National Forest·Colorado·2,289,637 acres
White River National Forest
Forecast issued Nov 10, 7:57am ET
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.
When is peak fall foliage at White River National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at White River National Forest around Oct 1, and the four days to aim for are Sep 30 to Oct 3.
The forest runs from about 7,469 to 11,995 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 22 days: the high stands around Sep 24, the low ground around Oct 9. That's 6 days later than our model alone would say, because this season's reports from the ground moved it.
| Week | In the forest | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 31 to Sep 6 | Still green | |
| Sep 7 to Sep 13 | Starting to turn | |
| Sep 14 to Sep 20 | Starting to turn | 10,000 to 11,000 ft |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Nearly peak | 9,000 to 10,000 ft, 11,000 to 12,000 ft, 12,000 to 13,000 ft |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Peak color | 8,000 to 9,000 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Just past peak | 7,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Just past peak | |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Fading |
- 12,000–13,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 245%
- 11,000–12,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2118%
- 10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2026%
- 9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2723%
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 318%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 98%
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 tripIf you can only come on certain days
Set the days you can be here. Everything under them answers for those days, not for peak.
Wednesday, September 30 to Thursday, October 1
You’ll find it just past peak up high, nearly peak lower down.
Up at 11,000 feet the stands peak around Sep 21; down at 9,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 3. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 11,000–12,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 21
- 10,000–11,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 20
- 9,000–10,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 27
- 8,000–9,000 ftNearly peakpeak Oct 3
- Where to drive
- Maroon Creek Road, about 32 miles · McClure Pass (CO 133), about 36 miles · Independence Pass (CO 82), about 37 miles
- What turns
- quaking aspen, Gambel oak, narrowleaf cottonwood, bigtooth maple, serviceberry
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen81%
- Gambel oak8%
- narrowleaf cottonwood5%
- bigtooth maple3%
- serviceberry3%
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 White River National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at White River National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at White River National Forest around Oct 1, and the four days to aim for are Sep 30 to Oct 3.
- Where is the best fall color at White River National Forest right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 7,000 to 8,000 feet, around Oct 9.
- How long does peak last at White River National Forest?
About four days at the top, Sep 30 to Oct 3, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 22 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 26 days.
- Is White River National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 1, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at White River National Forest?
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
Nearby, and when they turn
Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness is on the map above, with its own date.
- Peak Sep 29 best Sep 28 to Oct 1
- Peak Sep 21 best Sep 20 to 23
- Peak Sep 28 best Sep 27 to 30
- Peak Sep 26 best Sep 25 to 28
- Peak Oct 7 best Oct 6 to 9
Fall color roads near White River National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- Maroon Creek Road
The Maroon Bells over a lake ringed with aspen. Shuttle only during the season.
- McClure Pass (CO 133)
Carbondale to Paonia through the Crystal River aspen, with Chair Mountain over the pass.
- Independence Pass (CO 82)
Aspen to Twin Lakes up the Roaring Fork. The pass closes for the winter around the first of November.
- Kebler Pass Road (County Road 12)
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
Breckenridge to Como on the old railroad grade, aspen the whole way. Gravel, fine for a car.
- Cottonwood Pass (CO 306)
Buena Vista to Taylor Park, with the aspen on the east side of the pass.