Colorado fall colors?

[Jan Pedersen]

At short notice i just learned that i will be in the Denver area this coming weekend.
Are there any areas in the Rocky's that still have any fall colors left? Preferably within a 100 mile radius of Denver.
Thanks.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

I went out for a few days a couple of weeks ago and colors were already past peak from Aspen down to Crested Butte. Independence Pass was well past as was McClure Pass and Kebler Pass. If there is any color left it would be lower down. I would likely take a drive up towards Mt Evans or over to Georgetown and go over Guanella Pass, there might still be a little color left. There is still plenty of great things to photograph but aspen color might not be one of them. I will be up in Estes Park this weekend for a few days, but I doubt there will be much in the way of colors.

[Jan Pedersen]

Thanks Eric, sounds like i might have to look for something else but that should not be a problem with such great scenery in the area.

[Chauncey Walden]

Yeah, Jan, between the frost we had and the horrendous winds yesterday most of the leaves have either gone brown or just gone around Denver. Maybe 100 miles south in the Wet Mountains SW of Pueblo there might be some good color - especially the cottonwoods in the valleys. Anyone on the list from down that way?
Chauncey

[al olson]

Drove to Denver about four weeks ago. On Monday the Aspens were in their prime around Fairplay and Kenosha Pass. Thursday, on the return trip they were pretty ragged. Around here and Wolf Creek Pass, they were very good until a week ago. In my yard, however they are in the midst of turning.

The cottonwoods are still brilliant. Went down to Chaco Canyon on Wednesday and they were in excellent shape especially south of the New Mexico border and around Aztec. I'm sorry, Jan, this information is not very helpful to you, but someone else may find it useful.

[Jan Pedersen]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions. Did a lot of driving this past weekend but yeah, there are a few patches but not much left. Did not make it further South than Colorado Springs (Garden of the Goods) and to the North a circle around Estes Park as the park is now closed for drive through.
Came through the burned area NW of Ft Collins, it must have been a horrible fire as i drove for at least 25 minutes from the most western part till there was no more signs of the devatastion.
It was still a great scenery and i got a few nice shots in the Garden of the Gods.