With the fall colors finally beginning to appear in our area, my husband and I set off on a leaf-peeping adventure. We decided to explore Raven Rock State Park, which is a quick 20 to 25-minute drive from our house. It was a cloudy, crisp fall day—perfect for admiring the autumn foliage.
Our initial plan was to check out the Fish Traps Trail, but we ended up on the Raven Rock Loop Trail. The path gradually descended through the forest, leading us to a junction after about 1/4 mile. We decided to head right and follow the Little Creek Loop Trail. This roughly 3-mile-long path follows a small creek to a camping area before looping back to reconnect with the Raven Rock Loop Trail.
There were beautiful mountain laurel shrubs and fall colors along the way. We saw a few deer at one point and only a handful of other hikers as we meandered through the woods. Our dog had a blast smelling every plant and tree he could and getting his paws wet in the creek. Little Creek Loop Trail was the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning—we’ll definitely be back to check out more trails in the state park.
As soon as September rolls around, I’m ready for all things fall—pumpkins, apple spice, spooky movies, and leaf-peeping at the best places to see autumn foliage in Colorado! There are many wonderful destinations throughout the state where you can spot colorful yellow aspens. These are my picks for where to admire fall colors and go leaf-peeping in Colorado.
Aspen and Maroon Bells are the ultimate Colorado fall destinations. Aspen is an upscale ski town with luxury boutiques, restaurants, and hotels. Fall is one of the most popular times to visit, when the town is blanketed in golden leaves.
During your trip to Aspen, you must go hiking in the Maroon Bells area. The landscape is incredibly picturesque year-round but especially during autumn.
Estes Park
From Rocky Mountains National Park to the Stanley Hotel, Estes Park offers many fun fall activities. Explore outside by driving or hiking in the park before spending a spooky evening at the hotel that inspired Stephen King to write “The Shining.” Keep your eyes peeled—you can frequently spot herds of elk in Estes Park.
Leadville + Twin Lakes
Leadville and Twin Lakes are highly underrated areas in Colorado to see fall foliage. While Leadville is small, the downtown is cute and historic. Don’t miss the aspens at Twin Lakes—the sight of the water and the golden trees is as pretty as a postcard! Twin Lakes is a peaceful place to go kayaking, fishing, and picnicking.
Georgetown + Guanella Pass
I highly recommend taking a fall road trip through Georgetown and Guanella Pass. Ride on the Georgetown Loop Railroad, a scenic train through the Rocky Mountains. Continue your sightseeing journey by driving along Guanella Pass, a gorgeous, high-altitude mountain road that provides easy access to trails like Mount Bierstadt and Silver Dollar Lake.
Winter Park
Winter Park is one of my favorite places to see fall foliage. This charming resort town has hiking, mountain-biking, scenic drives, and so much more. I enjoy hiking up to Rogers Pass—it’s a relatively easy trail but boasts sweeping mountain views.
Breckenridge
You can see unbelievably vibrant fall colors in Breckenridge. There are many aspen groves located throughout town that turn bright yellow in fall. Breckenridge is also an excellent home base to go hiking on trails like Aspen Alley, which are busy but breathtakingly beautiful during peak leaf-peeping season.
Colorado Springs + Pike National Forest
I’ve called Colorado Springs home for the past four years and can confirm it’s an excellent leaf-peeping spot. Garden of the Gods is a must-visit, and the yellow leaves contrast beautifully against the red rock formations in fall. If you enjoy hiking, there are plenty of local trails in Pike National Forest of all lengths and difficulties.
Where do you like to go leaf-peeping in Colorado? I hope you have an unforgettable fall season!
Fall is in full swing here in Colorado so my husband and I ventured up to the mountains to go on a hike and do some leaf peeping along the way as well. We settled on Rogers Pass, a 5-mile out-and-back hike located just 45 minutes outside of Winter Park. With less than 1000 feet of elevation gain, this hike is very moderate and great for hikers of all experience levels.
The trailhead for Rogers Pass is located along CR-80, a very rough road with lots of rocks and holes. We made it up just fine in our Subaru Outback, but make sure you drive slow and watch where you’re going! The drive up was beautiful thanks to all the aspens that were changing colors. One really cool feature about this hike is the historic train trestle located at the trailhead.
The hike begins with a gradual ascent up through the forest before soon emerging above the treeline. Along the way, you’ll be treated to beautiful views of Winter Park and Fraser. The rest of the hike consists of several meandering switchbacks up a grassy ridge which eventually gives way to stunning views of James Peak.
At 2.5 miles, you’ll reach the end of the trail, though you could continue on to James Peak if you wanted to. We explored for a bit at the top, which was incredibly windy, before making our way back down the trail to the car.
This hike is not very popular so you won’t have to worry about battling crowds – we were the only ones there when we arrived around 9am on a Saturday! I think the Rogers Pass hike is super underrated, and it’s one of my favorite easy hikes in the state.
Fall is officially here and I couldn’t be more excited! Growing up, fall has always been my favorite season. There’s just something about a chill in the air and a cup of hot apple cider that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This is my first time celebrating fall in Colorado and I knew I had to plan a day for my husband and I to take a drive and enjoy the beautiful colors. We settled on Interlaken Trail near Twin Lakes, and it did not disappoint.
Twin Lakes is about two and a half hours from our home base in Colorado Springs and located just north of Buena Vista, a cute mountain town. We got a late start to the day but still made time to grab drinks from The Coffee Cottage in Woodland Park, another little town worth a visit. The drive to Twin Lakes was beautiful in and of itself, and we spotted lots of aspen groves that were bright golden yellow.
We finally made it to the Interlaken Trailhead around 3:30pm, which turned out to be a great time to visit as it wasn’t crazy crowded and it wasn’t too hot. Some clouds were starting to roll in which contrasted beautifully with the golden aspens.
We started to hike along the Interlaken Trail but soon decided to head straight for the shoreline of the lake. My husband brought some fishing gear and our dog Willie was super eager to explore. We wandered along the shoreline, took some family pictures, and headed back home after about an hour of meandering around.
I would love to revisit Interlaken Trail another day when we have more time to explore as I’ve heard there are some old abandoned buildings at the end of trail! All in all, I was blown away by how beautiful Colorado is this time of year, and I’m so thankful we got a chance to experience it firsthand.
Wandering the Gap 