the 95-foot Devil's Gate High Bridge between two silver towns.
Route: Georgetown to Silver Plume, about 3 miles restored · Elevation change: Over 600 ft between the towns · High Bridge: Devil's Gate High Bridge, 95 ft above Clear Creek
Best light: Late September is magical, when aspen on the canyon slopes turn gold around the trestle and the railroad runs fall color trains. Cooler mornings make steam plumes show up better. The narrow valley falls into shade early, so check when the sun leaves the bridge.
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14.Steamboat Springs
A ranching and ski town on the Yampa River, ringed by hot springs, waterfalls and aspen country.
Elevation: About 6,870 ft · County: Routt County (county seat) · Incorporated: 1900
Best light: Fish Creek Falls sits in a shaded canyon east of town, so overcast days or early morning give the most even light on the water. Late September is prime for aspens in the surrounding hills, and winter evenings bring lit ski jumps and steaming hot springs.
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15.Lost Lake
A waterfall-lined hike from the Hessie ghost town to a subalpine lake ringed by old mine workings.
Distance: About 4.2 mi round trip from shuttle drop-off · Elevation gain: About 800 ft · Lake elevation: Roughly 9,800 ft
Best light: Morning is best. The lake is calmest early, before breezes and crowds pick up, and the waterfalls are easier to expose in open shade. Late September brings golden aspens along the Hessie road and lower trail. June and early July have the strongest snowmelt in the cascades.
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16.Snowmass Trail
A quiet, steep climb from Snowmass Creek to West Snowmass Pass and big views of the Elk Mountains.
Distance: About 12.4 mi round trip to West Snowmass Pass · Elevation gain: About 3,380 ft · Pass elevation: About 11,780 ft
Best light: Morning light works well on the climb and the pass, and you will want to be off the high ground before afternoon storms. Mid-July is prime wildflower time in the upper basin, while late September turns the lower aspen forest gold.
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17.Almont
A tiny river town where the Taylor and East rivers join to become the Gunnison.
Elevation: 8,022 ft · County: Gunnison · Founded: Platted 1881
Best light: Early mornings bring mist and calm water along the rivers, and late September to early October lights up the cottonwoods and aspens. Sunset paints the canyon walls of Taylor Canyon east of town.
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