Foliage map › Destinations › Colorado › Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs, Colorado fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Steamboat Springs area peaks around October 4, with the best viewing from roughly October 2 to October 10.
- Typical peak
- October 4
- Best viewing
- Oct 2 – Oct 10
- Color starts
- Around Sep 22
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Oct 17
- Elevation
- 6,700 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 4. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open Steamboat Springs on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs sits in the Yampa River valley, surrounded by ranches and aspen-covered mountains. Just east of town, Fish Creek Falls drops about 280 feet, with a short trail to an overlook. Above town, Buffalo Pass Road, a gravel road, climbs through aspen to the Continental Divide.
Scenic drive
US 40 climbs east from Steamboat Springs over Rabbit Ears Pass, through aspen and evergreen forest with views back over the Yampa Valley. To the north, Elk River Road follows the Elk River through ranch country toward Clark and Steamboat Lake.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher
Breckenridge, CO (81 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 9 days earlier, and Kenosha Pass, CO (93 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 10 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Look for lower valleys
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of Steamboat Springs typically peaks much later. Lower valleys nearby are your best bet: color tends to hang on about 3 to 4 days longer for every 1,000 feet lower.
Nearby destinations
- Vail, COTypical peak Sep 30, 4 days earlier. 63 miles away.
- Estes Park, COTypical peak Oct 1, 3 days earlier. 69 miles away.
- Breckenridge, COTypical peak Sep 25, 9 days earlier. 81 miles away.
- Aspen, COTypical peak Oct 1, 3 days earlier. 89 miles away.
- Kenosha Pass, COTypical peak Sep 24, 10 days earlier. 93 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Steamboat Springs?
In a typical year, fall color in the Steamboat Springs area peaks around October 4, with the best viewing from roughly October 2 to October 10. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Steamboat Springs?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around September 22, and most leaves are down by about October 17.
Is Steamboat Springs early or late compared with the rest of Colorado?
Steamboat Springs typically peaks about 5 days later than the Colorado average of Sep 29. It ranks 8 of 8 Colorado destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around Steamboat Springs?
The main fall color in this area comes from quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, and willow. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.