Fall Color AFTER 1st week of October, too late?

Hi all,

I am planning to travel to Colorado in the first week of October for a week for fall color photography, but I've heard that fall colors are already appearing as of now. Would first/2nd week of October be too late?

Where would you recommend going around that time? Kebler Pass? Crested Butte area? Or the San Juan areas?

Thank you all in advance.

As other posts on this forum also say it is difficult to pinpoint when colors will peak and how long they will last. Snowstorms, wind, heat and other factors can all change the duration of color. Generally, the northern mountains (like in Rocky Mountain NP) turn before the southern mountains (San Juans). The last week of September is usually the best time to compromise. During the first week of October you'd probably have the best luck catching some color in the San Juans. By the second week you might be too late. This is just going by averages.

As Josh said, your best bet is probably further South, like Ridgeway and Owl Creek Pass. I shot those locations Oct. 7-10 last year. The colors were great until the early snow storm. 8-10" in some places... Then the shooting was really interesting. The leaves pretty much all fell off in the next day or two - end of fall.

I've often (usually, in fact) seen great color on Kebler Pass during the first week of October. It will be on the downward swing statewide, however, so there's no margin for error if it's a little early this year. First week of October is pushing it a bit, econd week of October is a leap of faith/hope.