Where is the best fall color at Pike-San Isabel National Forests right now?

On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 6,000 to 8,000 feet, around Oct 13.

How long does peak last at Pike-San Isabel National Forests?

About four days at the top, Oct 6 to 9, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 29 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 33 days.

Is Pike-San Isabel National Forests past peak?

Yes. Peak was around Oct 7, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.

Back to the map

National Forest·Colorado·2,205,734 acres

Pike-San Isabel National Forests

Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET

Peak colorOct 7Aim for Oct 6 to 9

In the forest 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 Pike-San Isabel National Forests Park County holds most of the forest and is leaves down today. Chaffee County, to the northwest, is 3 days behind. Teller County, to the northeast, is 10 days behind.

When is peak fall foliage at Pike-San Isabel National Forests in 2026?

Our forecast puts peak color at Pike-San Isabel National Forests around Oct 7, and the four days to aim for are Oct 6 to 9.

The forest runs from about 6,620 to 12,272 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 29 days: the high stands around Sep 25, the low ground around Oct 13. That's 6 days later than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.

Pike-San Isabel, fall color week by week, 2026
Week	In the forest	Elevation at peak
Sep 7 to Sep 13	Still green
Sep 14 to Sep 20	Starting to turn
Sep 21 to Sep 27	Starting to turn	10,000 to 12,000 ft, 12,000 to 14,000 ft
Sep 28 to Oct 4	Nearly peak	8,000 to 10,000 ft
Oct 5 to Oct 11	Peak color
Oct 12 to Oct 18	Just past peak	6,000 to 8,000 ft
Oct 19 to Oct 25	Just past peak

By elevation The forest runs from about 6,620 to 12,272 feet. That’s 29 days of season between the top and the bottom: the high stands peak around Sep 25, the low ground holds until about Oct 13, and the color comes downhill in between. The date at the top of this page is the 8,000 to 10,000 foot band.

12,000–14,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 258%
10,000–12,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2132%
8,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 240%
6,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1318%

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

That’s 6 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

Tuesday, October 6 to Wednesday, October 7

You’ll find it fading up high, nearly peak lower down.

Up at 10,000 feet the stands peak around Sep 21; down at 8,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 13. Pick your elevation for the day you come.

10,000–12,000 ftFadingpeak Sep 21
8,000–10,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 2
6,000–8,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 13

Where to drive: Kenosha Pass (US 285), about 39 miles · Cottonwood Pass (CO 306), about 40 miles · Boreas Pass Road, about 42 miles
What turns: quaking aspen, Gambel oak, narrowleaf cottonwood, bigtooth maple, serviceberry

What turns, and when

quaking aspen59%
Gambel oak14%
narrowleaf cottonwood8%
bigtooth maple6%
serviceberry6%
willow5%

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 Pike-San Isabel National Forests

When is peak fall foliage at Pike-San Isabel National Forests?: Our forecast puts peak color at Pike-San Isabel National Forests around Oct 7, and the four days to aim for are Oct 6 to 9.
Where is the best fall color at Pike-San Isabel National Forests right now?: On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 6,000 to 8,000 feet, around Oct 13.
How long does peak last at Pike-San Isabel National Forests?: About four days at the top, Oct 6 to 9, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 29 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 33 days.
Is Pike-San Isabel National Forests past peak?: Yes. Peak was around Oct 7, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
What trees turn color at Pike-San Isabel National Forests?: 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

Collegiate Peaks Wilderness is on the map above, with its own date.

Buffalo Peaks WildernessCO · about 30 miles
Peak Sep 22 best Sep 21 to 24
Lost Creek WildernessCO · about 32 miles
Peak Oct 6 best Oct 5 to 8
Mount Massive WildernessCO · about 49 miles
Peak Sep 21 best Sep 20 to 23
Camp Hale - Continental Divide National MonumentCO · about 50 miles
Peak Sep 26 best Sep 25 to 28
Mount Evans WildernessCO · about 51 miles
Peak Sep 20 best Sep 19 to 22

Fall color roads near Pike-San Isabel National Forests

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

Kenosha Pass (US 285) · about 39 miles, CO
The grove at the summit is the Front Range's classic aspen stop, and you can walk into it on the Colorado Trail.
Cottonwood Pass (CO 306) · about 40 miles, CO · 40 miles of road
Buena Vista to Taylor Park, with the aspen on the east side of the pass.
Boreas Pass Road · about 42 miles, CO · 22 miles of road
Breckenridge to Como on the old railroad grade, aspen the whole way. Gravel, fine for a car.
Independence Pass (CO 82) · about 51 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.
Guanella Pass · about 52 miles, CO · 22 miles of road
Georgetown to Grant. The aspen on the Georgetown side are some of the closest big groves to Denver.
Maroon Creek Road · about 71 miles, CO · 10 miles of road
The Maroon Bells over a lake ringed with aspen. Shuttle only during the season.