Gold Season on Ute Pass

Gold Season on Ute Pass: A Local’s Fall Guide From the Springs to Florissant

Every fall there’s a week or two when the drive up Highway 24 stops feeling like a commute and starts feeling like a gift. The aspens go gold, the air gets that crisp edge, and suddenly everyone you know is pulling over for “just one more photo.” This year, that window is coming early, so here’s our local take on how to make the most of it.

Why you’ll want to go sooner this year

Forestry experts say Colorado’s ongoing drought and heat have pushed peak fall color about a week ahead of schedule. CBS Colorado’s forecast puts Pikes Peak and the mountains west of Colorado Springs at roughly Sept. 23 to Oct. 3. In other words, if you’ve been meaning to get up the pass, this is the weekend. 

Start close to home on Ute Pass

You don’t have to drive far to find color. Ute Pass starts climbing almost immediately west of Colorado Springs, and Cascade is one of the quickest ways into mountain fall scenery. Keep going to Green Mountain Falls, where the lake, gazebo, and walkable center make it an easy place to get out of the car for a while. 

Grab coffee in Woodland Park

Woodland Park is our home base, and fall is one of our favorite times to be downtown. Grab a coffee, walk Midland Avenue, and take advantage of the season’s shop-local push: Woodland Park Main Street’s “Wander Woodland” program rewards people for shopping local this fall.

Head to Mueller for the full aspen experience

If you want to actually walk through the gold, Mueller State Park near Divide is the place. It makes a colorful day trip from the Springs for easy hiking, picnicking, horseback riding, or camping, and the Pikes Peak views are hard to beat. From there, the country around Florissant opens up. The west side of Pikes Peak between Florissant and Cañon City has plenty of gold on the trees along the Gold Belt Tour Scenic Byway. Florissant Fossil Beds is a great stop along the way if you’ve never seen the petrified redwood stumps in person. 

Missed the peak? Come back down

Color holds latest at lower elevations, and spots around Colorado Springs like Red Rock Canyon and Fox Run typically turn in early to mid October. For a quick outing close to town, North Cheyenne Cañon is an easy choice.

Give a little back

Fall is also a great time to invest in the place we all love. Keep Woodland Park Beautiful is hosting its Creek Week cleanup at Cavalier Park on Saturday, October 3, from 8 AM to about 1 PM, and registration is required for everyone, including groups. It’s a good morning with good people, and the creek will thank you.

A couple of local tips

Bring layers. It can be sunny in the Springs and a totally different season at 9,000 feet. And before you plan any campfire, check current fire restrictions. Teller County has had a fire ban in place, so it’s worth confirming the latest before you head out. 

Why we love this season

Fall is when a lot of people fall for this area. Maybe it’s the aspens, or the quiet mornings, or the way the whole region slows down just a little. Whatever it is for you, we hope you get out there this year.

And if a drive up the pass has you daydreaming about what life up here looks like the other eleven months of the year, we’re always happy to talk.