National Recreation Area·Utah·173,541 acres
Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area
Forecast issued Nov 11, 7:48am 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 Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area in 2026?
Our forecast puts peak color at Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area around Sep 22, and the four days to aim for are Sep 21 to 24.
The recreation area runs from about 6,871 to 11,247 feet, and the color comes downhill over about 24 days: the high stands around Sep 15, the low ground around Oct 9. That's 3 days later than our model alone would say, because this September has been running warm.
| Week | In the recreation area | 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 | 9,000 to 10,000 ft, 10,000 to 11,000 ft, 11,000 to 12,000 ft |
| Sep 21 to Sep 27 | Peak color | 8,000 to 9,000 ft |
| Sep 28 to Oct 4 | Just past peak | 7,000 to 8,000 ft |
| Oct 5 to Oct 11 | Fading | 6,000 to 7,000 ft |
| Oct 12 to Oct 18 | Fading | |
| Oct 19 to Oct 25 | Leaves down |
- 11,000–12,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 158%
- 10,000–11,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 1423%
- 9,000–10,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2029%
- 8,000–9,000 ftLeaves downpeak Sep 2620%
- 7,000–8,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 313%
- 6,000–7,000 ftLeaves downpeak Oct 96%
Height off 3DEP inside the recreation area’s own boundary; each band carries the date our model gives that elevation, corrections and all. The percentage is how much of the recreation area stands in it.
That’s 3 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.
Monday, September 21 to Tuesday, September 22
You’ll find it just past peak up high, starting to turn lower down.
Up at 11,000 feet the stands peak around Sep 15; down at 8,000 feet they hold on until about Oct 3. Pick your elevation for the day you come.
- 11,000–12,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 15
- 10,000–11,000 ftJust past peakpeak Sep 14
- 9,000–10,000 ftPeak colorpeak Sep 20
- 8,000–9,000 ftNearly peakpeak Sep 26
- 7,000–8,000 ftStarting to turnpeak Oct 3
- Where to drive
- Mirror Lake Highway (UT 150), about 65 miles · Guardsman Pass, about 92 miles · Alpine Scenic Loop (Routes 92 and 189), about 97 miles
- What turns
- quaking aspen, narrowleaf cottonwood, willow
What turns, and when
- quaking aspen94%
- narrowleaf cottonwood3%
- willow2%
Every one of these turns yellow or gold here. The shades only tell the species apart.
Also named across Utah, outside what the canopy read measures here: Bigtooth Maple, Gambel Oak, Rocky Mountain Maple.
Utah's fall is a dual show: aspens turn gold on the high plateaus while bigtooth maples along the Wasatch Front go vivid scarlet, creating one of the most colorful mountain fronts in the West.
Questions people ask about Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area
- When is peak fall foliage at Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area?
Our forecast puts peak color at Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area around Sep 22, and the four days to aim for are Sep 21 to 24.
- Where is the best fall color at Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area right now?
On Nov 11 the recreation area is leaves down. The last band to peak was 6,000 to 7,000 feet, around Oct 9.
- How long does peak last at Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area?
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 recreation area's elevations the color moves over about 24 days, so there's peak color somewhere in it for roughly 28 days.
- Is Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area past peak?
Yes. Peak was around Sep 22, and on Nov 11 it's leaves down.
- What trees turn color at Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area?
Quaking Aspen, Bigtooth Maple, Gambel Oak, Narrowleaf Cottonwood, Rocky Mountain Maple. Utah's fall is a dual show: aspens turn gold on the high plateaus while bigtooth maples along the Wasatch Front go vivid scarlet, creating one of the most colorful mountain fronts in the West.
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
Flaming Gorge and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache are on the map above, with their own date.
- Peak Oct 20 best Oct 19 to 22
- Peak Oct 13 best Oct 12 to 15
- Peak Oct 13 best Oct 12 to 15
- Peak Oct 12 best Oct 11 to 14
Fall color roads near Ashley Karst National Recreation and Geologic Area National Recreation Area
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the recreation area, so allow more by road.
- Mirror Lake Highway (UT 150)
Kamas to the Uinta lakes, aspen in the lower canyon.
- Guardsman Pass
Park City to Big Cottonwood Canyon, aspen and maple above Brighton.
- Alpine Scenic Loop (Routes 92 and 189)
Mount Timpanogos draped in bigtooth maple scarlet and aspen gold. The most colorful fall drive in Utah.
- Nebo Loop
Payson to Nephi around Mount Nebo, maple scarlet first and then aspen gold.
- Logan Canyon (US 89)
Logan to Bear Lake, maple and aspen up the canyon.
- Grand Mesa Scenic Byway (CO 65)
Cedaredge up and over Grand Mesa, aspen around the lakes on top.