Northern Colorado fall foliage fans, you are in for a good aspen viewing and here is when you can expect peak to arrive. Dan West, Colorado State Forest Service entomologist based in Fort Collins, flies the entire state to check on forest health. That's how he earned the nickname 'Mr.
Aspen.' Here is his fall foliage forecast for Northern Colorado. And here are the best drives and hikes to see the aspen changing.
West told the Coloradoan on Sept. 12 peak viewing in the Rocky Mountain, Steamboat and Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest should start occurring about the third week in September and last into early October. He said the cooler evenings will start producing deep orange color in certain stands in addition to the yellow-gold color.
He said from the air, he can see the oranges in the aspen stands that are regenerating from the 2020 Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires but that those aspen are still small in size. : One of the more popular and closest aspen viewing drives to Fort Collins includes a loop consisting of Buckhorn Road (Larimer County Road 44H), Pingree Park Road (Larimer County Road 63), Colorado Highway 14, Larimer County Road 27 (Stove Prairie Road) and Rist Canyon Road (Larimer County Road 52E). : The Cameron Peak Fire burned many aspen in the stretch from Rustic to Cameron Pass area along Colorado Highway 14, but aspen viewing picks up once you are west of Cameron Pass in the Gould area and all the way to North Park.
The Colorado State Forest State Park visitor center has ample aspen, some of which turn a beautiful orange. : A good loop drive is to take the slower (and less crowded) gravel Fall River Road up and take the paved (and more crowded) Trail Ridge Road down. Depending what time of day you drive here, you might need a .
: This drive on Colorado Highway 7 from Estes Park to Central City/Black Hawk takes you along the eastern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park and offers excellent viewing. A morning drive is best here as the sun shines on the aspen. : This trail off of Larimer County Road 74E near Red Feather Lakes is historically one of the best hikes to view aspen.
The Cameron Peak Fire did not reach this popular and relatively easy trail. : Across the road from the Lady Moon, this easy trail rewards hikers approximately 2 miles from the trailhead to a nice grove of aspen. : This trail in the Rawah Wilderness is a bit of a drive but will not disappoint.
On the first 1.5 miles, hikers will find aspen untouched by the Cameron Peak Fire. Be sure to arrive early or during the week because this popular trailhead fills up quickly.
: Another Rawah Wilderness trail, it has a nice grove of aspen approximately 2.3 miles from the trailhead. Getting to this trailhead requires travelling north along Laramie River Road County Road 103, then east along County Road 190.
The Cameron Peak Fire did not travel north of Tunnel Campground. : This trail in the Comanche Peak Wilderness did not escape the fire. In the first couple of miles along that trail, you will see young aspen saplings 3 feet to 6 feet high against a backdrop of blackened dead trees.
Hikers should stay on the trail due to tree hazards from the fire. A detailed description of each of these trails can be found on the Poudre Wilderness Volunteer , along with information about how to stay safe in burned areas. For 2024 fall color viewing conditions in Colorado and across the country, visit .
The map will be updated as the season approaches and progresses..
