Some of the Best Road Trips for Viewing Colorado's Fall Foliage

Get the best views of the Centennial State's dramatic autumn scenery from your car.

Chris Teague | 

Oct 8, 2024 | 4 min read

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Colorado is an outdoor enthusiast's dream. The state offers stunning scenery and near-endless activities, from rock and mountain climbing to kayaking and white-water rafting. The landscape is also packed with trees — particularly aspens — which creates a vibrant sea of color when the leaves start changing for fall.

There's so much to see in almost every direction, especially in the higher-altitude parts of the state, making it easy to take a beautiful autumn-themed road trip.

Here are four Colorado drives you could take for a wonderful autumnal experience. The trips either come from or pass through established tourist areas to make your arrival and departure processes as easy as possible.

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Colorado Leaf-Peeping Pointers

Different parts of Colorado experience the height of their autumn-color grandeur at different points of the season. The Colorado State Forest Service estimates that southern parts of the region, from around Pueblo to the southern border, for instance, see peak color in late September to early October.

The middle of the state, which includes Colorado Springs and Grand Junction, generally sees peak color in late September, and trees in the northern part of the state, from Denver to the northern border, change in mid- to late September.

If you're driving an electric vehicle, it might be helpful to know that Colorado has established fast-charging corridors in several regions, including those in Steamboat Springs and in and around Granby. That said, remember that using an EV's climate control systems can affect your driving range.

Finally, keep in mind that some routes and attractions are closed seasonally or due to weather conditions. It's important to stay on top of the forecast and monitor the Colorado Department of Transportation website for updates on road closures or other traffic-related issues.

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Denver to Frisco: A Short but Scenic Drive

Drive time: 1 hour, 20 minutes/73 miles

Sitting on the shore of Lake Dillon, Frisco is a small mountain town that attracts skiers and outdoor enthusiasts. Located northwest of Breckenridge, with access by Interstate 70 or Highway 9, Frisco and its surrounding roads offer excellent leaf-viewing opportunities. The Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway is one of the best in the area near Frisco if you're looking for a longer leaf-centric drive. The byway runs for 115 miles and offers dramatic views and towering mountains.

Frisco is a convenient home base to explore other parts of the region, too, including the Vail Pass bike shuttle, which lets you ride a bicycle 15 miles from the top of Vail Pass back into town.

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Denver to Grand Lake: Leaf-Peeping With Water Views

Drive time: 2 hours, 40 minutes/145 miles

Grand Lake is very close to the Rocky Mountains National Park's west entrance and offers several prime leaf-peeping drives. U.S. Highway 34 runs between Granby and Grand Lake, offering water and mountain views with dramatic leaf colors.

If you get tired of looking at the leaves, the area is packed with wildlife and outdoor activities. You can listen to the elk bugle, hike some of the more than 350 miles of trails in and around the park, or fly fish on the Colorado River.

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Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs: Mountain Driving

Drive time: 3 hours, 50 minutes/188 miles

The drive from Fort Collins to Steamboat Springs takes a while, but it brings tantalizing views of what's to come when you arrive in the small mountain town. Once you leave Steamboat Springs, take Highway 131 toward Yampa for seemingly endless leaf-viewing opportunities.

The nearby Buffalo Pass houses aspen groves that pop with fall colors, though you'll have to traverse a few miles on a dirt road to reach the location. Other parts of the region have become popular leaf-peeping destinations, too, such as Rabbit Ears Pass, located east of Steamboat Springs on U.S. Highway 40.

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Ouray to Telluride: High-Altitude Leaf Peeping

Drive time: 1 hour/48 miles

Ouray and Telluride offer excellent leaf-viewing opportunities, and the drive between the two towns is stunning. With Ouray as your home base, you can view leaves in town or take the Million Dollar Highway to see aspens wearing brilliant fall foliage. The drive into town is just as stunning, and there are ghost towns nearby as well.

Telluride's leaf-changing schedule is slightly different each year, as the region's elevation means peak colors can happen earlier than in other areas. According to the U.S. Forest Service, peak fall color typically occurs somewhere between mid-September and mid-October. It's a good idea to check before making definite plans for a visit.

Chris Teague

After working in the technology and software industry for several years, Chris Teague began writing as a way to help people outside of that world understand the sometimes very technical work that goes on behind the scenes. With a lifelong love of all things automotive, he turned his attention to breaking news, writing new vehicle reviews, and detailing industry trends.