Colorado's fall color display is legendary. Aspen trees - connected underground in vast clonal colonies - turn simultaneously, transforming entire mountainsides into seas of gold. Mixed with the dark green of evergreens and the red-brown of scrub oak, the palette is spectacular.
Peak color typically occurs late September to early October, though timing varies by elevation and weather. Higher elevations (10,000+ feet) turn first, sometimes as early as mid-September. The color works its way down the mountains over several weeks. Cold snaps accelerate the change; warm spells delay it.
The combination of brilliant color, crisp air, stable weather, and fewer tourists makes fall many Coloradans' favorite season. Roads that were packed in summer thin out, mountain towns offer shoulder-season deals, and the light takes on a golden quality that photographers chase.