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The leaves they are a changin’

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Foliage at Lily Lake, just south of Estes Park on Highway 7. The elevation here is 8,930 ft. It was cloudy when I grabbed this screenshot this afternoon.

Okay, Colorado leaf peepers. Hope your car is gassed up and ready to go. The local forecasters have been reporting for a week now that the leaves in the high country are starting to turn — at least a week ahead of schedule. Supposedly that’s due to our drought conditions. It’s apparent even in my yard in the north Denver metro. The leaves are starting to brown around the edges. And I’ve noticed leaves swirling in the street.

Anyway, best be making your plans. The average peak day of fall color, duly noted on my calendar, is September 27 but of course that will vary by location. As always, there will be more early color at higher elevations and farther north and progressively less as you go south and down. Rocky Mountain National Park will give you just about any elevation you want. My personal favorite spot if I don’t go all the way to Estes Park is south of Ward along the Peak-to-Peak Highway. Look to the west near mile marker 37.

Hmm, it appears I wrote almost exactly the same thing last year. Oh well, consider this your 2018 notification.

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Susan Richards is a retired editor living in Thornton, Colo., near the family and mountains she loves. Her long-standing Pied Type blog contains some 3,800 posts dating back to 2002.

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8 thoughts on “The leaves they are a changin’”

  2. That time already. Oddly leaves turning/falling here, but not the same dramatic views.
    I’m going to remember your recommended spot. (Looking at some affordable possibilities up there – need good solid internet. Someone said Longmont. Mts /views good, but work means internet as we cannot afford to retire as things are these days. No way to afford anything near Boulder HAHA)

    Reply

    1. Longmont and Loveland both have good access to Estes. So does Lyons, but I think it’s too small to offer much. I’m sure Estes will be costly this time of year. Locals are already talking about Guanella and Kenosha passes, if you want to look farther south.

      Reply

      1. I’ve liked Loveland for the longest time – stopped at first Carl Jr’s there.
        Looking more now but internet is a must.(Fortunately longer distance with good internet will work as well as just an hour’s drive away)
        Thanks

        Reply

        2. They are working on getting the whole town hooked up, but work in progress. Some places there are just fine, but others MIA. (We’re pretty spoiled to what we have commercially here, but possible compromise.) Not really sure about affordability but evaluating. – Tired of all the rain, heat, and mosquitoes here

... and that's my two cents