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Colorado fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in Colorado peaks from about September 24 around Kenosha Pass (10,000 ft) to about October 4 around Steamboat Springs (6,700 ft).
2026 foliage season
Colorado fall foliage map
- Mostly green
- Starting to turn
- Moderate color
- Near peak
- Peak color
- Past peak
- Leaves down
Dots show the 8 Colorado destinations we track, colored by today’s estimated stage. Select one for its forecast, or open the full foliage map to check any city or ZIP code.
Peak calendar
Bars show the typical best-viewing window for each destination. The dark mark is the typical peak. The last column shows today’s estimated status.
How fall color moves through Colorado
Colorado’s fall color is mostly golden aspen, and it comes early and fast, peaking in late September at the high passes and finishing in early October. Kenosha Pass, at about 10,000 feet, typically peaks first, around September 24, with Breckenridge, at about 9,600 feet, right behind it around September 25. Crested Butte follows around September 28, then Telluride and Vail around September 30, and Aspen and Estes Park around October 1. Steamboat Springs, lower at about 6,700 feet, is typically last, around October 4.
Best places for Colorado fall foliage
- Kenosha Pass, on US 285 southwest of Denver, has aspen groves on both sides of the road and is typically the first Colorado destination to peak.
- Breckenridge, an old gold-mining town below the Tenmile Range, is the start of Boreas Pass Road and its tunnels of golden aspen.
- Crested Butte is a former mining town surrounded by some of the largest aspen groves in the state, near Kebler Pass.
- Aspen, named for the trees, is near the Maroon Bells, one of the most photographed mountain views in the country.
- Telluride sits in a box canyon in the San Juan Mountains, near the Dallas Divide.
- Vail lies along I-70, where aspens climb the slopes on both sides of the valley.
- Estes Park is the eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park and the start of the Peak to Peak Highway.
- Steamboat Springs, a ranching and ski town in the Yampa Valley, is typically the last of the state’s destinations to peak.
Scenic drives
Kenosha Pass on US 285, southwest of Denver, is one of the closest big aspen displays to the Front Range. From Breckenridge, Boreas Pass Road climbs through aspen groves to the Continental Divide and comes down near Kenosha Pass on US 285. Kebler Pass (County Road 12), an unpaved road between Crested Butte and Paonia, runs through some of the largest aspen groves in the state. The Peak to Peak Highway (Routes 7, 72, and 119) runs south from Estes Park along the Front Range. Near Telluride, Highway 62 crosses the Dallas Divide with views of the Sneffels Range, and near Steamboat Springs, US 40 climbs over Rabbit Ears Pass.
Planning around elevation
In the Rockies, elevation matters far more than latitude. The aspen stands above 9,000 feet turn first, and the color moves downhill over a couple of weeks. A drive over a mountain pass often shows peak gold at the top and green or just-turning aspens in the valleys below.
Visiting in late September or early October
Late September. The high passes go first. Kenosha Pass is typically at its best from about September 22 to 30, Breckenridge from about September 24 to October 2, and Crested Butte comes on around September 27.
Around October 1. This is the heart of the season. Crested Butte, Telluride, Vail, Aspen, and Estes Park are typically all at their best in the last days of September and the first days of October.
After the first week of October. Most of Colorado is past peak. Steamboat Springs typically holds good color until about October 10. After that, head south to the aspens of northern New Mexico, where Taos and Santa Fe are at their best from about October 6 to 14.
Trees behind the color
National park and forest guides
Scenic drive guide
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Colorado?
In a typical year, fall color in Colorado peaks from about September 24 around Kenosha Pass (10,000 ft) to about October 4 around Steamboat Springs (6,700 ft). Timing can shift by about a week in either direction depending on the weather.
Where does fall color peak first in Colorado?
Kenosha Pass is usually first among the Colorado destinations we track, with peak around September 24. Higher and more northern spots turn before lower and more southern ones.
Where is the latest fall color in Colorado?
Steamboat Springs usually peaks last, around October 4. Later color here is usually found lower down, so if you miss peak in the higher country, head toward places like Steamboat Springs.
What trees give Colorado its fall color?
The biggest contributors at the destinations we track include quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, and willow.
Check any city or ZIP code in Colorado.
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