Fall is all too fleeting in Colorado. It’s only for a brief time that our dearest aspens shine before shedding their leaves. 

And so we should cherish the time. We should stick around scenic towns at elevations where the trees thrive, putting on their best shows. 

Consider these base camps for the season, along with typical time frames for peak colors: 

Steamboat Springs

When to go: Mid-September

Colors turn first in this northwest part of the state, sending leaf peepers up the gorgeous Rabbit Ears Pass. Buffalo Pass is another gilded drive that locals love. Farther afield, Colorado 131 heads toward Yampa and the Flat Tops Wilderness. 

For admiring on foot or bike, you don’t have to go far from town. The paved Yampa River Core Trail stretches 7 ½ miles along the water that shimmers the varied hues of cottonwoods and willows. More than two dozen miles of multi-use trail explore Emerald Mountain across from downtown, while Fish Creek Falls is another go-to. 

What else: A rugged road through the forest north of town leads to one of the state’s most unforgettable destinations for soaking: Strawberry Park Hot Springs. See if you can book a reservation. 

Aspen

When to go: Mid-late September

The town with the famed tree in its name is home to perhaps Colorado’s most famous scene of fall: the Maroon Bells. You’ll need a reservation to ride the shuttle to the twin peaks and lake between slopes awash in autumnal glory. 

Castle Creek Road is another portal to wondrous sites. Among them: the ghost town of Ashcroft and, if up for adventure, American and Cathedral lakes. Closer to town is the Hunter Creek Trail. And the scenery continues up Independence Pass on either side of Continental Divide. We suggest pulling off for Lincoln Creek and the Grottos. 

What else: As far as iconic in the fall, the Maroon Bells are rivaled by the Crystal Mill, well worth the day trip from Aspen if you’re prepared for a rough, rugged road. Outside Marble, the 134-year-old wooden structure is perched between a waterfall and aspen, as if out of a fairy tale. But you’ll need the right vehicle and know-how to get to it. 

Breckenridge

When to go: Mid-late September

The local tourism office maintains the “Leaf Brief,” regularly posting updates on foliage. Meanwhile, a shuttle runs to the beloved Aspen Alley. Yes, Breck is serious about fall. And for good reason. 

Just look on either side of town ー to Boreas Pass Road climbing through brilliant groves to the south and, to the north, the Blue River Recpath en route to colorful escapes around Frisco (right off Interstate 70, Meadow Creek Trail is aspen-covered to Lily Pad Lake). Around Breck, displays delight hikers of all abilities, from the Sawmill Creek Trail, to more moderate trails in the Golden Horseshoe area, to the more difficult and rewarding Black Powder Pass. 

What else: You can’t leave town without seeing Isak Heartstone. At the end of the short Trollstigen Trail, the 15-foot wooden troll sits and smiles for the camera amid a mixed forest. 

Crested Butte 

When to go: Mid-late September

Crested Butte gets love as Colorado’s “wildflower capital.” But the colors don’t end in the summer. The yellows, oranges and reds seem endless along Kebler Pass, where some suspect trees could contend with Pando in Utah as the world’s largest known aspen grove. 

Off Kebler, Ohio Pass is an unsung hero. The drive to Gothic and Washington Gulch are mesmerizing, too. As for trails, the Dyke and 3 Lakes Loop are favorites off Kebler. Near the ski resort, Snodgrass Mountain boasts towering, ancient-feeling tunnels of aspen. 

What else: Oh-Be-Joyful lives up to the name of the trail and creek of cascades and rapids. You don’t have to hike the full, lengthy trail to find joy. 

Estes Park 

When to go: Mid-late September

This list would not be complete without the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. For quintessential fall colors, look no further than Trail Ridge Road touring the length of the park through aspen-decorated meadows, woods and the alpine above 12,000 feet. Or look to the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, starting on Colorado 7 in Estes Park and spanning a dreamy 55 miles to Black Hawk. 

Back in the national park, timed-entry reservations are required for Bear Lake Road, which accesses premier hikes such as Dream, Emerald and Bierstadt lakes. Before 9 a.m. and after 2 p.m., reservations are not required for the park outside Bear Lake Road. This includes Trail Ridge Road and Wild Basin, where leaves glitter on the way to Ouzel Falls, Calypso Cascades, Finch Lake and more. 

What else: As if the natural spectacle couldn’t be greater around Estes Park this time of year, an abundant elk population goes searching for love. The rut lasts between mid-September and mid-October. 

Telluride 

When to go: Late September-early October

Colorado’s southern ranges typically reveal their fall colors later. Leave the grand finale to the San Juan Mountains, which stir the imagination wherever one looks around Telluride. 

Last Dollar Road and Ophir Pass are rough, wild drives through the mountains aglow. Imogene Pass is reserved for the most experienced off-roader, while Colorado 62 to the Dallas Divide and Colorado 145 over Lizard Head Pass are much friendlier and similarly dazzle. For hikes, you can stay pretty much right in town with the Jud Wiebe and Valley Floor trails. And there’s Bridal Veil Falls, the state’s tallest waterfall. 

What else: The best panorama? Perhaps from the seat of the free gondola that rises from the middle of town to Mountain Village.