Autumn Overload

October 2021  |  San Juan Mountains, Colorado

As I write this in mid-October, snow is falling outside my window and only a few yellow leaves cling to the aspen forests above town. It has been a phenomenal fall season here in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado, with vibrant aspen colors, lots of amazing light and clouds, and fresh snowfall frosting the mountaintops. We were even able to make a quick trip up to the Wasatch Range in Utah which was also showing off a dazzling array of aspen colors. Here is a collection of my favorite photos from this autumn's outings.

A mind-bending, nearly 360º panoramic view of brilliant sunset light on Mount Emma (13,581 ft.) and the Sneffels Range, as seen...
Highline Sunset Panorama

A mind-bending, nearly 360º panoramic view of brilliant sunset light on Mount Emma (13,581 ft.) and the Sneffels Range, as seen from a high perch above Telluride, Colorado - September. Dallas Peak is on the left and the ultra jagged Saint Sophia Ridge is on the right. The town of Telluride is down in the valley to the right.

Vibrant autumn colors along Highway 550 on Red Mountain Pass between the towns of Ouray and Silverton in southwest Colorado....
550 Colors

Vibrant autumn colors along Highway 550 on Red Mountain Pass between the towns of Ouray and Silverton in southwest Colorado. The aspens around here are always the first ones to change color in late September.

Raindrops on aspen leaves.
Dappled Droplets

Raindrops on aspen leaves.

A mountainside full of golden aspens with Mount Abrams behind.
Abrams Autumn

A mountainside full of golden aspens with Mount Abrams behind.

An aspen forest showing off nearly all the colors of the rainbow in early October in the Mount Olympus Wilderness in the Big...
Rainbow Forest

An aspen forest showing off nearly all the colors of the rainbow in early October in the Mount Olympus Wilderness in the Big Cottonwood Canyon of the Wasatch Range in Utah.

A vast forest of colorful autumn aspens in the Mount Olympus Wilderness in the Big Cottonwood Canyon of the Wasatch Range in...
Autumn Overload

A vast forest of colorful autumn aspens in the Mount Olympus Wilderness in the Big Cottonwood Canyon of the Wasatch Range in Utah.

A snow squall moves up through the rugged valley of the Animas River south of Silverton, Colorado.
Golden Squall

A snow squall moves up through the rugged valley of the Animas River south of Silverton, Colorado.

A glorious sunrise above Mount Garfield and the rugged Animas River gorge south of Silverton, Colorado.
Sunrise Over the Animas

A glorious sunrise above Mount Garfield and the rugged Animas River gorge south of Silverton, Colorado. This is the canyon that the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad runs through. To the left you can see the tips of Vestal and Arrow Peaks of the Grenadier Range, and in the right background is Pigeon Peak and the mighty Needles Mountains.

Brilliant fall colors reflected in a pond below Wilson Peak in the San Miguel Range.
Wilson Pond

Brilliant fall colors reflected in a pond below Wilson Peak in the San Miguel Range.

Golden autumn aspens reflect in a pond.
Grand Finale

Golden autumn aspens reflect in a pond.

Aspen boles reflected behind floating fallen aspen leaves.
Fallen Forest

Aspen boles reflected behind floating fallen aspen leaves.

Wilson Peak (14,016 ft.) reflected in a pond full of fallen aspen leaves.
Floating Fourteener

Wilson Peak (14,016 ft.) reflected in a pond full of fallen aspen leaves.

Morning light on Wilson Peak, with golden aspens below. Fresh autumn snow cakes the mountain on this calm, frosty October morning...
Wilson Peak Autumn Morning

Morning light on Wilson Peak, with golden aspens below. Fresh autumn snow cakes the mountain on this calm, frosty October morning, while elk bugle in the distance.

A plethora of golden aspen leaves floating in a pond below Wilson Peak.
Wilson Gold

A plethora of golden aspen leaves floating in a pond below Wilson Peak.

A vast expanse of fallen aspen leaves floating in a pond.
Floating Carpet

A vast expanse of fallen aspen leaves floating in a pond.


Towards the tail end of autumn the trails are covered in fallen aspen leaves, and hikers' trekking poles quickly start to look...
Aspen Shish Kebabs

Towards the tail end of autumn the trails are covered in fallen aspen leaves, and hikers' trekking poles quickly start to look like aspen leaf shish kebabs!

Dark clouds pass over Wilson Peak (14,016 ft.) and the San Miguel Range as late afternoon sunlight bathes the golden aspens and...
San Miguel Autumn Afternoon

Dark clouds pass over Wilson Peak (14,016 ft.) and the San Miguel Range as late afternoon sunlight bathes the golden aspens and valley below. To me this scene evokes a classic feel of the fall season in the arid southwestern Colorado mountains.

Fresh October snowfall cakes the pine trees as golden aspens tower above.
October Snow

Fresh October snowfall cakes the pine trees as golden aspens tower above.

Snow-caked pine trees dwarfed by golden aspens in October along the Sneffels Range.
White and Gold

Snow-caked pine trees dwarfed by golden aspens in October along the Sneffels Range.

Courthouse Mountain and the Cimarrons glowing with intense sunset light above the town of Ridgway in late October.
Sunset Over Ridgway

Courthouse Mountain and the Cimarrons glowing with intense sunset light above the town of Ridgway in late October.

Related Posts

Autumn Gold Rush in the San Juans
September-October 2020
Autumn Colors in Crested Butte
September/October 2015
Colorado Fall Colors
September/October 2010
Colorado Fall Colors
September/October 2007