Do you want to get out of the city and see Fall foliage colors this season? An excellent destination to do this is Glenwood Springs, Colorado on the Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains. Each Fall, after the Summer tourists have left, the mountains quiet down and explode with color to see! Usually the peak of color is the 3rd and 4th weeks of September. The US Forest Service has a hotline for Fall Colors: 1-800-354-4595, press #2 for the Colorado updates. Here is how to get the most out of three day Fall foliage getaway:
- Take Amtrak to and from the mountains. That way the person who would otherwise be driving gets to see all of it too! The Fall colors along the route are fantastic in and of themselves. Plus, when you get to Glenwood Springs, you just hop off the train and walk across the street to our boutique hotel.
Your first decision if you take the train will be whether to rent a car or rent bikes to see more colors. If you choose bikes, the bike path through the Glenwood Canyon provides the perfect fall color backdrop. Additionally, you can go over to the Adventure Park and ride the tram up to the top for some of the best fall views in the world. Spend an evening or two in the two hot springs pools found here to top off your visit.
If you do elect to drive to Glenwood Springs, or rent a car once you get off the train, here are three must-do sightseeing tours for fall colors:
- Drive through the Roaring Fork Valley to Aspen to go see the Fall foliage colors and the Maroon Bells. You could also ride the RFTA bus up if you don’t have a car. You have to ride the bus to the Maroon Bells and it runs until early October. You can drive your own car up to them before 8am and after 5pm. There is a bus fee or an access fee depending on how you get there but dont miss this view!
Drive up to Redstone on Hwy 133. You can continue on to McClure Pass too. The aspen’s and the cottonwood trees on this drive can be outstanding in the Fall and a visit to Redstone is a special treat any time of year. - Drive up to Redstone on Hwy 133. You can continue on to McClure Pass too. The aspen’s and the cottonwood trees on this drive can be outstanding in the Fall and a visit to Redstone is a special treat any time of year.
- If you are super adventurous and perhaps, have a 4wd, going up on to the Flat Tops above Glenwood Springs is, for this writer, a not-to-be-missed, once-in-a-lifetime experience. It takes some planning and a little doing but is so worth it! Alternatively as adventurous but not required with 4wd would be to drive up the Frying Pan River valley out of Basalt, which has halfway between Glenwood Springs and Aspen. It too, is one of our personal favorite sightseeing roads that is best during Fall colors.
When you make reservations, or are at our front desk, our staff which is comprised of local people passionate about the area can fill you in with up-to-the-minute Fall color info. Be assured that the Fall foliage will not disappoint even if you do not hit the peak week! We can even package your stay with a hot springs pool visit this Fall!