Where is the best fall color at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness right now?

On Nov 12 the wilderness is leaves down. The last band to peak was 9,000 to 10,000 feet, around Sep 26.

How long does peak last at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness?

About four days at the top, Sep 21 to 24, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the wilderness's elevations the color moves over about 6 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 10 days.

Is Collegiate Peaks Wilderness past peak?

Yes. Peak was around Sep 22, and on Nov 12 it's leaves down.

What trees turn color at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness?

Quaking aspen is 72 percent of the trees that turn here, then narrowleaf cottonwood (11 percent), willow (7), thinleaf alder (4), water birch (4) and Gambel oak (3). Quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, willow, thinleaf alder and water birch turn yellow or gold; Gambel oak turns red.

Back to the map

Wilderness Area·Colorado·166,226 acres

Collegiate Peaks Wilderness

Forecast issued Nov 12, 5:26pm ET

Peak colorSep 22Aim for Sep 21 to 24

In the wilderness today, Nov 12Leaves down

Higher ground turns first, so the slopes above the road lead the valley by a few days.

No new reports from the ground here this week.

Still greenStartingNearly peakPeakPast peakNo fall canopy we forecastInside the line, each band of elevation is painted on its own date.

Around Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Chaffee County holds most of the wilderness and is leaves down today. Gunnison County, to the southwest, is 2 days behind. Pitkin County, to the northwest, is 4 days behind.

When is peak fall foliage at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness in 2026?

Our forecast puts peak color at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness around Sep 22, and the four days to aim for are Sep 21 to 24.

The wilderness runs from about 9,872 to 12,910 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 6 days: the high stands around Sep 23, the low ground around Sep 26. That's 4 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.

Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, fall color week by week, 2026
Week	In the wilderness	Elevation at peak
Aug 31 to Sep 6	Starting to turn
Sep 7 to Sep 13	Starting to turn
Sep 14 to Sep 20	Nearly peak	10,000 to 11,000 ft
Sep 21 to Sep 27	Peak color	9,000 to 10,000 ft, 11,000 to 12,000 ft, 12,000 to 13,000 ft
Sep 28 to Oct 4	Just past peak
Oct 5 to Oct 11	Fading

By elevation The wilderness runs from about 9,872 to 12,910 feet. That’s 6 days of season between the top and the bottom: the high stands peak around Sep 23, the low ground holds until about Sep 26, and the color comes downhill in between. The date at the top of this page is the 11,000 to 12,000 foot band.

12,000–13,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2330%
11,000–12,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2240%
10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 1920%
9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 267%

Height off 3DEP inside the wilderness’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the wilderness stands in it.

Today from the snodgrass3 camera, 19 km from Collegiate Peaks Wilderness — See it now PhenoCam Network, SNOD-MA camera, 19 km away, captured Nov 12.

That’s 4 days later than our model alone would say. This September has been running warm, which shifts peak color.

Plan this trip

If you can only come on certain days

Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.

ArrivingLeaving

Thursday, November 12 to Friday, November 13

You’ll find it with the leaves down.

Peak color was 52 days before you arrive, around Sep 22.

12,000–13,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 23
11,000–12,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 22
10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 19

Where to drive: Independence Pass (CO 82), along the wilderness · Cottonwood Pass (CO 306), along the wilderness
What turns: quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, willow, thinleaf alder, water birch

What turns, and when

quaking aspen72%
narrowleaf cottonwood11%
willow7%
thinleaf alder4%
water birch4%
Gambel oak3%

Also named across Colorado, outside what the canopy read measures here: Rocky Mountain Maple.

Colorado aspens are the main event, turning entire mountainsides gold and amber while Gambel oaks add russet and orange at lower elevations and cottonwoods line the rivers in yellow.

Questions people ask about Collegiate Peaks Wilderness

When is peak fall foliage at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness?: Our forecast puts peak color at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness around Sep 22, and the four days to aim for are Sep 21 to 24.
Where is the best fall color at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness right now?: On Nov 12 the wilderness is leaves down. The last band to peak was 9,000 to 10,000 feet, around Sep 26.
How long does peak last at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness?: About four days at the top, Sep 21 to 24, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the wilderness's elevations the color moves over about 6 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 10 days.
Is Collegiate Peaks Wilderness past peak?: Yes. Peak was around Sep 22, and on Nov 12 it's leaves down.
What trees turn color at Collegiate Peaks Wilderness?: Quaking aspen is 72 percent of the trees that turn here, then narrowleaf cottonwood (11 percent), willow (7), thinleaf alder (4), water birch (4) and Gambel oak (3). Quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, willow, thinleaf alder and water birch turn yellow or gold; Gambel oak turns red. What turns, and when

This forecast is built from the species that stand here, their elevation and this September’s weather, and corrected in season by cameras, foresters and our own crew. Out here we score it against NASA's satellite record of when the canopy shuts down, read inside each unit’s own boundary: two dates in three land within 12 days of it. How this map is made

All of Colorado

Nearby, and when they turn

Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and Browns Canyon are on the map above, with their own date.

Holy Cross WildernessCO · about 32 miles
Peak Sep 28 best Sep 27 to 30
Camp Hale - Continental Divide National MonumentCO · about 37 miles
Peak Sep 22 best Sep 21 to 24
Raggeds WildernessCO · about 37 miles
Peak Oct 10 best Oct 9 to 12
West Elk WildernessCO · about 45 miles
Peak Oct 4 best Oct 3 to 6

Fall color roads near Collegiate Peaks Wilderness

Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the wilderness, so allow more by road.

Independence Pass (CO 82) · along the wilderness, CO · 32 miles of road
Aspen to Twin Lakes up the Roaring Fork. The pass closes for the winter around the first of November.
Cottonwood Pass (CO 306) · along the wilderness, CO · 40 miles of road
Buena Vista to Taylor Park, with the aspen on the east side of the pass.
Maroon Creek Road · about 25 miles, CO · 10 miles of road
The Maroon Bells over a lake ringed with aspen. Shuttle only during the season.
Kebler Pass Road (County Road 12) · about 34 miles, CO · 30 miles of road
Home to one of the largest aspen groves on earth. The drive from Crested Butte to Paonia is a wall of gold in late September.
Boreas Pass Road · about 41 miles, CO · 22 miles of road
Breckenridge to Como on the old railroad grade, aspen the whole way. Gravel, fine for a car.
McClure Pass (CO 133) · about 44 miles, CO · 37 miles of road
Carbondale to Paonia through the Crystal River aspen, with Chair Mountain over the pass.