Weather Updates

DENVER (CBS4) ― Fall colors are right around the corner in Colorado. But, the current weather pattern may keep the Aspens from looking their best.

Typically, our best time for viewing fall colors is the end of September into the first week of October, to be more specific, between Sept. 15 and Oct. 10.

Predicting whether we will have a great vibrant, colorful fall is very difficult to do. Lots of things have to come into play to have an awesome season of color.

A few aspen leaves are beginning to change in some of our Northern mountains. It looks like this year's cool and wet weather pattern will be a help and a hinderance.

Our wet summer has been a help in getting mountain trees growing. There are lots of well watered, lush, healthy aspens in our high country. As our days get shorter a few leaves are starting to shift there color palete with less sunshine.

Now what we need in the mix is a shift in our current weather pattern.

For the best fall show, dry, sunny days and cool nights (not freezing) are exactly what we need in September through October. However, with our current pattern of almost daily afternoon thunderstorms and wind-producing cold fronts that may throw a wrench into having a banner year.

In a wet and stormy fall typically, aspen leaves tend to have less vibrant colors instead of bright gold they can turn to a dull tan or brown. Still nice, but not, great.

So at this point -- without a solid week or two of dry and sunny days -- it looks like we may be in for a good fall foilage show but, maybe not great. Still worth taking a drive through our mountains this fall.

Experience Fall Colors In Colorado's High Country

The following is Dave Aguilera's annual list of some terrific drives you can take to get a glimpse of fall colors in Colorado's high country.

• Rocky Mountain National Park From Denver take highway 36 through Boulder, Estes Park and straight into the park, using Trail Ridge Road. Enter Rocky mountain National Park and follow the road to Bear Lake. One of the best places for viewing the aspens is the area around Glacier Gorge Junction. If you're lucky you may see a few bugling elk welcoming in the new season.
• Peak to Peak Highway This drive will take you on the peak to peak highway. On U.S. 6 through Clear Creek Canyon, take highway 119 past Blackhawk and Central City up to the mountain town of Nederland. Look for highway 72 heading to Ward and Allenspark. You should see thousands of acres of golden aspen with the Continental Divide as the backdrop.
• Poudre Canyon From Denver take I-25 north to exit 269. Take Colorado 14 west through Laporte and into Poudre Canyon. You will be driving through Roosevelt National Forest. On this drive you will go over Cameron Pass and have a good look at the Medicine Bow Mountains.
• Aspen From Denver, take I-70 west to Copper Mountain, where you will follow highway 91 through Leadville to highway 82. the aspen should big and bold as you travel from Twin Lakes over Independence Pass and down into the town of Aspen. While your there you can take a little detour to the Maroon Bells, one of the most photographed areas in Colorado. Check out the John Denver Sanctuary while you are in Aspen.
• The I-70 Corridor There are no complicated directions for this one. Drive from Denver west on I-70 all the way to Avon. The viewing is awesome as you travel from Vail Pass to Avon. The aspens will highlight the slopes on both sides of the interstate.
• Hoosier Pass Go west along I-70 to the Frisco exit and head toward Breckenridge on highway 9. Continue over Hoosier Pass down into the towns of Alma and Fairplay.
• Boreas Pass Again go west along I-70 to the Frisco exit and head south through Breckenridge on highway 9. Look for Boreas Pass Road on the south side of Breckenridge. Follow the road around 14.5 miles to the town of Como. Most of this road is unpaved, so don't take the Cadillac. The view of the Blue River Valley is great. And the waves of aspen groves are quite impressive.
• West Elk Loop From Denver, take I-70 west to Glenwood Springs where you will follow highway 82 south to Carbondale. Take highway 133 through Carbondale and continue over McClure Pass, there you will find one of the largest expanses of aspen in Colorado. The loop will take you through Paonia, where you'll head east on highway 92 to Gunnison. The loop back takes you on highway 135 to the ski town of Crested Butte where you'll drive a gravel road over Kebler Pass and then back to Carbondale on highway 133. This is a longer trip but, well worth it.
• San Juan Skyway The San Juan Skyway starts in Durango and travels north on U.S. 550 to Silverton where you'll follow the "Million Dollar Highway" over Red Mountain Pass down through Ouray(Colorado's little Switzerland) and into Ridgeway. Take Highway 62 over Dallas Divide on your way to Placerville where you'll want to turn south on highway 145 and head toward Telluride. Continue over Lizard Head Pass down to Cortez. Heading east on U.S. 160 will return you to Durango. This is considered one of the most scenic drives in America. I might also, add this is a great drive in the summer when all the wild flowers are blooming.
• Cottonwood Lake Take U.S. 285 south from Denver to Buena Vista. Drive about seven miles west of Buena Vista on Main Street, and turn left on county road 344. You'll find Cottonwood Lake about four miles down the road surrounded by beautiful groves of Aspen.
• Poncha Pass Take U.S. 285 south from Denver, or from Pueblo take U.S. 50 to Poncha Springs. Continue south on us 285 over Poncha Pass where you'll find stands of aspens along San Luis Creek.
• Guanella Pass (Closed due to rock slide danger likely through 2010) From Denver take I-70 west and exit at historic Georgetown. Follow county road 381 over Guanella Pass to the town of Grant for some spectacular aspen viewing. The road is mostly unpaved, so a truck or 4 wheel drive might be a good idea. This is also a great time to ride on the Georgetown Loop Railroad. A steam locomotive will take you on a scenic ride to Silver Plume.

 

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