Where is the best fall color at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness right now?

On Nov 10 the wilderness is leaves down. The last band to peak was 8,000 to 9,000 feet, around Oct 5.

How long does peak last at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?

About four days at the top, Oct 1 to 4, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the wilderness's elevations the color moves over about 17 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 21 days.

Is Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness past peak?

Yes. Peak was around Oct 2, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.

Back to the map

Wilderness Area·Colorado·182,964 acres

Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET

Peak colorOct 2Aim for Oct 1 to 4

In the wilderness today, Nov 10Leaves down

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

Weather Hard frost Wednesday night. Peak may come early and go fast.

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 Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Pitkin County holds most of the wilderness and is leaves down today. Gunnison County, to the south, is 2 days ahead.

When is peak fall foliage at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness in 2026?

Our forecast puts peak color at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness around Oct 2, and the four days to aim for are Oct 1 to 4.

The wilderness runs from about 8,361 to 12,610 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 17 days: the high stands around Sep 25, the low ground around Oct 5. That's 7 days later than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.

Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, fall color week by week, 2026
Week	In the wilderness	Elevation at peak
Sep 7 to Sep 13	Starting to turn
Sep 14 to Sep 20	Starting to turn
Sep 21 to Sep 27	Nearly peak	10,000 to 11,000 ft, 11,000 to 12,000 ft, 12,000 to 13,000 ft
Sep 28 to Oct 4	Peak color	9,000 to 10,000 ft
Oct 5 to Oct 11	Just past peak	8,000 to 9,000 ft
Oct 12 to Oct 18	Just past peak

By elevation The wilderness runs from about 8,361 to 12,610 feet. That’s 17 days of season between the top and the bottom: the high stands peak around Sep 25, the low ground holds until about Oct 5, and the color comes downhill in between. The date at the top of this page is the 8,000 to 9,000 foot band.

12,000–13,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2518%
11,000–12,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2429%
10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2225%
9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2917%
8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 57%

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.

The latest daylight frame from the snodgrass3 camera, 19 km from Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness — Latest daylight frame PhenoCam Network, SNOD-MA camera, 19 km away, captured Nov 9.

That’s 7 days later than our model alone would say. This season’s reports from the ground moved it, and they outrank us.

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, October 1 to Friday, October 2

You’ll find it peak color.

That's the day our forecast puts peak color here.

12,000–13,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 25
11,000–12,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 24
10,000–11,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 22
9,000–10,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 29

Where to drive: Maroon Creek Road, about 5 miles · McClure Pass (CO 133), about 14 miles · Kebler Pass Road (County Road 12), about 19 miles
What turns: quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, Gambel oak

What turns, and when

quaking aspen82%
narrowleaf cottonwood14%
Gambel oak4%

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

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 Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

When is peak fall foliage at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?: Our forecast puts peak color at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness around Oct 2, and the four days to aim for are Oct 1 to 4.
Where is the best fall color at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness right now?: On Nov 10 the wilderness is leaves down. The last band to peak was 8,000 to 9,000 feet, around Oct 5.
How long does peak last at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?: About four days at the top, Oct 1 to 4, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the wilderness's elevations the color moves over about 17 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 21 days.
Is Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness past peak?: Yes. Peak was around Oct 2, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
What trees turn color at Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness?: Quaking Aspen, Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Gambel Oak, Rocky Mountain Maple, Alder. 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.

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

West Elk Wilderness and Collegiate Peaks Wilderness and Mount Massive Wilderness and White River are on the map above, with their own date.

Fossil Ridge WildernessCO · about 35 miles
Peak Sep 27 best Sep 26 to 29
Holy Cross WildernessCO · about 36 miles
Peak Sep 28 best Sep 27 to 30

Fall color roads near Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

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

Maroon Creek Road · about 5 miles, CO · 10 miles of road
The Maroon Bells over a lake ringed with aspen. Shuttle only during the season.
McClure Pass (CO 133) · about 14 miles, CO · 37 miles of road
Carbondale to Paonia through the Crystal River aspen, with Chair Mountain over the pass.
Kebler Pass Road (County Road 12) · about 19 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.
Independence Pass (CO 82) · about 25 miles, 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) · about 38 miles, CO · 40 miles of road
Buena Vista to Taylor Park, with the aspen on the east side of the pass.
Grand Mesa Scenic Byway (CO 65) · about 55 miles, CO · 55 miles of road
Cedaredge up and over Grand Mesa, aspen around the lakes on top.