The Best Hikes and Campsites Near Colorado’s Top Fall Foliage

Once you’ve witnessed Colorado’s kaleidoscope of autumn hues, extend your leaf peeping trip by embarking on a fall hike or setting up camp under a starry sky. With mild days and cool nights, fall offers ideal conditions for outdoor adventures near the state’s top destinations for fall colors. Lace up your boots, pitch a tent, and fully immerse yourself in Colorado’s vibrant fall landscapes.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park provides boundless hiking options among golden aspen groves and craggy peaks.

For an easy hike that delivers big views, head to Alberta Falls Trail. This 1.6 mile route winds through yellow aspens past a 30-foot waterfall within a peaceful pine forest. Look for moose and elk as you stroll to the falls.

To fully immerse in the fall colors, opt for a longer hike like the Sky Pond Trail. The moderate 9-mile loop climbs past golden hillsides dotted with pocket lakes. Marvel at the glistening peaks reflecting off glassy water along the way.

Backpackers can reserve campsites at one of Rocky Mountain’s many designated backcountry camping zones. Permit reservations are required for backcountry camping and can fill up quickly, so plan ahead. Excellent options include the sweeping vista at Thunder Lake and the seclusion of Sandbeach Lake nestled in a glacial cirque. Carry fall essentials like warm layers as nights dip into the 30s and 40s.

Estes Park

Surrounded by Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park offers cozy accommodations after days spent hiking among golden leaves. Pitch your tent steps from the tumbling Fall River at Estes Park Campground. Or relax in a heated cabin at Mary’s Lake Lodge, featuring stones fireplaces and private porches.

Fuel up on flapjacks and hot coffee at Estes Park’s Breakfast on the Go food truck before a fall hike. At dusk, unwind in the outdoor hot tubs at The Stanley Hotel while stargazing at the clear mountain sky.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

From sandy trails to alpine lakes, Great Sand Dunes National Park presents diverse hiking opportunities among scrub oak color.

Take in the bright red foliage and blond grasses on the 1.5-mile Mosca Pass Trail. This path winds through colorful oak and aspen groves with panoramic views.

For a moderate 4-mile hike to Zapata Falls, look for yellow leaves contrasting with evergreen pines. Savor the sound of rushing water at the falls, which pour through a crevasse in black canyon rock.

Pitch your tent at the park's Pinyon Flats Campground, open to both tent and RV campers. Sites are available on a first-come basis. For more comfort, reserve one of the Oasis’s newly renovated cabins just outside the park boundary.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

From challenging canyon routes to panoramic rim hikes, Black Canyon of the Gunnison offers adventurous ways to experience the vivid fall landscape.

Descend into the canyon's fall tapestry on the rigorous Gunnison Route. Climb ladders and negotiate sheer drop-offs as you traverse colorful cliffs to the river below. Permit reservations are required for one-way trips down the canyon.

For easier hiking with big views, opt for the Warner Point Nature Trail. This 1.5-mile loop provides stunning vistas of Black Canyon’s steep fall-painted walls from the canyon's South Rim.

Camp among the changing leaves at the park's North Rim Campground. The small campground provides vault toilets and potable water to keeping you comfortable during your stay. Keep a lookout for mule deer grazing near your campsite.

Guanella Pass Scenic Byway

For high-altitude fall hikes, take on some of the trails accessible from Guanella Pass.

Climb into colorful mountain scenery on the moderate Geneva Lake Trail. After 2.7 miles, arrive at an alpine lake reflecting the vivid foliage of the surrounding hillsides.

Or opt for the more challenging, 8-mile out-and-back trek up 14,060-foot Mount Bierstadt. You'll earn panoramic summit views over a landscape ablaze in September and October.

Camping options abound in nearby Pike National Forest. Stake your tent at developed campgrounds like Burning Bear, Scott Gomer, and Silver Dollar. Dispersed camping is also allowed throughout Pike National Forest for free with a permit.

Colorado National Monument

Explore the steep spires and canyons of Colorado National Monument on foot this fall.

Take in huge vistas of red rock walls capped with yellowing scrub oaks on the moderately strenuous Monument Canyon Trail. Over 6 miles, the trail undulates between canyons and mesa tops.

For a shorter hike, traverse the rubble-strewn Coke Ovens Trail out to serpentine rock formations. Look for cliff-clinging trees erupting into fall color.

On the west side of the park, camp among the colorful juniper and sagebrush of the Saddlehorn Campground. Sites include picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets. Or stay in nearby Grand Junction for its wineries and restaurants.

Capture fall’s full sensory experience by pairing leaf peeping with camping, hiking, and stargazing. Use this guide to explore trails and spend the night under Colorado’s kaleidoscope of autumn hues. As the days grow cooler and shorter, fully immerse yourself in the state’s vibrant fall landscapes.