<p><strong>DENVER, Colo. (August 2, 2023)</strong> - Colorado is truly a four-season destination - and among those seasons, fall is one of the state’s best kept secrets. Autumn starts early in the Centennial State, when the aspen trees begin to transform to gold in the crisp mountain air; and Colorado’s varied geography extends the season over several months, allowing fall fanatics to fully embrace and celebrate the gorgeous fall colors, bountiful harvest and plenty of activities.</p>

<p>Every year, Colorado boasts a robust calendar of fall events as the cooler temperatures and smaller crowds open up new opportunities. This year, there is plenty of fall fun to be found all around the state - from adventurous activities in leaf peeping hotspots to festivals and harvest events, wellness series, special lodging packages and more.</p>

<p>Below is a sampling of everything there is to see and do during fall in Colorado. For more inspiration and travel tips, visit <a href="http://www.colorado.com/">www.COLORADO.com</a>.</p>

<h3>Top Destinations for Fall Foliage</h3>

<ul>
	<li><a href="http://www.gobreck.com/">Breckenridge</a> boasts some of North America’s earliest fall colors. Located at 9,600 ft. above sea level, the area's splendid groves of aspen trees begin their annual transformation to brilliant gold in early September. This fall, check out the recently opened <a href="https://thecarlinbreckenridge.com/">The Carlin</a>, a “restaurant with rooms.” This European mountain town concept blends top-notch dining and upscale accommodations together as one amazing hospitality experience. And, from September 15-17, Breckenridge Oktoberfest returns as a full-blown Munich-style street party with live music, food vendors and plenty of ‘Prost!’</li>
	<li><a href="https://coloradooperahouses.com/">The Colorado Historic Opera Houses Circuit</a> provides visitors with a scenic drive lined with golden aspen trees as it takes visitors to the historic mountain towns of Aspen, Central City, Leadville, Ouray and Telluride, which offer elegant opera houses and a wide variety of entertainment and history tours.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.visitgrandjunction.com/node/1">Grand Junction</a> is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, and there is no better time to experience all the area has to offer than the fall season. Explore the brilliant gold fall foliage atop the Grand Mesa, the world’s largest flat-top mountain, go hiking or canyoneering in the Colorado National Monument, hike to the second largest concentration of naturally formed arches in the U.S. at Rattlesnake Canyon or hit the area’s storied mountain bike trails.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.rockymountaineer.com/">The</a><a href="https://www.rockymountaineer.com/"> Rocky Mountaineer “Rockies to the Red Rocks”</a> rail journey between Denver and Moab is an excellent way to experience fall foliage in Colorado. Guests can see aspen colors change from green to yellow, gold, orange and red as they travel in luxury on a train that runs along the Colorado River from Denver through a series of stunning mountain landscapes.</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.silverthorne.org/">Silverthorne</a> offers a variety of fall adventures. Ptarmigan Trail boasts panoramic views of several mountain ranges - the Continental Divide, Gore Range, Tenmile Range and Williams Fork Range. Local guide Cutthroat Anglers offers fly fishing lessons and guided excursions in nearby waterways. Stop for local brews at the new Syndicate Brewing, choose from 12 different food vendors at Bluebird Marketplace or grab brunch at Timberline Craft Kitchen.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.gosnowmass.com/">Snowmass Village</a> is a Rocky Mountain playground that blooms stunning fall foliage starting in September. The Maroon Bells – known for being the most photographed mountains in North America – are a must-see and can be found atop the Elk Camp chairlift, available on the weekends until October 1.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.leadvilletwinlakes.com/natural-attractions-detail/twin-lakes/">Twin Lakes</a>, located at 10,000 feet above sea level, offers incredible fall leaf peeping and is located on the electrified Top of the Rockies Scenic and Historic Byway. Each September, bright yellow aspens practically glow in the form of angel’s wings on the mountainside behind the glacial lakes, where there’s plenty of opportunities for hiking, scenic drives or a ride aboard the Leadville Railroad.</li>
	<li><a href="https://visittrinidadcolorado.com/">Trinidad</a> mesmerizes in the fall with vibrant colors transforming the landscape. Crisp air carries the smell of southern Colorado’s signature roasting green chilies and entices everyone to enjoy the outdoors. To celebrate the harvest season, Trinidad offers leaf peeping, hiking, biking, hunting and fishing as well as a sampling of local foods, arts and culture. Visitors can enjoy the "Oktoberfest" First Friday Art Walk on October 6th downtown or take a drive through the Highway of Legends.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Autumn for the Adventurous</h3>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.historycolorado.org/">History Colorado hosts a fall Tours and Treks program</a>, featuring two overnight treks in September. The first trek, Spices and Spiders in Southern Colorado, runs from September 21-24. The second trek, Mesa Verde National Park: Colorado’s World Heritage Site takes place from September 29 - October 2.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.glenwoodcaverns.com/">Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park</a> in Glenwood Springs offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a gondola ride surrounded by fall mountain vistas. At the top of the gondola, visitors can experience the world’s only mountaintop amusement park, which features thrilling rides, rollercoasters and swings with spectacular views of changing landscapes. Live music, events and tasty food and beverage options are available throughout the fall.</li>
	<li><a href="https://gunnisoncrestedbutte.com/">Fly Fishing for Kokanee Salmon on the Gunnison River</a> is a marquee event in the Crested Butte and Gunnison area. In September and October, more than 20,000 Kokanee Salmon - a rare species of landlocked salmon - migrate 30 miles from Blue Mesa up the Gunnison River to spawn at the Roaring Judy Hatchery. The area is open to self-led experiences, and there are several outfitter options available for guided fishing excursions for all skill levels.</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.croa.org/">Fall Rafting Experiences:</a> As a result of extended rains and full reservoirs, the Colorado River will provide water lovers recreation options long into the fall months. Near Kremmling, relaxing float-fishing trips offer a serene getaway and a unique fall foliage viewing experience. Half-day, full-day and overnight trips are available, and can be booked into October. This year, the Colorado River is also expected to provide family-friendly rafting trips into October through Glenwood Canyon and Glenwood Springs.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Savor Fall’s Flavors</h3>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.redfeatherguides.com/">Fungi Foraging Excursions</a><a href="https://www.redfeatherguides.com/">, </a><a href="https://www.redfeatherguides.com/">Walden</a> (August 5 &amp; 12; September 2) - The Outfitters at Red Feather Lakes hosts early-fall Porcini and Matsutake Forays, where guests learn the basics about mushroom habitats, symbiotic relationships, sustainable foraging and more from an experienced local guide.</li>
	<li><a href="https://business.loveland.org/events/details/loveland-corn-roast-festival-22787">127</a><a href="https://business.loveland.org/events/details/loveland-corn-roast-festival-22787">th</a><a href="https://business.loveland.org/events/details/loveland-corn-roast-festival-22787"> Annual Old-Fashioned Loveland Corn Roast Festival, Loveland </a>(August. 25-26) - Celebrating one of Colorado’s most popular crops, the beloved Loveland Corn Roast Festival features two days of events including a parade, corn shucking contests, a cornhole tournament, live music, a rubber duck race, and, of course, roasted corn.</li>
	<li><a href="https://denverfoodandwine.com/">Denver Food + Wine Festival</a><a href="https://denverfoodandwine.com/">, </a><a href="https://denverfoodandwine.com/">Denver </a>(September 6-9) - Hosted by the Colorado Restaurant Foundation, Denver Food + Wine Festival is the city’s biggest restaurant industry celebration and fundraiser. Events include private restaurant tastings, a cocktail competition, educational wine and spirits seminars and the signature Grand Tasting.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.coloradopotato.org/colorado-potato-news/potatofestival/">San Luis Valley Potato Festival</a><a href="https://www.coloradopotato.org/colorado-potato-news/potatofestival/">, </a><a href="https://www.coloradopotato.org/colorado-potato-news/potatofestival/">Monte Vista</a> (September 9) - Celebrating the potato harvest in Monte Vista, the Potato Festival is a beloved annual event that features a 5k Spud Run, craft and food vendors, guided agricultural tours, chef demonstrations, a mashed potato dunk tank, freshly harvested Colorado potatoes and more.</li>
	<li><a href="https://dairyblock.com/">Dairy Block Dines &amp; Fall Flannel Fest at Dairy Block, Denver</a> (September 14 &amp; October 22) - Embark on a culinary journey this September with Dairy Block Dines, an outdoor dinner party for 150 people in the pedestrian shopping alley. Designed to celebrate the vibrant culinary scene found at the LoDo micro-district, this four-course dinner will feature a menu designed by Chef Michael Diaz de Leon of BRUTØ. Dairy Block will also host the 6th annual Fall Flannel Festival on Sunday, Oct. 22nd, a free event featuring a festive line-up of live music, face painting, a pumpkin carver, kids crafts and more.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.thebartelspumpkinpatch.com/">You-Pick Vegetable Harvest and Pumpkin Patch at Bartels Farm, Fort Collins </a>(September 24 - November 1) - For the past 22 years The Bartels Farm in Fort Collins has opened its vegetable garden and pumpkin patch for fall harvesting. Visitors can share in the bounty of the 117 year-old farm by picking peppers, sweet corn, green beans, celery, onions, tomatoes and more. There is also a large pumpkin patch, along with gourds, bundles of indian corn, and straw bales.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.mountainrootsfoodproject.org/harvest-hoedown">Mountain Roots’ Harvest Hoedown, Gunnison</a><a href="https://www.mountainrootsfoodproject.org/harvest-hoedown"> </a>(September 29) - This annual event celebrates the Gunnison Valley’s harvest and the community’s hard work with a harvest buffet featuring meats raised by local 4H students and peak-of-the harvest organic vegetables from Mountain Roots and other local farms, along with local craft beer, hard cider, and kombucha.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Fall Festivals and Events</h3>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.beavercreek.com/explore-the-resort/activities/summer-activities/oktoberfest.aspx">Oktoberfest in Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek</a> (September 1-3) - Celebrate Oktoberfest with three days of food, drinks and fun over Labor Day weekend in Beaver Creek. Live music daily with local legend Helmut Fricker, and Beaver Creek’s sister city, Lech, Austria's traditional band, Trachtenkapelle. Cap each evening with headlining acts including The Breakers: a Tribute to Tom Petty and American Idol finalist, Constantine Maroulis.</li>
	<li><a href="https://cavemanmusicfestival.com/">Caveman Music Festival, Trinidad </a>(September 1-3) - Caveman Music Festival, a one-of-a-kind music event created by songwriting troubadour Red Shahan and bandmate Parker Morrow, takes place at the recently renovated Monument Lake Resort in the bucolic village of Weston, Colorado. The three-day music festival happens Labor Day weekend and features a lineup of nationally known artists including JJ Grey and Mofro and Shane Smith and the Saints.</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.creederep.org/">Creede Repertory Theatre</a><a href="http://www.creederep.org/"> </a><a href="http://www.creederep.org/">Fall Performances</a><a href="http://www.creederep.org/">, </a><a href="http://www.creederep.org/">Creede</a><a href="http://www.creederep.org/"> </a>(through September 16) - Creede Repertory Theatre’s 58th season ventures into fall with improv and play performances, the return of the annual Headwaters New Play Festival and late-fall holiday shows.</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://canyonoftheancients.com/">Seasonal Celebrations at Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch, Cortez </a>(September 9 &amp; 23) - This fall, Canyon of the Ancients Guest Ranch will host a celebration for its new guesthouse site, Sky Village, with a traditional Hopi eagle dance ceremony (September 9). Later in September, renowned author Craig Childs will partner with vocalist/instrumentalist Kate MacLeod for “Return to Center” - an evening performance to celebrate the fall equinox (September 23).</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/townofeagle/photos/a.495617900510873/7832184980187425/?type=3">Fiesta Americas, Eagle </a>(September 17) - Fiesta Americas, Eagle County’s Hispanic heritage festival, has free fun for the whole family, including a ropes course, bouncy houses, a petting zoo, face painting and more. The festival will also feature live music, food trucks and a chance to connect and celebrate Hispanic heritage.</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://andersonfarms.com/">Anderson Farms Fall Festival, Erie </a>(September 20 - October 30) - Enjoy a fun-filled experience at Colorado’s largest fall family entertainment destination. Anderson Farms features a 25-acre corn maze, wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, barrel train rides, pedal karts, a tire “mountain” and combine slide and more. After dark, check out Terror in the Corn, one of the top haunted attractions in Colorado.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.visitestespark.com/">Elk Fest, Estes Park</a> (September 30 – October 1) - Hundreds of elk call the quaint mountain village of Estes Park home during the fall. This season is the perfect time of year to celebrate these majestic creatures as they put on a spectacular show for their “rut,” or mating season. While the male elk bugle to attract their female harems, the community hosts Elk Fest, a free festival that brings food, music, Native American traditions and bugling contests together in honor of these special animals.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Fall Fitness Offerings and Wellness Experiences</h3>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.adventuresignup.com/Race/CO/SouthFork/SouthForkAlderAssRace">Alder Ass Race, South Fork</a> (September 2) - Pack burro racing is a sport indigenous to Colorado, rooted in the state’s history of mining. Miners used to use burros to haul their supplies while prospecting in the mountains, leading the donkey on foot. Now, as tribute to those early days, some Colorado towns host races with burros. During South Fork’s Alder Ass Race, runners pair up with a burro, stock their saddlebags with prospector’s paraphernalia, and run either a standard (19.25 mi) or mini course (8 mi)&nbsp; together. The team of two must cross the finish line together.</li>
	<li><a href="https://theranchmalibu.com/reserve-vail/">The Ranch Malibu, Vail </a>(September 3 - October 27) - The Ranch’s award-winning, transformational structured wellness program will come to Colorado for a limited time this fall. The five-night, six-day exclusive program will immerse guests in the natural splendor of the Rocky Mountains while they follow the thoughtfully structured fitness and wellness program. Activities will include hikes, yoga and massages accompanied by a seasonal plant-based menu. Accommodations will be at the luxury Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.thelittlenell.com/">Sensei Wellbeing Retreat at The Little Nell, Aspen </a>(October 2-7) - Luxury wellness brand, <a href="https://sensei.com/">Sensei</a>, will team up with the iconic Aspen hotel, The Little Nell, for a special five-night, six-day intimate group hiking retreat. Through this collaboration, Sensei will bring their renowned evidence-led philosophy and highly trained wellness guide team to the Colorado market for the first time, expanding the health and wellbeing experiences at The Little Nell for a limited time only.</li>
</ul>

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<p><strong>ABOUT COLORADO:</strong> Colorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational pursuits, a thriving arts scene, a rich cultural heritage, flavorful cuisine and 28 renowned ski areas and resorts. The state's breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of seven major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 12 national parks and monuments, 26 scenic and historic byways and 58 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet. For more information or a copy of the Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, visit <a href="https://www.colorado.com/">www.COLORADO.com</a> or call 1-800 COLORADO. Follow Colorado on <a href="https://twitter.com/colorado">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/visitcolorado">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/visitcolorado/">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/VisitColorado">YouTube</a>.</p>

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