Best Dates for Fall Color in Rocky Mountain National Park

[John Hollenberg]

I am planning to go to Estes Park, Colorado in Sept, 2024.  Trip will be 9 days with a mixture of day hikes and photography.  I am trying to figure out the optimal time to have the highest likelihood of great Fall Color in RMNP and may want to do some wildlife photography as well (Sony A7r V and Sony 200-600mm lens).  Any suggestions of exactly when to go appreciated.

Thanks.

[PeterAit]

I am planning to go to Estes Park, Colorado in Sept, 2024.  Trip will be 9 days with a mixture of day hikes and photography.  I am trying to figure out the optimal time to have the highest likelihood of great Fall Color in RMNP and may want to do some wildlife photography as well (Sony A7r V and Sony 200-600mm lens).  Any suggestions of exactly when to go appreciated.

Thanks.

Nature is not on the clock!

[John Hollenberg]

Nature is not on the clock!

Very unhelpful response.  Nature IS on the clock, there is a range of times when it is usually best.  I won't be looking for Fall Color in July.  On a previous trip to Western Colorado I had very good input from someone who lived in Colorado and knew about when the Fall Color peak was most likely.  His guess was spot on.  A trip to Caddo Lake in Eastern Texas in early November, 2023 for Fall Color was successful because I had specific info on when great colors were most likely.  I found two Fall Color photo workshops offered in RMNP in Sept, 2024 and based on those dates and the timing of the Elk Rut (Sept 15-Oct 15) I have tentatively decided to go Sept 17-26.  Fall Color change starts first at the highest elevations (11,000-12,000) and works its way down as the season progresses so I should be able to find an area with good Fall Color by varying the elevation.

Helpful responses from those who live in the area would be appreciated.

[stevenfr]

I have spent 15 years photographing aspens in autumn in Colorado. Mostly south of RMNP.  I usually allocate two to three weeks starting on the 20th.

Steven
www.friedmanphoto.com

[John Hollenberg]

I have spent 15 years photographing aspens in autumn in Colorado. Mostly south of RMNP.  I usually allocate two to three weeks starting on the 20th.

Helpful, thanks.  Presumably peak would be a bit earlier in RMNP which would be North of where you shoot.

[stevenfr]

That would be my guess peak earlier in RMNP. I always prefer to shoot into the peak colour.

[John Hollenberg]

Here is the definitive word on the optimal times to photograph RMNP in September from Erik Stensland who has photographed there for over 20 years:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-uZsavg9Ks

[BradSmith]

One data point.....For whatever it is worth.............Grand Mesa, CO   Oct 1, 2022

[Benny Profane]

Best I have ever seen is third week of September in Vail valley. But, foliage, eh, incredibly hard to schedule. Some years, glorious, others, nothing.

[TomEgel]

I was there this past fall during the first week of October and it seemed to be a little past peak color.

Tom
Ann Arbor, MI