Leaf peeping

Fall colors in Colorado

Typical peak runs Sep 22 – Oct 5. Pick the week, then the place.

Photo: Dead Horse Loop Trail

Fall color in Colorado typically peaks between Sep 22 and Oct 5, with the middle of the season around Sep 28. Color starts in the high country (Flagstaff around Sep 15) and finishes lower (Upper Bc&F Trail around Oct 7). We track 1,815 places here: 1,163 hikes, 418 mountain biking trails, 194 campgrounds, 28 summits, and 9 waterfalls. Above 13,000 ft, color typically peaks around Sep 27; between 6,000 and 7,000 ft, around Oct 6.

When to go

Week by week

How many places are in their typical peak window each week, with the top pick. Today’s week is highlighted.

  1. Sep 1 – 7

    2 places
    MarvineTop pick · hike

  2. Sep 8 – 14

    124 places
    Jumbo CampgroundTop pick · campground

  3. Sep 15 – 21

    1,029 places
    Flat TopTop pick · summit

  4. Sep 22 – 28

    1,657 places
    Dead Horse Loop TrailTop pick · hike

  5. Sep 29 – Oct 5

    Busiest

    1,681 places
    Rim Rock Nature TrailTop pick · hike

  6. Oct 6 – 12

    This week

    786 places
    Rock Point OverlookTop pick · hike

  7. Oct 13 – 19

    156 places
    Uplands TrailTop pick · hike

  8. Oct 20 – 26

    10 places
    Devil's Lookout OverlookTop pick · hike

Elevation

Color walks downhill

In Colorado, the higher the ground, the earlier the turn. Each row is a 1,000-foot band.

  1. 13,000+ ftSep 27
  2. 12,000–13,000 ftSep 25
  3. 11,000–12,000 ftSep 26
  4. 10,000–11,000 ftSep 26
  5. 9,000–10,000 ftSep 27
  6. 8,000–9,000 ftSep 28
  7. 7,000–8,000 ftOct 1
  8. 6,000–7,000 ftOct 6

Dot = median typical peak for places in that band. Bands with fewer than 10 places are left out.

This week

In typical peak now in Colorado

Places whose usual window includes today.

Where

By park and forest

Typical timing for the public lands with the most places, and the best-known spots in each.

Hikes

Best fall hikes

Trails ranked by how much hardwood forest surrounds them and how consistent the timing is across years.

Drives

Scenic drives

The easiest way to cover a lot of color, and a good fit for a wide window.

Camp

Campgrounds in the color

Wake up in it. Check availability and any seasonal closures before you go.

Views

Summits and waterfalls

Overlooks for the big picture, falls for the doubled-up reflection.

Ride

Mountain biking through the color

Singletrack with a canopy overhead.

Everything

Map and full list

Every place we track in Colorado, grouped by where it is in its typical window.

  • In typical peak now (100)

In typical peak now

Today falls inside the usual peak window for these places.

Questions

Fall colors in Colorado: FAQ

When is peak fall color in Colorado?

Across the 1,815 places we track in Colorado, typical peak runs from Sep 22 to Oct 5, with the middle of the season around Sep 28. Where you are in the state matters: higher elevations come earlier and valleys later.

Where do leaves change first in Colorado?

Among the places we track in Colorado, Flagstaff has the earliest typical peak, around Sep 15. The latest is Upper Bc&F Trail, around Oct 7. Above 13,000 ft, color typically peaks around Sep 27; between 6,000 and 7,000 ft, around Oct 6.

What are the best fall hikes in Colorado?

Hikes with strong typical color in Colorado include Dead Horse Loop Trail, Rim Rock Nature Trail, Uplands Trail, Lower Dipsy Doodle, and Bear Creek. They are ranked by how much of the surrounding forest is hardwood and how consistent the timing has been across years.

Is this a forecast?

No. These dates are typical timing: when leaves have usually reached peak in past years, from NASA satellite vegetation data from 2017 to 2024 and USGS forest cover. A warm, dry or very wet year can shift them by a week or more, so treat them as a planning window, not a prediction for this year.

Keep going

Nearby states

Typical timing from NASA MODIS vegetation data (2017–2024) and USGS NLCD 2021 forest cover. Not a forecast. Timing is typical, not a forecast. How we time it.