DENVER — Leaf-peeping season is back in Colorado and if you’re headed to see the fall color show this weekend, there are some things to keep in mind.
Popular viewing spots like Guanella Pass and Breckenridge are hoping to alleviate congestion as they anticipate heavy traffic during peak days.
Denver7 reporter Lauren Lennon has more on what you should know if you're heading out this weekend:
If you’re headed to Guanella Pass, you can expect increased enforcement like nearly $90 fines if parked in “No Parking” areas. Vehicles parked in the lane of traffic will also be towed.
“We are increasing our enforcement not because we want to, but because of public safety,” said Megan Hiler-Wilson, a spokesperson for the county.
Hiler-Wilson noted that on peak weekends, about 10,000 cars go through the pass. During the week, she says it’s around 4,000 to 6,000.
She also shared the acronym to remind visitors how to "PEEP responsibly":
- Park in designated areas only
- Expect heavy traffic
- Exercise patience
- Plan ahead (for traffic delays, no parking, and possible road closures due to overcrowding of the pass)
State
Colorado leaf peeping 2026: Explore fall foliage by foot, car and train ride
Breckenridge will close parking at the WakeField Trailhead and will instead provide a free shuttle to the Aspen Alley trail. The town says this shuttle will help to "alleviate trailhead congestion due to leaf viewing."
The shuttle will run daily from Sept. 12 - Oct. 3 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and run in a continuous loop from the Stephen C. West Ice Arena transit stop and the Wakefield trailhead.
As you plan your viewing trip, experts do warn that you may have to do a bit more research before deciding where to see the fall colors this year.
This year has been a little different for the health of foliage around Colorado. Intense drought will have an impact on fall foliage colors this year as well.
Certified arborist Tony Hahn of DCPS says this has probably been the driest year he’s experienced since being in Colorado.
“We're going to have kind of a so-so year for fall color,” he said. “Some of the key factors for brilliant fall color, we just don't have. Again, moisture in the soil and cooler temperatures that are declining."
Hahn has been studying trees for decades. He noted that trees have been under stress and typically an early change in color could be a bad sign.
“It can be a sign that yeah, you know, we're having some trouble here,” he stated.
Denver7 also spoke with John Murgel, a horticulture and natural resources extension specialist with Colorado State University Extension in August, who says to “aim for those areas that have been getting some rain, because those are the areas where the trees are likely to be less stressed”.
Hahn predicts your best bet for peak leaf-viewing will probably be the third week of September, a couple of weeks earlier than normal.
“Usually with the aspen trees, you usually see the last week of September is the best. I'd probably bump that up a week,” he explained.
He also noted the fall color show in Colorado may be shorter as well.
“It's going to be fleeting for sure, and I don't think it's going to be as brilliant as it has been in years past, simply because we just haven't had the moisture."
