Foliage map › National parks and forests › Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests fall foliage
The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests together cover about 3 million acres of western Colorado, around Crested Butte, Telluride, and the San Juan Mountains. The aspen here typically peak in the last week of September, in some of the largest aspen groves in the state.
- Typical peak
- Sep 24 – Sep 30
- Location
- Colorado
- Size
- About 3 million acres
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around September 28 at Crested Butte. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s status and the five-week outlook.
Status shown for Crested Butte, at 8,885 feet. See below for other parts of the forest.
Peak by place and elevation
Bars show the typical best-viewing window for each place. The dark mark is the typical peak. The last column shows today’s status.
The season at Crested Butte
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.
Where to see the color in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison forests
West of Crested Butte, Kebler Pass runs through some of the largest aspen groves in Colorado. Near Telluride, the Dallas Divide looks across ranch land and aspen to the Sneffels Range. To the north, the Grand Mesa rises above the valleys, covered in aspen and dotted with lakes.
Scenic drive
Kebler Pass Road, mostly gravel, runs west from Crested Butte over the pass toward Paonia through miles of aspen. Highway 62 crosses the Dallas Divide between Ridgway and Placerville, near Telluride, and the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway (Highway 65) climbs over the top of the Grand Mesa.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests?
In a typical year, the high aspen groves, around places like Kebler Pass, peak in the last week of September, and the valleys around Crested Butte and Telluride follow within about a week.
Where is the best fall color in these forests?
Kebler Pass near Crested Butte, the Dallas Divide near Telluride, and the Grand Mesa.