Natural History Wanderings

There are many fall foliage reports at Rocky Mountain Nature Photographers Forum.  Here are a few of the most recent highlights posted over the last few days:

• Maroon Bells are spectacular. Kebler from Crested Butte to beyond the Lost Lake road, on down to the turn-off for the Ruby-Anthracite trail is pretty much at peak and looking mighty fine
• Ohio Pass is excellent
• the La Sals are going off right now. At or near peak
•  Cripple Creek and Victor areas and the colors down there are great! Gold camp road going back towards Colorado Springs was spectacular
• The slopes of Grand Mesa are about 50% turned. It’s about at peak towards the top
• Last Dollar Road …Most of the aspen groves are 80%
• Twin Lakes is a little past prime now, but the Vail Valley is at prime

To see all the reports and more detail go to: Rocky Mountain Nature Photographers Forum.

The U.S. Forest Service for San Isabel and Pike National Forests reported on 10/5/11:

San Isabel National Forest

• Leadville:  Colors are fading quickly with rain and snow.
• Salida:  Colors are fading quickly with rain and snow.
• San Carlos:  The fall colors will possibly peak this weekend for all areas:  (1) in the forest west of Westcliffe, CO—visible along State Highway 69 south of U.S. Highway 50, (2) in the Wet Mountains, including the Lake Isabel area along State Highway 165, Ophir Creek Forest Service Road 360 into Forest Service Road 369, as well as other Forest Service roads in this vicinity, and (3) the Cuchara/Spanish Peaks area, which is absolutely spectacular at this time and visible along the Highway of Legends.

Pike National Forest

• Pike:  Suggested areas include HWY 67 south of Divide to Cripple Creek and along Gold Camp Road (County Road 8) from Cripple Creek to Colorado Springs.  The colors are changing in the aspens and other hardwoods and peaked last week/weekend but colors are still great.
• South Park:   Leaves are changing fast, probably peaking this week.  Prime areas include: Boreas Pass County Road 33 between Como & Breckenridge;  Eleven Mile Canyon County Road 96 (this is a fee area  $5 per vehicle);  Weston Pass County Road 22; Buffalo Peaks area south of Fairplay; and  Jefferson Lake Recreation Area County Road 37 (this is a fee area $5 per vehicle).
•  South Platte:  Suggested routes include  Kenosha Pass  CR  285, and Guanella Pass CR 62.
• Cimarron National Grassland:   Best place for trees – Middle Spring Picnic Ground or Point of Rocks (overlook).  Trees are turning yellow.  Some wildflowers on Point of Rock. Best place for grasses, forbs, wildflowers – East of Hwy 27; the further east you travel, the more variety of vegetation and color.  Colors are orange, red, purple.  Not a lot of change in some areas, other areas show quite a bit.
• Comanche National Grassland:  No color changes reported at this time.

Also check out Colorado 14ers.com Fall Color for more reports.