The Crested ButteFall Color Updates
When is peak foliage? More than the general area of Colorado or even a mountain range, it really depends on the specific valley and elevation. Around Crested Butte the turn usually starts in mid September and runs into mid October, and no two valleys peak on the same day.
Bookmark this page for regular updates so you know exactly when and where to go for the best fall colors in Crested Butte. Then get out and enjoy some leaf-peeping.
2026 Fall Color Updates
Latest Update: Sep 3, 2026
A few more splashes of yellow are popping up across the hillsides mainly on and around the Butte. Expect to see more valleys joining the fray over the next week. We're still at least a week ahead of last year's pacing so far, but it might be limited to trees stressed out (who isn't!?) by the drought conditions.
Sep 7 
Sep 3 Washington Gulch
Sep 6 Around Town
Looks like it's actually starting for real on the mountain
Sep 2 Brush Creek
Kebler Pass
Ohio Pass
Slate River Valley
Cement Creek
The Update Log
A history of the fall progression with all of this season's reports and prior years' galleries.
Earlier 2026 Updates
The change has officially begun! We're 1-2 weeks ahead of last year with patches and groves of aspen now transitioning to gold. What this means for peak foliage timing? We don't know so just keep checking the page ;)
The Gunnison Valley is starting to shift. Little sprinkles of yellow are popping up along the hillsides, the evenings are getting cooler, and there’s that familiar feeling that summer is slowly beginning to loosen its grip.
2025 Season Archive
2024 Season Archive
2023 Season Archive
2022 Season Archive
More Fall Guides
The Crested Butte Hiking Guide
Every trail we track, conditions included.
6 Unforgettable Fall Hikes
The 5 Best Fall Foliage Drives
The Mountain Biking Guide
A day of leaf-peeping leaves you hungry, so line up a table from the restaurant guide, browse the shops on Elk Avenue between drives, and book anything from photographers to shuttles in the services directory.
Fall Color Questions, Answered
When do the fall colors peak in Crested Butte?
Late September through the first days of October, most years. For reference, the 2025 season ran September 9 to October 15 from first gold to last.
How long does peak color last?
About a week per zone when the weather cooperates. A hard freeze or an early storm can cut that short, which is why the map above gets updated from the road instead of a calendar.
Is Kebler Pass Road passable in a regular car?
Yes, in dry weather. It is graded county dirt, busy on peak weekends, and it closes for the season once lasting snow arrives in late fall.
Where should I go first?
Wherever the color is that week, which is the entire reason this page exists. Check the zone statuses on the map above and follow the gold. Conditions move fast enough in October that any fixed answer would be wrong half the time.
How often is this page updated?
Several times a week once the color starts moving, with dated entries in the update log and photos from that morning when we have them.
What is the best hike for fall color?
Whichever zone is turning that week. Every area card on the map carries the trail we would hike there right now, picked by the people doing the driving.