Can you feel it? That crisp cool air in the mornings and the smell of fall (maybe it’s my “Cozy Campfire” candle I have lit as I write this post). Alex and I camped in Frisco this past weekend and were pleasantly surprised by all the yellow we saw popping up already on the trees. The weather app told us it would be a lot of 40 degrees at night…we woke up to 28 degrees and frost in the tent. Whoops. Hello fall!
If you’re like me, you like to check out the leaves every weekend while they’re changing colors because it’s such a short window of opportunity here in Colorado.
In the six years we’ve lived here, we’ve done quite a bit of “leaf peeping”. Here are some of our favorite spots to hike.
Raccoon Trail in Golden Gate Canyon State Park
This is a shorter, moderate 2.6 mile hike. If you go clockwise on this hike, it’ll be a steep and good leg workout. Go counter clockwise if you aren’t looking for a steep climb up. Enjoy beautiful aspens throughout!
2. Kenosha Pass
It feels like you aren’t a true Coloradan from what I’ve heard until you do this hike during leaf peeping season. Which makes sense because it gets very crowded on weekends! Arrive early before 7am for easier parking. When it is “peak” season for leaves in this area, it feels like everywhere you look is lit up with yellows. This is a kid-friendly, pretty flat hike out and back. You can make it as short or as long as you’d like.
3. Mayflower Gulch
This is a 6.10 mile, moderate hike. It offers mountain views, aspens and an old cabin along the trail. The views feel expansive and dreamy. Decent incline but the views are absolutely worth it!
Happy hiking and leaf peeping!
-Alix and Alex