A personal favorite, Crested Butte if the fall is a *treat*. If you want to head out on a fall-filled Colorado road trip, look no further than … Some of our favorite hiking spots for seeing fall colors around the state include Kenosha Pass, Maroon Bells, Grand Mesa, Swampy Pass, La Veta Pass, Kebler Pass, Jones Pass, and Rocky Mountain National Park. The final section of this will be a larger section of woods that has a switchback and gets a little rockier. We hike for about 4 miles up and turn back after a few hrs. Seasonality – US 285 to Kenosha Pass is generally open all year round. A couple things to note here is that the trail gets really narrow for this whole section and when I went it was really crowded with bikes and hikers and I was constantly having to step off the trail to let people pass. Clint Eastwood or John Wayne Western. The north section is a beautiful area especially in the fall with all the Aspen leaves changing. Hiking in the summer and leaf peeping in the fall. I was also moving for a total of 2 hours and 54 minutes. If you’re looking to hit the mountain roads instead, here are 12 scenic drives that will leave you drooling. Snow shoe in the winter! Happy leaf-peeping friends! The Colorado trail at Kenosha Pass is a mainstay for fall foliage hiking as the aspen groves to the south of Hwy 285 and leading up to the Twin Cone Peaks is one of the finest in the front range. Here you will find cottonwoods turning yellow, which can turn a … 126 (Deckers Road) to Buffalo Creek and … According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 6.76 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 1086 feet including undulations. Overall I really enjoyed it especially with all the colors changing. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. But beware, traffic backs up for miles in September and October as leaf-peepers flock to the highly photographed area. At Deckers, veer left onto County Rd. Driving south on Hwy 285 coming over the pass is an amazing sight. Looking to stay closer to the city? The only downside for this hike for me was that I spent a lot of time on the side of the trail letting bikes, runners, other hikers and even horses pass me. As the green … During peak leaf season (late September-early October), the trailhead at Kenosha pass is packed with leaf-peepers. The San Juan Skyway. Traveling the meandering highway of 285, we drove forty-five minutes to Kenosha Pass, a popular spot for leaf-gazing. 2 Week Extended Forecast in Kenosha Pass, Colorado, USA. Fall River Road to St. Mary's Alice Glacier. Starting at 10,000 feet, the initial elevation gain on the trails make for easy to moderately strenuous hikes. Most groups will have to walk single file on the hill portion. But right at the peak of the pass it is a total zoo, but don’t get discouraged. The fall colors are great right now in Kenosha Pass. Whether it's wildflowers in the summer or aspens in the fall, you'll get an eyeful. By the time we came back to where we started, which was abt noon, they place was crowded with cars and people! This aspen-filled gem paints the mountains in every fall color that mother nature can possibly stir up. Length (roundtrip): 17.1 miles. Because it’s located beside the highway, you have the easiest access to take pictures or simply enjoy the view. The pass is located in the Rocky Mountains southwest of Denver, Colorado, just northeast of the town of Fairplay, Colorado. Parking fills up quickly in the fall months. Perhaps the increased presence is because of the high surge of people going out to see the colors. There are also a bunch of trail runners and bikes on this relatively narrow trail. Kenosha Pass is on 285 between Grant and Fairplay in Park County, Colorado. Our Calendar is full of family-friendly festivals, museum exhibits, plays and concerts, and so much more! Disclaimer Affiliated Content: Certain links and banners on this page are part of an affiliated agreement and I receive a small commission if you purchase from the below vendors through this site. At the bottom there is a spot that you can continue the Colorado Trail. If you know someone in Denver that wants to see Fall foliage but don't want to travel super far, Kenosha Pass is the spot to recommend. Near: Bailey. It‘s more serene further from the main road. And rekindling your inner kid is soothing for the soul! I rode Kenosha to Breck yesterday, and Vail Pass to Two Elk to Meadow Mountain today, and there's virtually no yellow anywhere. Event details are subject to change and we recommend calling listed phone numbers or visiting event websites to verify information in advance. Kenosha Pass is probably the best place to view the changing aspens near Denver. The pass is especially heavily trafficked during the fall when the area’s aspen tree leaves begin to change colors. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. Several people and pups took a spot on the large grassy hill and just sat and enjoyed the view. We went the last weekend of September and it was crowded but magical. Enjoy 30% off select boots for a limited time. Kenosha Pass is part of the Colorado trail and is usually pretty busy and for good reason. We avoided the slow traffic by approaching this pass from the north. Just past the Kenosha Pass heading west, there is another parking lot with an overlook of the sweeping South Park area. Abyss Trail to Abyss Lake. The first half of the hike is a pretty standard walk through the woods but when the trail opens up to the valley below the views are truly breathtaking. With warm sunny days cooling to crisp evenings, hiking, biking or even driving over mountain passes provides an opportunity to witness the state changing colors and showing off the vibrantly-hued fall foliage. At least that is what it felt like on a Fall weekend morning. Located about 65 miles southwest of Denver along US 285, Kenosha Pass is one the best places to view the changing aspens. The trail that runs on both sides of 285 is easy to moderate, and because it is part of the Colorado Trail system, it seems to go on forever. South of Winter Park is Kenosha Pass, a favorite place to witness Colorado fall foliage. The trail gets a little rockier on the hill as well. Heading to the Colorado mountains in the fall to see the leaves change should be on everyone’s bucket list when they visit or live here. Kenosha Pass is part of the Colorado trail and is usually pretty busy and for good reason. If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. We love going to Kenosha Pass for getting the epic levels of fall color Aspen trees. On this weekend fall morning with the leaves changing, cars were parked on the side of the road for about a mile in either direction and down the access road towards the south trail. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. A perfect, but crowded, place to see the changing fall colors. This one is obvious, but if you’re new to the state, it might not be (and, if we didn’t … Happy Hiking! Kenosha Pass is fabulous! Kenosha Pass area is a well-known and popular leaf-peeping destination southwest of Denver that attracts visitors each fall. When you come out of the woods you will have unobstructed views of the valley below with all the different colors within. At the beginning of the trail is a large swath of Aspen trees and there were many people who just stayed in this section and took pictures of the yellow leaves. All Photos, images, logos, video ©FatManLittleTrail, ALL IMAGES VIDEOS AND CONTENT ©FATMANLITTLETRAIL. Kenosha Pass, elevation 10,000 ft (3,000 m), is a high mountain pass located in the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado in the United States. Scroll right to see more Conditions Comfort Precipitation Sun; Day Temperature Weather Feels Like Wind Humidity Chance Amount UV Sunrise Sunset; Wed Dec 16: 30 / 15 °F: Light snow. This wooded section will last for just over a mile before the trail opens up a bit. It‘s absolutely gorgeous! interactive map section you can find here. Kenosha Pass is well-known for its thick, colorful stands of aspen in the fall. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/kenosha-pass-north Fall foliage is a big attraction during Colorado's falls and Kenosha pass is one of the closest, and most accessible aspen groves to Denver - plus its beautiful! Nothing like a hike with 3000 of your closest friends. more. It takes a mile to get to the bottom of the hill from here. Aspens turn gold as the amount of sunlight slowly decreases, switching off the mechanism in the leaves that creates chlorophyll. More clouds than sun. It offers both an East and West trail option with gradual ascents to stunning views. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Second, their Kenosha Pass engagement shoot Our trip from Colorado Springs… At 10,000 feet, Kenosha Pass is a 75-mile drive west from Castle Pines. Most of the trail is a gradual uphill slope on the way out and then you walk down a hill. Discount will appear in cart after using an affiliate link. After climbing and winding up the mountain, you crest the pass and round one final turn which opens to South Park. The trail gets single file narrow for a large portion and with as busy as it can get it can get pretty crowded. Some of the grasses and underbrush are changing, but that's about it. Photo by Sean Xu. A drive along Highway 285 between Grant and Jefferson provides gorgeous views of expansive aspen forests. Here is the step count from today’s hike from my Fitbit. Kenosha Pass Fall Colorado Engagement Shoot with Sarah and Riley We’re so excited to share Sarah and Riley’s engagement shoot with y’all for so many reasons! That means that you have to go back up the hill to get to the car. South Park Brewing Colorado: Tickets & Tours‎, Tomahawk State Wildlife Area: Tickets & Tours‎, Coyote Creek Studio Arts: Tickets & Tours‎, High Creek Fen Preserve: Tickets & Tours‎, Platte Ranch Riding Stables: Tickets & Tours‎, Salt Licking Goat Clothing Company: Tickets & Tours‎, South Park Recreation Center: Tickets & Tours‎. Kenosha Pass. During the leaf peeping season this is a very popular spot and cars park for about a mile in either direction of the trailhead. Brighten up your fall bucket list with a camping trip to Kenosha Pass. Approximate elevation gain: … We drove to Kenosha Pass to see the fall colors. Weekend traffic to see the fall colors was bumper to bumper on Sunday Sept 15 heading NORTH on 285 for at least 10 miles. After you leave the first section of the heavier woods you will find yourself in another section of Aspen Trees. As you get onto the hill with the main views the trail narrows. Get ready for an outdoor adventure infused with shades of buttery yellow, sangria red, burnt orange, and royal purple. The campground is named after one of the country’s highest mountain passes (10,000 feet) so get ready for some chilly nights even in the summer. Maroon Bells There are world class options here for both hiking and mountain biking. Minutes to Kenosha Pass offers visitors trail options to the place being just plain.! You leave the first section of Aspen trees listed phone numbers or visiting event websites to verify information advance. 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