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Five great spots to view Colorado’s golden aspens
Aspen leaves show the first hint of yellow while Chris Cheek rides his mountain bike near Nederland on Friday. Photo by Marty Caivano.
There’s still a couple more days until the official first day of fall. But the aspens in Colorado aren’t waiting.
Some of the trees clustered along the Peak to Peak Highway have already changed a brilliant gold. Others remain a verdant green — but that won’t last for long.
Foresters are guessing that peak-leaf viewing may fall next weekend or the first few days of October.
On Tuesday — after this sunny, warm weekend has given way to a cold front predicted to sweep into Boulder County on Sunday night — the sun will shine directly on the Equator, and fall will officially begin.
And on the heels of autumn’s wintry entrance (the National Weather Service is forecasting a chance of snow in the high country both Sunday and Monday nights) comes the golden glow of Colorado’s changing aspen leaves.
“I usually tell people the third week in September will be the peak,” said Bob Sturtevant, a forestry specialist with the Colorado State University Extension Service. “And it seems to be right on schedule.”
Read the full story at DailyCamera.com, or check out five great places to view the changing leaves after the jump.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Driving directions: If you want to take in the aspens as you drive to the park, head north on the Peak to Peak Highway. Otherwise, head up U.S. 36 from Boulder to Estes Park.
Hiking possibilities: There are 355 miles of hiking trails in the park, and that means plenty of options for walking through the aspens. Some good starting places are the Hidden Valley and Bear Lake areas.
Cost: $20 for a seven-day pass. There are no passes for shorter durations.
More info: Call the park at 970-586-1206 or visit nps.gov/romo.
Brainard Lake
Driving directions: Drive north on the Peak to Peak Highway to the turnoff just north of Ward`s northern town limit sign. Head west for the Brainard Lake Recreation Area.
Hiking possibilities: A hike up Mount Audubon could provide a nice platform to see the valleys of aspens below, and you can pass through some stands on the way up the trail. The Sourdough Trail goes through heavy forest and can link up with Pleasant Valley and Camp Dick to the north.
Cost: $9 per vehicle.
More info: Call the Boulder Ranger District at 303-541-2500 or visit fs.fed.us/r2/recreation/fallcolors.
Mountain towns
Driving directions: To reach Gold Hill, take Mapleton Avenue west as it turns into Sunshine Canyon Drive. Drive roughly 10 miles to reach the town. To reach Sugarloaf Mountain, head up Boulder Canyon and turn north on Sugarloaf Road. At 4.8 miles, turn north on Sugarloaf Mountain Road. Trailhead is one mile up.
Hiking possibilities: The Switzerland Trail is well-marked and sits atop Sugarloaf Mountain, so it could provide nice views of colors on the peaks to the west in addition to the trees along the trail. The Mount Alto picnic area, west of Gold Hill, will provide the same wide-open views to the west and to the canyons below.
More info: Call the Boulder Ranger District at 303-541-2500 or visit fs.fed.us/r2/recreation/fallcolors.
Mount St. Vrain
Driving directions: This trailhead is just outside Allenspark. From Lyons, drive west on Colo. 7 and go three miles north of the junction with the Peak to Peak Highway. In Allenspark, take Ski Road south for about 1½ miles to a junction. At the junction, take a right, and the trailhead is less than a mile ahead.
Hiking possibilities: The trail follows a steady, moderately difficult climb through aspen stands, and the boundary to Rocky Mountain National Park awaits about four miles up. From there, you can catch views of sweeping valleys beneath and the soaring peaks within the park. The views to the east provide more color and the vast expanse of the Great Plains.
More info: Call the Boulder Ranger District at 303-541-2500 or visit fs.fed.us/r2/recreation/fallcolors.
Moffatt Tunnel
Driving directions: From Nederland, take the Peak to Peak Highway to Rollinsville. Turn right onto Gilpin County Road 16 and head west, through the town of Tolland, until you hit a parking lot just in front of the tunnel.
Hiking possibilities: Trails lead from the parking lot into the James Peak Wilderness, while several other roads — including the Magnolia Gulch and Rollins Pass roads — offer lots of trails.
More info: Call the Boulder Ranger District at 303-541-2500 or visit fs.fed.us/r2/recreation/fallcolors.
Read more posts about trees on BigGreenBoulder:
 Rocky Mountain aspens could disappear by 2090 |
 Battle over toxic beetle killer is on in Estes Park |
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by melsidwell and Clarissa Cutrell. Clarissa Cutrell said: RT @BigGreenBoulder Tue is the 1st official day of fall! Aspens already turning gold. Check out 5 spots to view the leaves http://ow.ly/q9aj [...]
[...] already listed five spots to see fall foliage near Boulder, but since we’re in the thick of it now, here’s another list of seven places to see [...]
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