The first hints of gold are starting to shimmer in the Colorado Rockies, signaling the arrival of one of the most magical times of year. Fall in Colorado means crisp mornings, bluebird skies, and mountainsides ablaze with yellow, orange, and red.
With summer’s heat behind us and snow still on the horizon, autumn is one of the best times to explore. One of our favorite ways to do just that is with a scenic drive—windows down, camera ready, and plenty of pull-offs to soak up the views. Use this interactive fall color map from Explore Fall to help time your trip and then check out a few of our favorite drives for leaf peeping in Colorado - all easily accessible from our luxury vacation rental homes in Steamboat.
You can start this drive just a few miles outside of downtown Steamboat Springs. Heading toward Summit Lake, this drive is prime for beautiful fall color viewing. You will find Aspen groves bursting with color just a few miles up the dirt road.
To make it all the way to the summit, high-clearance vehicles are recommended.
The pass explodes with color in the fall and it’s one of the more iconic spots for leaf peeping near Steamboat Springs. The pass was named by the earliest trappers because of a rock formation that looks like rabbit ears. It’s always been a historic marker for Steamboat's Yampa Valley. If you want to stretch your legs you can hike up to them to take a closer look.
Head out of Steamboat Springs on Elk River Road / Highway 129 and toward Clark. Shortly past the Clark Store, take a right and drive up Seedhouse Road for a beautiful display of foliage. Or keep heading straight up the road toward Steamboat Lake and Hahn's Peak for more colors for your eyes to feast on.
More Aspens! South of Steamboat Springs, you'll take this stunning, winding road through the ranch towns of Oak Creek, Phippsburg, and Yampa on your way toward the Flat Tops Wilderness area.
Then park your car at one of our luxury vacation rental homes and continue to enjoy the scenery and the fall colors from the deck!
