National Forest·New Mexico·1,390,440 acres
Carson 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 Thursday night. Peak may come early and go fast.
No new reports from the ground here this week.
When is peak fall foliage at Carson National Forest in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Carson National Forest around Oct 19, and the four days to aim for are Oct 18 to 21.
The forest runs from about 6,556 to 10,957 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 21 days: the high stands around Sep 28, the low ground around Oct 19. That's 4 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the forest | Elevation at peak |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 14 to Sep 20 | Still green | |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Still green | |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Starting to turn | 10,000 to 11,000 ft, 11,000 to 12,000 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Nearly peak | 8,000 to 9,000 ft, 9,000 to 10,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Peak color | 7,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Peak color | 6,000 to 7,000 ft |
| Oct 26 to Nov 1 | Just past peak |
- 11,000–12,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 285%
- 10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 112%
- 9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 622%
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1023%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1525%
- 6,000–7,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 1914%
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 4 days later than our model alone would say. This September has been running warm, which shifts peak color.
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.
Sunday, October 18 to Monday, October 19
You’ll find it fading up high, peak color lower down.
Up at 10,000 feet the stands peak around Oct 1; down at 7,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 19. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 10,000–11,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 1
- 9,000–10,000 ftFadingpeak Oct 6
- 8,000–9,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 10
- 7,000–8,000 ftJust past peakpeak Oct 15
- 6,000–7,000 ftPeak colorpeak Oct 19
- Where to drive
- Enchanted Circle (NM 38, 522 and 64), about 36 miles · High Road to Taos, about 40 miles · Cumbres and La Manga passes (CO 17), about 41 miles
- What turns
- quaking aspen, Gambel oak, narrowleaf cottonwood, willow, bigtooth maple
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen79%
- Gambel oak7%
- narrowleaf cottonwood5%
- willow3%
- bigtooth maple3%
- serviceberry3%
Also named across New Mexico, outside what the canopy read measures here: Rocky Mountain Maple.
Aspens turn gold in the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains, Gambel oaks go russet and orange at lower elevations, and cottonwoods line the Rio Grande bosque in butter yellow.
Questions people ask about Carson National Forest
- When is peak fall foliage at Carson National Forest?
Our forecast puts peak color at Carson National Forest around Oct 19, and the four days to aim for are Oct 18 to 21.
- Where is the best fall color at Carson National Forest right now?
On Nov 10 the forest is leaves down. The last band to peak was 6,000 to 7,000 feet, around Oct 19.
- How long does peak last at Carson National Forest?
About four days at the top, Oct 18 to 21, with a week or so either side that's still worth the drive. Across the forest's elevations the color moves over about 21 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 25 days.
- Is Carson National Forest past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Oct 19, and on Nov 10 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Carson National Forest?
Quaking Aspen, Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Gambel Oak, Rocky Mountain Maple, Bigtooth Maple. Aspens turn gold in the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains, Gambel oaks go russet and orange at lower elevations, and cottonwoods line the Rio Grande bosque in butter 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
Santa Fe and Pecos Wilderness are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 4 best Oct 3 to 6
- Peak Oct 12 best Oct 11 to 14
- Peak Oct 6 best Oct 5 to 8
- Peak Oct 7 best Oct 6 to 9
Fall color roads near Carson National Forest
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the forest, so allow more by road.
- Enchanted Circle (NM 38, 522 and 64)
Taos, Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest and Angel Fire, aspen on the Sangre de Cristo the whole loop.
- High Road to Taos
Cottonwood in the villages, aspen above Truchas.
- Cumbres and La Manga passes (CO 17)
Antonito to Chama through the Conejos aspen, with the narrow-gauge train doing the same route.
- Alpine Loop (NM 475)
Climbs from Santa Fe to the Ski Basin through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. One of the most accessible aspen drives in the Southwest.
- Wolf Creek Pass (US 160)
South Fork to Pagosa Springs, aspen on the west side of the pass.
- Highway of Legends (CO 12)
Trinidad to La Veta around the Spanish Peaks, aspen up high and Gambel oak below.