When do the leaves change in Colorado?
Colorado's aspen groves turn the Rockies gold each fall, with Kebler Pass holding the state's largest grove and Maroon Bells and the Million Dollar Highway drawing crowds. Peak color usually arrives late September to early October.
Peak: October 4–October 23
Color builds from September 29 · mostly bare by November 5
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures (Open-Meteo) drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model; terrain shifts timing ~1 day earlier per 300 m of elevation. Temperature alone can’t tell a maritime autumn from a continental one — two places at the same latitude and the same September can peak weeks apart, because the trees differ — so each region is also calibrated against published peak dates. Estimates, not promises: typically within a few days, occasionally a week or more out. Check locally before you travel.
Known for
Things to do in fall in Colorado
12 iconic stops — scenic drives, farms, haunts, and the views locals plan their October around.
Maroon Bells Scenic Area
ViewpointPeak September 24
Maroon Lake mirrors the Maroon Bells' twin 14,000-foot peaks framed by golden aspen groves ten miles from Aspen. Colorado's most photographed view requires a shuttle bus once the parking lot fills each fall weekend.
Don’t miss: Maroon Lake reflection · Scenic Loop Trail · Required shuttle bus in season
Kebler Pass
Scenic drivePeak September 26
Colorado Highway 12 crosses 10,007-foot Kebler Pass between Crested Butte and Paonia through the largest contiguous aspen forest in North America, a 30-mile drive, partly unpaved, that turns solid gold by late September.
Don’t miss: Largest aspen forest in North America · Connects Crested Butte and Paonia
Independence Pass
Scenic drivePeak September 11
Highway 82 crests the Continental Divide at 12,095 feet between Aspen and Twin Lakes, Colorado's highest paved through-pass, with alpine tundra and aspen-lined switchbacks that shut to long vehicles before winter snow closes the road entirely.
Don’t miss: 12,095-foot summit · Continental Divide crossing
Million Dollar Highway
Scenic drivePeak August 17
US 550 climbs 11,018-foot Red Mountain Pass between Ouray and Silverton on cliffside switchbacks with no guardrails, part of the 236-mile San Juan Skyway loop through old mining towns and turning aspen groves in the San Juans.
Don’t miss: Red Mountain Pass overlooks · Part of the San Juan Skyway loop
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Scenic railwayColor nearby peaks October 2
Coal-fired steam locomotives built in the 1920s haul open-air cars 45 miles along the Animas River gorge from Durango to Silverton on track laid in 1882 for silver ore, running fall-color specials through canyon walls of turning cottonwood and aspen.
Don’t miss: 1920s steam locomotives · Animas River gorge route
Bear Lake Corridor, Rocky Mountain National Park
National parkPeak September 22
Bull elk bugle across Moraine Park's meadows through the September rut while aspen gild the slopes above Bear Lake at 9,450 feet. A timed-entry permit governs this corridor of Rocky Mountain National Park during peak fall weeks.
Don’t miss: Elk rut mid-September to mid-October · Bear Lake at 9,450 feet
Estes Park
Historic townColor nearby peaks September 28
Rocky Mountain National Park's eastern gateway fills with visiting elk that wander onto golf courses and downtown lawns each fall rut, while the 1909 Stanley Hotel and Riverwalk shops anchor a town built around the autumn tourist season.
Don’t miss: Elk wandering into town during rut · Historic Stanley Hotel
Anderson Farms
Pumpkin patchColor nearby peaks October 9
A multi-generation family farm in Erie with over 7 miles of corn maze trails cut at three difficulty levels, plus 40-odd acres of pumpkin fields growing some 70 varieties. After dark the same corn becomes Terror in the Corn, a separately ticketed haunt.
Don’t miss: 7+ miles of maze trails · About 70 pumpkin varieties · Terror in the Corn after dark
Guides
2026 Fall Foliage Forecast: When Leaves Peak in Every State
Our 2026 fall foliage forecast for the US and Canada, region by region, built from ERA5 weather data and a phenology model, with live peak dates on the map.
5 Leaf-Peeping Road Trips for 2026
Five real fall road trips for 2026, from Vermont's Route 100 to Germany's Alpine Road, with route feel, standout stops, and how many days to plan for each.
Understand the season in Colorado
Short explainers on why and when the color arrives here.
Foliage Timing & Seasons
How Fall Foliage Forecasts Actually Work
Fall color forecasts combine a fixed seasonal trigger with weather that has to be estimated. Here's how the underlying model actually predicts a peak.
2026-07-18 · 6 min read
Leaf Science
Evergreen vs. Deciduous: Why Some Trees Keep Their Leaves
Dropping every leaf each fall looks wasteful, and keeping them through winter looks risky. Both strategies work, and the tradeoff comes down to leaf economics.
2026-07-17 · 4 min read
Foliage Timing & Seasons
What Is Peak Foliage? How Peak Is Defined and Forecast
Peak foliage isn't the single most colorful tree or day. It's the point when the widest share of a region's canopy is in full color at once.
2026-07-17 · 5 min read
Frequently asked
- When do leaves peak in Colorado in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 4–October 23 (best estimate October 14). Color starts around September 29 and trees are mostly bare by November 5.
- How reliable is the Colorado forecast?
- The forecast blends recent-year weather normals with photoperiod and elevation; it tightens as the season approaches. Against published peak dates the model lands within a few days for most regions, but it can be a week or more out — mountains and coastlines are the hardest. Higher elevations turn roughly one day earlier per 300 m.
- When is Colorado's autumn season?
- Colorado colors during autumn (September–November). Colorado's aspen groves turn the Rockies gold each fall, with Kebler Pass holding the state's largest grove and Maroon Bells and the Million Dollar Highway drawing crowds. Peak color usually arrives late September to early October.
- What are the best things to do in fall in Colorado?
- The iconic stops: Maroon Bells Scenic Area, Kebler Pass, Independence Pass, Million Dollar Highway, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Bear Lake Corridor, Rocky Mountain National Park. Every one is mapped on this page with its peak-color timing.
- What are the best things to do in autumn in Colorado?
- Autumn — autumn (September–November) — is peak season here. Pair the color with Maroon Bells Scenic Area, Kebler Pass, Independence Pass, Million Dollar Highway, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad; each is on the map above with the window to catch it.
Nearby & similar
Cities in Colorado
Local peak timing and things to do in fall, computed for each city.
Season by season
2026 (forecast)
Peak October 4–October 23
September 29 → November 5