Colorado Fall Foliage 2026
Peak color typically arrives in mid-September above 10,000 feet, then moves into 8,000-foot valleys by early October. The 16-day elevation spread means you can chase the window across multiple zones. Quaking aspen dominate the high country, with cottonwood in drainages and gambel oak adding red tones at mid-elevations.
When Colorado peaks
Sep 16 – Sep 24
Centered on Sep 20. Above 10,000 ft peaks in mid-September; the 8,000-ft valleys follow in early October.
low confidence. Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Where peak usually lands. Drought or an early freeze moves it by a few days. Method
What turns here
- quaking aspen
- cottonwood
- gambel oak
Yellows show up every year. Reds need sunny days and cool, frost-free nights. A bad year takes those first.
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 20Typical color progression for Colorado. No change from Aug 13 to Aug 30. First color from Aug 30 to Sep 8. Approaching peak from Sep 8 to Sep 16. Peak from Sep 16 to Sep 24. Past peak from Sep 24 to Oct 4. Bare from Oct 4 to Oct 18.
Color starts around Aug 30.
Peak by elevation
16 days between the ridges and the valleys. County maps average this away, which is how you miss peak at the right place.
| Elevation band | Approx. elevation | Typical peak | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| High ridges & passes | 12,000 ft | Sep 11 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 9,500 ft | Sep 20 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 7,500 ft | Sep 27 | No change |
Foliage stages
- No change 0–10%
- First color 10–25%
- Approaching peak 25–60%
- Peak 60–90%
- Past peak 40–70%, dropping
- Bare <20%
Light at peak
Colorado on September 20, the day it typically peaks. Knowing when color arrives is one thing. Knowing where the sun will be is another.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:28 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 88° | 6:55 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 35 min of low, warm light | 7:30 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:03 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 35 min before sunset | 6:35 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 272° | 7:10 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:37 PM |
Times in America/Denver · day length 12h 15m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of those and the canopy glows translucent. Turn your back to them for flat, accurate color.
Location pages name the light directly.
Where to shoot in Colorado
6 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Kenosha Pass No change
Front Range · 9,984 ft · peaks Sep 17
The Colorado Trail crosses the highway here and runs straight into a dense aspen stand, with South Park opening below to the southwest. Backlit trunks in the first half mile of trail are why Denver photographers arrive before six.
- Kebler Pass No change
West Elk Mountains · 10,007 ft · peaks Sep 18
The road runs 30 miles through one of the largest aspen stands in North America, with white trunks packed against the Ruby Range and Marcellina Mountain. Flat overcast light saturates the leaves and removes the contrast that ruins midday frames in this forest.
- Last Dollar Road No change
San Juan Mountains · 10,676 ft · peaks Sep 18
The dirt road climbs out of the Telluride valley through aspen groves to a 10,676-foot saddle with the Sneffels Range on one side and Wilson Peak on the other. Split-rail fence, ranch gates, and narrow bands of trees supply the foreground the paved overlooks lack.
- Maroon Lake No change
Elk Mountains · 9,580 ft · peaks Sep 19
Two 14,000-foot peaks sit directly above the outlet of a shallow glacial lake, with aspen ringing the shoreline and the inlet meadow. Still water before eight in the morning holds the full reflection, and a 24-35mm frame from the northeast shore keeps both peaks and the aspen.
- Owl Creek Pass No change
Uncompahgre National Forest · 10,114 ft · peaks Sep 19
The spire of Chimney Rock and the cliff wall of Courthouse Mountain rise straight out of an aspen basin at the top of the pass. Turnouts a mile below the summit stack the aspen in front and the rock behind without needing a hike.
- Dallas Divide No change
San Juan Mountains · 8,983 ft · peaks Sep 23
The Sneffels Range stands above rolling ranch benches and the weathered fence lines along the highway, with aspen stringers running up every draw. A long lens from the turnouts compresses fence, gold hillside, and peaks into one plane.
Recent reports from Colorado
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Colorado?
- Colorado typically peaks Sep 16 – Sep 24, centered on Sep 20. Above 10,000 ft peaks in mid-September; the 8,000-ft valleys follow in early October. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model, not a live reading of this year's canopy.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Colorado?
- Yes, by about 16 days. High ground around 12,000 ft peaks near Sep 11, while valleys near 7,500 ft wait until Sep 27. Peak moves roughly 3.5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb, so if you miss it low you can often drive up and find it.
- Where are the best places to see fall color in Colorado?
- We track 6 verified locations in Colorado, including Kenosha Pass, Kebler Pass, Last Dollar Road. Kenosha Pass turns first, around Sep 17, and Dallas Divide is last, around Sep 23. Each has real coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Colorado?
- Mainly quaking aspen, cottonwood, gambel oak. Yellows and oranges come from carotenoids that are already in the leaf, so they show up every year. Reds are made fresh each autumn and need warm sunny days with cool, frost-free nights, which is why a dry summer or a warm September produces a duller year.