Colorado fall colors are taking off. Here's where to go this weekend.
Colorado's fall colors are taking off, and if you have been waiting for a mountain drive, the next seven days are the time to go.
The next seven to 10 days should bring some of the season's best color to much of Colorado's high country.
Fall color does not peak across the state all at once. It generally starts first at the highest elevations, then works downhill and south.
For Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27, some of the best options should be across the central mountains, including Aspen, Vail, Summit County, Gunnison, and Crested Butte.
Ouray and Telluride are also moving deeper into their fall color window.
Farther north, areas around Steamboat Springs, Rocky Mountain National Park and the Peak to Peak Highway are already well into the season. If northern Colorado is your destination, I would go sooner rather than later.
One important thing to remember: do not turn around just because the top of a mountain pass looks past peak.
Aspens at higher elevations usually change first. Drive a little lower and you may find much better color in the valleys below.
Colorado's ongoing drought is making the season especially uneven. Some drought-stressed trees can change quickly, turn brown or lose their leaves earlier than normal, while healthier stands nearby may hold their color longer.
There should still be plenty to see after this weekend.
By Oct. 3 and 4, the focus should shift farther south and toward lower elevations, including areas around Durango, Pagosa Springs and the southern San Juan Mountains.
Bottom line: If you have been waiting for Colorado's fall colors, the window is open. Saturday and Sunday through the first few days of October should offer plenty of opportunities across the mountains.
