Posted by Jim Greenwood on October 29, 2013 at 4:34 PM
I arrived in Zion on October 26th. My estimate is that autumn color throughout Zion, compared to the past several years, is probably two weeks ahead of normal.
Up in east Zion, colors are well past peak. Last year, I spent most of the last week in October and the first week in November up there with great color the whole time. This year, at this time, there are still some cottonwoods with color up there, but the bigtooth maples are bare.
In Zion Canyon, many of the cottonwoods and box elders are turning already, and many leaves are off the trees. I saw only a few bigtooth maples in Zion Canyon with any color remaining. I'd say that the color in Zion Canyon is at or near peak now, and may even be past peak in the upper section of the canyon at the Temple of Sinawava and further upstream into the Narrows.
Posted by Jim Bennett on October 30, 2013 at 12:37 AM
Thanks Jim for your detailed report. This information (along with other similar reports) has saved many of us from wasted trips there next week.
Posted by David Chauvin on October 30, 2013 at 7:19 AM
A "wasted" trip?
Posted by Jim Greenwood on October 30, 2013 at 7:54 AM
Yeah .... I wouldn't say that any trip to Zion would be a waste.
Posted by Greg Vaughn on November 3, 2013 at 9:30 AM
Thanks for the report! Sharing information like this is one of the best things about NaturePhotographers.net.
Discussion
4 repliesUp in east Zion, colors are well past peak. Last year, I spent most of the last week in October and the first week in November up there with great color the whole time. This year, at this time, there are still some cottonwoods with color up there, but the bigtooth maples are bare.
In Zion Canyon, many of the cottonwoods and box elders are turning already, and many leaves are off the trees. I saw only a few bigtooth maples in Zion Canyon with any color remaining. I'd say that the color in Zion Canyon is at or near peak now, and may even be past peak in the upper section of the canyon at the Temple of Sinawava and further upstream into the Narrows.