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 30, 2026
We've hit peak foliage in multiple valleys now and the rest should follow this week except for Kebler Pass. Rains should clear out by Thursday and the dry conditions will help the colors shine after that. This weekend and next will provide great leaf-peeping opportunities.
Sep 28 
Sep 28 Washington Gulch
Sep 30 Around Town
Sep 25 Brush Creek
Sep 22 Ohio Pass
Sep 23 Slate River Valley
Sep 28 Cement Creek
Sep 27 Kebler Pass
Every trail we track, with live conditions and the foliage filter lit in fall.
The Update Log
A history of the fall progression with all of this season's reports and prior years' galleries.
Earlier 2026 Updates
The recent rains have slowed the transition down. We're still in Prime Time viewing in more than half of the surrounding valleys, but there's still much left to come including peak color. Expect this weekend to be the start of it in many areas, with Kebler trailing behind. The window has widened so we should have leaf-peeping opportunities well into October.
We've hit Prime Time viewing in more than half of the surrounding valleys and things are moving fast! Some of the areas are playing catch up, so don't freak out if you're not around this weekend or even next. We should have an extended viewing window. Gothic Valley is furthest along and offers the best leaf-peeping at the moment. 🍁
Don’t panic if you’re seeing more yellow than expected. Gothic Valley has decided it's showtime for fall colors. They're the first area showing lots of gold, but it seems the foliage change is a bit more staggered this year. Hillsides around town are also changing the fastest right now, but many areas have barely begun.
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.
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.
