Here’s when Colorado’s fall leaves are expected to start appearing
Fall colors are soon to appear in Colorado, with reports of sporadic yellow leaves in the high country already coming in.
Historically, fall colors start to appear en masse in northern Colorado first, generally between mid-September and the end of the month. There’s a little bit of lag for the appearance of fall colors moving south and in lower elevation terrain, but by early-to-mid October, fall colors should be in full swing across the entire state.
Leaves tend to change first in the Steamboat Springs area, then the central mountains and southwest Colorado, then the Pikes Peak region, and finally in southern Colorado near Trinidad.
Mapping from SmokyMountains.com also shows that this typical timeline is projected for this fall.
According to the US Forest Service, two key factors that impact fall colors are temperature and moisture. A warm and sunny fall that lacks in freezing nights tends to result in the best display, especially when earlier months of spring and summer bring moisture to spur flora growth, followed by a warmer fall that doesn’t kill that growth off so quickly.
As those who have been keeping tabs on Colorado’s weather this year might expect, it’s looking like these ideal conditions are present – a wet spring and summer, followed by moisture tapering off into a warm fall. In other words, expect fall colors to really put on a show.
Plus, with the National Weather Service calling for a warmer start to fall and not noting an expectation for exceptional moisture, it’s likely that these fall leaves will stick around a bit longer compared to years when winds, rain, and snow quickly knock them down.
Head to the mountains near the end of September or early October and you’re likely to see Colorado’s iconic high country aspen groves on full display.
Looking for a scenic drive to see fall colors? Check these out.
This image from SmokyMountains.com captures what fall foliage is predicted to look like around the country on the weekend of October 2. Note that it’s made its appearance in much of Colorado, with parts of northern Colorado at its peak. Image: