Colorado Fall Colors

September 2012  |  San Juan Mountains, Colorado

Photos of aspens and autumn color, mostly in the San Juan Mountains.  This fall was a very colorful one, with the aspens showing off much oranger and redder colors than usual.

Rich sunset light filters through the aspens on McClure Pass, near Marble, Colorado - September
McClure Aspenglow

Rich sunset light filters through the aspens on McClure Pass, near Marble, Colorado - September

Brilliant orange aspens above Red Mountain Pass near Ouray, Colorado - September.
Orange Aspens

Brilliant orange aspens above Red Mountain Pass near Ouray, Colorado - September.

A stormy sunrise above Dolores Peak and the vast aspen groves of the Fall Creek valley near Telluride, Colorado - September.
Fall Creek Sunrise

A stormy sunrise above Dolores Peak and the vast aspen groves of the Fall Creek valley near Telluride, Colorado - September.

An aspen with a view of many more aspens.
The Aspen

An aspen with a view of many more aspens.

A close up shot of raindrops on a red and yellow aspen leaf.
Red Aspen Raindrop

A close up shot of raindrops on a red and yellow aspen leaf.

Brilliant aspens and view of Wilson Peak, the famous fourteener near Telluride, after the first snows of autumn.
Wilson Peak Autumn

Brilliant aspens and view of Wilson Peak, the famous fourteener near Telluride, after the first snows of autumn.

Aspen forest in the fog - September.
Aspen in the Fog

Aspen forest in the fog - September.

Aspen leaves in the rain and fog - September.
Foggy Aspen Closeup

Aspen leaves in the rain and fog - September.

Clouds lift off of Wilson Mesa and Wilson Peak after an afternoon autumn storm, as seen from Last Dollar Road - September.
Wilson Peak Breaking Storm

Clouds lift off of Wilson Mesa and Wilson Peak after an afternoon autumn storm, as seen from Last Dollar Road - September.

Wilson Peak and the San Miguel Range, as seen from Last Dollar Road - September.
Last Dollar Sunset

Wilson Peak and the San Miguel Range, as seen from Last Dollar Road - September.

A sweeping view of Wilson Peak and Wilson Mesa and its many aspen groves, as seen from Last Dollar Mountain - September.
Last Dollar Morning

A sweeping view of Wilson Peak and Wilson Mesa and its many aspen groves, as seen from Last Dollar Mountain - September.

The Cimarrons lit up by a spectacular sunset over Ridgway and Pleasant Valley, with the Sneffels Range in the background.  Chimney...
Cimarron Sunset Panorama

The Cimarrons lit up by a spectacular sunset over Ridgway and Pleasant Valley, with the Sneffels Range in the background.  Chimney Rock and Courthouse Mountain are the prominent peaks near the center.  The West Fork Cimarron valley is at left. 

(I scouted out and photographed this vantage point in September 2012; since then this has become an iconic and often-photographed perspective, which is why I feel obliged to toot my own horn and mention that my photos here are the originals!)

Sunset light on Chimney Rock and Courthouse Mountain in the Cimarron Range near Ridgway, Colorado.
Chimney Rock Sunset

Sunset light on Chimney Rock and Courthouse Mountain in the Cimarron Range near Ridgway, Colorado.

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