Fall Color in Colorado

Autumn is arguably the most spectacular season in Colorado, with snow dusted mountains rising above vast forests of golden aspens. In my opinion walking through a grove of golden quaking aspens is one of nature's most beautiful experiences, like entering a natural cathedral with sacred light.

Each aspen bole has sprouted from the same connected root system of a larger organism, meaning that an individual aspen "tree" is actually a grove that may cover many acres and may be thousands or perhaps even hundreds of thousands of years old. These are the largest organisms on the planet, and certainly amongst the most beautiful.

While aspen forests are spread across the mountains of Colorado, two favorite fall locations are the San Juan Mountains near Telluride and Ridgway in the southwest corner of the state, as well as the Elk Mountains near Crested Butte and Aspen. Like annual clockwork - the grand finale marking the end of summer and onset of winter - the aspens typically start turning yellow around mid-September, usually peak around the start of October, then by mid-October the leaves have blown away.

Sneffels Range Autumn
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Capitol Peak Autumn
Elk Mountains, Colorado
Capitol Creek Aspens
Elk Mountains, Colorado
Raining Gold
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
The Aspen
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Orange Aspens
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
McClure Aspenglow
McClure Pass, Colorado
Golden Giants
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Crystal Lake Autumn Reflection
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Aspen in the Fog
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Evening in the Aspens
West Elk Mountains, Colorado
Aspen Streaks
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Cimarron Sunset Panorama
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Sneffels Sage
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Cimarron Light Show
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Rainbow Over Crested Butte
Crested Butte, Colorado
A glorious sunrise above Mount Garfield and the rugged Animas River gorge south of Silverton, Colorado.
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Sneffels Autumn Panorama
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Sneffels Autumn Light
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Autumn Kaleidoscope
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Kebler Autumn Sunset
Raggeds Wilderness, Colorado
Telluride Autumn Sunset
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
San Miguel Aspen Sunset
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Wilson Gold
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Snowy Pine and Aspens
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Autumn Eden
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Aspen Road
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Kebler Golden Reflection 2
Raggeds Wilderness, Colorado
Yellow Carpet
Ruby Range, Colorado
Marcellina Dusk
Ruby Range, Colorado
Golden Forest
Ruby Range, Colorado
Fall Creek Sunrise
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Courthouse Aspen Window
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Fiery Aspens
Crested Butte, Colorado
Capitol Peak Autumn Vertical
Elk Mountains, Colorado
Chimney Rock Sunset
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Last Dollar Morning
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Curious Deer
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Trail Through the Aspens
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
McClure Fisheye
McClure Pass, Colorado
River Carve
Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado
Aspen Twilight Reflection
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Rasta Aspen
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Aspen Tentacles
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Aspens in the Mist
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Foggy Aspen Closeup
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Yellow Leaf Road
Elk Mountains, Colorado
Owl Creek Autumn Colors
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Red Mountain, Yellow Aspens
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Kebler Golden Reflection
Elk Mountains, Colorado
Autumn Sky
Kebler Pass, Colorado
Leaf Stream
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Aspens and Marcellina
Kebler Pass, Colorado
Mt Crested Butte Autumn Panorama
Crested Butte, Colorado
Aspen Sunset Light
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Wilson Peak Autumn
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Red Aspen Raindrop
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Wilson Peak Breaking Storm
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Fall Creek Aspens
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Blue and Gold Panorama
Telluride, Colorado
Brilliant Aspens
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Aspen Abundance
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Red Aspen
Grand Mesa, Colorado
Sunset Over Mt. Crested Butte
Crested Butte, Colorado
Golden Grand Mesa
Grand Mesa, Colorado
Beaver Lake Rainbow
Marble, Colorado
Aspens Over Ouray
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Wilson Aspens
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Telluride Gold Rush
Telluride, Colorado
Ouray Valley Autumn
Ouray, Colorado
Ouray Autumn Panorama
Ouray, Colorado
Red Mountain
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
West Beckwith Aspens
West Elks, Colorado
Dallas Creek Autumn
San Juans, Colorado
Lizard Lake Reflection
Elk Mountains, Colorado
Aspen Chessboard
Colorado
Warner Dusk
Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado
550 Colors
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Dappled Droplets
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Abrams Autumn
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Golden Squall
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Wilson Pond
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Grand Finale
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Fallen Forest
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Floating Fourteener
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Wilson Peak Autumn Morning
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Floating Carpet
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
San Miguel Autumn Afternoon
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
October Snow
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
White and Gold
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Golden Trail
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Cloudy Aspens
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Aspens for Miles
West Elk Mountains, Colorado
Misty Crystal
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Undercover Color
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Powdered Aspens
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Powdered Rainbow
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Autumn Champion
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
On the Road
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Middle Autumn
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Aspen Bubble Lights
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Mears Peak Autumn Sunset
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Wetterhorn Autumn Sunset
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Golden Hillside
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Red Gold
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Elk Spotlight
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Wilson Peak Autumn Light
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Quaking Aspen and Sneffels
San Juan Mountains, Colorado