When and where to see the leaves change in Colorado this fall
Beginning in early September, Colorado’s high country experiences the annual leaf change among its forests, meadows and along its riverbanks.
The golds, reds and oranges pop across mountain sides from Steamboat to Silverton, with Colorado’s famous aspen trees making autumn a sight to see.
Typically, colors peak in Colorado’s northern mountains — the Park, Mummy, Never Summer and Rabbit Ears ranges — throughout the month of September. The central mountains — the Flattops, Gore, Sawatch, and Front ranges — peak the last week of the month. The southern mountains — San Juans, Sangre de Cristo, Wet and Spanish Peak ranges — peak the first and second weeks of October.
Leaves change color each autumn when they stop photosynthesis. As the green chlorophyll fades, yellow pigments become visible, leaving behind the colors we see on aspens, cottonwoods, and other deciduous trees.
How does weather affect autumn color?
According to the US Forest Service, the amount and brilliance of the colors that develop in any particular autumn season are related to weather conditions that occur before and during the time the chlorophyll in the leaves is dwindling, with temperature and moisture being the main influences.
“A succession of warm, sunny days and cool, crisp but not freezing nights seems to bring about the most spectacular color displays,” the Forest Service said.
