When you feel a change in the weather and the temperature starts to drop, summer is on the way out and fall is in the air. That means the forest scenery is changing from green to shades of gold. Here are five hikes that take you right into the thick of fall colors.
The days are just starting to cool down in fall as the first aspen trees begin the seasonal change here, a gradual metamorphosis from green leaves to every shade of yellow and gold imaginable. This is a long day hike at 16 miles along the Chama River and up into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. At 7,000 feet above sea level, the crisp, cool air is a portend that winter is not too far off.
A fall mosaic of colors dot the Mogollon Mountain hillsides as the aspen, cottonwood and syca-mores leaves change from green to various golden hues. It’s a 24-mile out-and-back moderate level hike—traversing all of it takes about three to four days, but day-hike options are also possi-ble. The trailhead begins at 9,000 feet. Catch magnificent views of Whitewater, Center, and Mogollon peaks, the three highest in the Gila Wilderness.
This system is a network of 24 miles of trails just outside of town in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The magic of fall is all around as the aspen trees start the process of getting ready for winter with a leaf-color changing show that’s breathtaking. With so many miles of trails in this system, there is a path for every level of hiker to enjoy this show.
A picture-perfect setting awaits along this trail … the golden reflection of trees turning colors in the pristine waters found along this trail. All along the way, trails take you past and under the golden glory of changing foliage. The hike is a six-mile-long out-and-back day hike. The well-maintained trail ends at Trampas Lake and with a spectacular view of Truchas Peaks, the second highest point in the state.
Named one of the “Top 10 State Parks” by Camping Life magazine, this area explodes with color in autumn. There are a number of trails, from short to long and moderate to strenuous. Trails ascend through a variety of forested areas, take you to the shores of high mountain lakes, and bring you to mountain ridges that offer spectacular views of golden rivers of trees in the canyons below.
