Al Trujillo
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 p.1 #7 · Utah: Suggestions for Fall 2026? | |
Ross Martin wrote:
In northern Utah canyons there are a lot of maple as well as aspen. The maple turn red usually in last week of September or previous week, and the aspens usually lag behind by a week. If you zoom into Google maps directly east of Salt Lake City region you will see numerous canyons, most of these are great drives to get into the color in the Wasatch mountain range (Big Cottonwood Canyon, Little Cottonwood Canyon, American Fork Canyon are three popular and spectacular ones). In southern Utah there are not near as many maples and the color is predominantly aspens in the mountains and cottonwoods in the river valleys. This year (despite the severe drought throughout most of Utah) ended up being crazy good for aspens (maples were a little dull) where oranges and reds were plentiful in addition to the usual yellow.
One location in southern Utah where there are some maples is Zion NP where I have been shooting this week. The east side washes and canyons usually have red maples the last week of October. The main Zion Canyon scenic drive will usually have red maples, cottonwoods, and others showing color in the first couple weeks of November. This drive is closed to vehicles (except part of winter) but there is a shuttle system, and bikes are also allowed on the road.
The La Sal Mountains outside of Moab can be a nice place for aspens usually in early October.
The Uinta Mountains are supposed to have good aspen opportunity also, I have not been there yet....Show more →
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gdanmitchell wrote:
In my experience, the color season in Utah is quite lengthy. I am used to aspens in California that don’t start changing until the beginning of October but the first time I saw Aspen‘s in Utah at that time of year, they had already lost their leaves! So think of the season starting in late September.
In early October, I have photograph color in canyons and along creek beds, including some narrow and deep canyons in less accessible places. If I remember correctly, the cottonwood trees changed in October, too.
There is some color in Zion Canyon in October, but when I was there at that time of year, I was told that the best color there doesn’t happen until the beginning of November
For a long time I have imagined spending about five weeks or more in Utah at this time of year, starting with Aspen’s in places like Boulder Mountain, and then ending up in Zion at the beginning of November....Show more →
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Greg Campbell wrote:
S. Utah and Arizona light up quite nicely too. Flagstaff, North Rim G.C,. and the high country just north of Zion have lovely aspen from early October through the first week or so of November. A little lower, you have Sedona/Oak Creek maples, ash, etc. peaking by Halloween. The Zion canyon floor gets going in November, as do a number of pretty S. Az canyons such as Ramsey, Ash Creek, S. Fork Cave Creek (the one way down near Portal, Az), etc. The show is mostly over by Thanksgiving.
Some references:
Facebook > Arizona Fall Color Reports. Lots of pictures, locations and dates.
https://desertsirena.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/fall-colors-in-ash-creek-galiuros
The 'Tunnel of Color' is famous among Az hikers! https://desertsirena.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/dscf7237.jpg
Typical Oak Creek area fall action. This is Pumphouse Wash, a rugged side canyon that is just gorgeous!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50264123@N00/5126921743
There are several similar east-facing canyons near Sierra Vista, Ramsey being the most famous and convenient. See also Miller, Montezuma, and Carr canyons.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gauchocat/37748644855/in/photostream
Cave Creek, early~mid November.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/exploring-fall-colors-cave-creek-canyon-arizonas-island-peters-qusgc
https://www.ebay.com/itm/176855748700 (Quite a handy book. It gives locations, type of foliage, typical peak dates, etc.)
...Show more →
Thank you, everyone for your great replies!
A fun part of any of my trips is pulling out maps, turning on Google Earth and starting to put a plan together! With what you've given me here I have enough to keep me busy as I start looking ahead to next year.
Al
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