TRAVEL BY NUMBERS | Top 10 places to photograph Colorado fall leaves, according to nationally renowned photographer John Fielder.
1. Kebler Pass: Near Crested Butte. Best 30-mile, car-driveable, aspen-viewing dirt road.
2. Dallas Divide: Colorado 62 between Ridgway and Telluride. Best paved pass road with aspens and scrub oak and big mountains in background.
3. Elk River Road: County Road 126 follows the Elk River north from Steamboat Springs to Steamboat Lake. Some of the best cottonwoods anywhere.
4. McClure Pass: Colorado 133 between Carbondale and Paonia. Great aspens, cottonwoods, and big mountains behind.
5. Conejos River: Colorado 17 between Antonito and Cumbres Pass. Incredible cottonwoods, aspens in southern Colorado.
6. Castle Creek and Maroon Creek Roads: Parallel to each other, both south of Aspen. Hillsides of aspen with the red sandstones of Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness behind.
7. Grand Mesa: Colorado 65 from Interstate 70 up to the Land’s End Road and west down to U.S. 50. Views of aspen and scrub oak ringing the mesa.
8. Crooked Creek Pass: From Eagle to Basalt over Crooked Creek Pass. Aspens galore and views of the Holy Cross Wilderness. Take the SUV for this one.
9. Uncompahgre Plateau: South of Grand Junction. Take SUV on Divide Road from Colorado 141 south to Dallas Divide on Colorado 62. Aspens!!!
10. Gold Camp Road: From Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek. Great aspens for Colorado Springs residents.
Note: Prime viewing is unpredictable year to year, but on average east of Continental Divide Sept. 15-25; west of Continental Divide Sept. 20-30; San Juans Sept. 25-Oct. 10.
John Fielder is the author of “John Fielder’s Best of Colorado” ($29.95, Westcliffe Publishers) and “Colorado 1870-2000 II William H. Jackson/John Fielder” ($45, Westcliffe Publishers).