Kebler Pass, Colorado
3 photos taken at Kebler Pass, Colorado. See it on the full map
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Related Hikes and Resources
- Kebler Pass — A high-mountain pass connecting Crested Butte with Paonia, and a genuine shortcut to Aspen through the Roaring Fork Valley once the road is open for the season. At 10,007 feet through the Gunnison National Forest, it's best known for sitting inside one of the largest aspen groves in the country — come fall, this is one of the most reliable, biggest-scale color displays anywhere in the West Elk Mountains, and shooting mid-morning once the light gets into the grove itself, rather than at strict golden hour, is what actually works best for the aspen canopy shots this pass is known for.
- Horse Ranch Park (Kebler Pass Road) — A quiet meadow and trailhead area about 11 miles west of Crested Butte on Kebler Pass Road, at the edge of the Gunnison National Forest and the Raggeds and West Elk Wilderness areas. It is popular with horseback riders and campers, which keeps it far less crowded than the main Kebler viewpoints, and the trails climb through aspen to big open views of the surrounding peaks. For photography, scout a foreground first: boulders, a bend in the trail, or a clump of golden aspens all give the eye a way into a sunrise frame with the peaks behind. In the right week of fall the forest floor turns to a carpet of yellow leaves, and a shaded trail through the trees makes a strong leading line. Go early, bring layers, and expect wind to strip leaves quickly after a storm.
