Drought Pushes Colorado's Fall Color Season Ahead of Schedule Along the Front Range

Colorado's autumn foliage season is arriving ahead of schedule, with aspens starting to turn gold at higher elevations across the Front Range. Colors remain patchy for now, but experts expect the change to spread widely starting this weekend.

In Breckenridge, conditions are still pre-peak, according to Duke Barlow, the town's Open Space & Trails Manager. The Pence Miller trail near downtown appears to be the first spot to show gold. "The majority of our aspen leaves have yet to start changing color, but I bet that changes this weekend," Barlow said, adding that the next couple of weeks should offer prime viewing. Visitors hoping to see the well-known Aspen Alley will need to ride a free shuttle from the town ice rink, because the trailhead parking lot will be closed.

Golden Gate Canyon State Park, northwest of Golden, shows a similar pattern, with color emerging but not yet widespread. Guanella Pass, another popular destination, has begun to turn as well, though plenty of green remains on the mountainsides. Farther south, areas near Silverton have seen patchy or minimal change, according to the San Juan National Forest's fall colors report, which noted no other changes in that forest so far.

Eager sightseers have already drawn the attention of law enforcement. Over Labor Day weekend, the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office issued 136 parking violations along Guanella Pass, spokesperson Jenny Fulton said. Fines range from $75 to $87.50 per violation.

Drought is the reason for the early start. Stressed trees shut down and prepare for winter sooner, according to Dan West, a forest entomologist with the Colorado State Forest Service. In a typical year aspens change from mid-September to early October, but this year "everything is slightly ahead of schedule just because of how stressed everything is," West said.

West studies forest health from the air and on the ground. He said many aspens show marginal necrosis, in which leaves turn brown along the edges and veins from lack of moisture, and those leaves tend to drop quickly. "The colors just aren't nearly as bright," he said. He is hopeful that cooler overnight temperatures will trap sugars in the leaves, producing purple and red pigments and helping rescue the display. Some narrowleaf cottonwoods, which usually hold their leaves until late in the season, are also changing early.

The season is not a lost cause, West said. The northern part of the state is faring better on drought, so travelers may find strong viewing near Steamboat Springs over the next couple of weeks. "That's not saying a whole lot because they're still stressed... but at least of everywhere I've traveled recently, that seems to be the better spot," he said. Conditions worsen to the west and south, he added, noting that some aspens south of Salida had already dropped their leaves completely.

Closer to Denver, West suggested taking back roads rather than main thoroughfares, where trees may be less affected by traffic and by magnesium chlorate, used for ice mitigation in winter and spring. He also recommended looking beyond the usual aspen hotspots. Riparian zones, home to willows, gambel oak and cottonwoods, may be more likely to put on a show because of their proximity to water.

West's advice is to plan soon. For Denver-area residents, he said, the coming weekend and possibly the one after would be good targets, with color arriving somewhat later the farther south one travels.