A travel publication called Islands recently released their ranking of the ’15 best places to see fall foliage in the US’ for 2024, and one Colorado spot made the cut to be included.

According to Islands, top spots were ranked on a number of factors, including how long leaves stay vibrant, how many scenic byways are found nearby that allow travelers to see colors from the road, and how many local hiking trails there are, with places included in the analysis among 54 places already known for their fall colors.

While it’s hard to miss fall colors almost regardless of where you’re at in Colorado, Islands dubbed aptly-named Aspen as the top ranking spot to see fall foliage in the Centennial State, with this mountain town ranking 11th on the list nationwide. Peak ‘fall color season’ in Aspen is expected to span from September 27 to October 3, according to Islands. The number of hiking and scenic trails in the area greatly contributed to its high ranking, with 88 local Aspen trails found by the publication. And while the publication only found one ‘scenic byway’ in the area, Independence Pass is perhaps one of the best fall color drives in the country with the right timing.

Other fall color spots in Colorado that weren’t included in the ‘top 15’ from Islands but are definitely worth checking out include Breckenridge, Twin Lakes, Steamboat Springs, and Telluride. But also note, it’s hard to go wrong in any mountain town.

The top place in the country to see fall colors was determined to be Asheville, North Carolina.

Find the full list here.

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