Here are some of southern Colorado's best hikes for viewing fall foliage near Pueblo
With the first official day of fall only a week away, lovers of the outdoors will soon be able to enjoy the golden hues of aspen and cottonwood leaves throughout southern Colorado.
Near Pueblo, fall colors tend to appear sometime between late September and early October, according to the National Weather Service. When fall foliage begins to appear on trees and how long it lasts depends on several factors, including elevation and geography.
Like a "slow moving wave" trees farther north and at higher elevations begin to change first, followed by those at lower elevations, Southern Colorado Trail Builders Vice President Mike McHenry said.
Trees near Westcliffe, along the Rainbow Trail, may begin to display fall colors as early as this week. Trees at a lower elevation, like those south of Beulah in Pueblo Mountain Park, may show off their fall colors through late October.
As the wave of fall foliage rolls through the state, Pueblo hiking enthusiasts won't have to venture far to enjoy the impressive display of seasonal colors.
Pueblo River Trail System provides accessible route for viewing fall foliage
In the heart of Pueblo, the Pueblo River Trail System's smooth terrain is perfect for biking, jogging, hiking and cottonwood sighting.
Spanning more than 30 miles across the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek, there are several access points in Pueblo to the trail. West Side residents may access the river trail system by traveling along the southbound connector trail starting near West 18th Street and Graham Avenue. Belmont residents may find themselves partial to the Fountain Creek Bike Trail access point near Haaf Elementary School, 15 Chinook Lane.
Other connectors to the river trail system include points at Lake Pueblo State Park, the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, Pueblo City Park and near Runyon Lake. Entry points near Lake Pueblo State Park are particularly useful for recreationists looking for a place to leave their car while they get out and enjoy the trail, McHenry said.
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Pueblo Mountain Park's Carhart Trail is a new trail with connections to history
A trail that is almost 100% hand-built, Carhart Trail was competed in 2020 through a partnership between Southern Colorado Trail Builders, the National Forest Service and the Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center of Pueblo.
While Carhart Trail is the only trail in Pueblo Mountain Park that allows bicyclists, pedestrians on the trail can access an array of connected trails including Devil's Canyon Trail, Mace Trail, Tower Trail and Northridge Trail. Carhart Trail also provides access to Squirrel Creek Trail, which is 4.45 miles away from Davenport Campground in Custer County.
"What a lot of people don't realize is that Squirrel Creek Trail and particularly the facilities in and around that area are some of the first developed recreational facilities in the country," McHenry said.
Carhart Trail is named after Arthur Carhart, who was hired by the U.S. Forest Service to serve as a landscape architect in 1919. One of his first projects was developing the Squirrel Creek Recreational District, a campground along Squirrel Creek Trail about 26 miles from Pueblo, according to History Colorado.
Rainbow Trail near Westcliffe offers a challenging and rewarding hike
With 100 miles of trail along the Sangre de Cristo mountains, Rainbow Trail's closest trailhead to Pueblo is about 13.8 miles southwest of Westcliffe.
The trail's rugged terrain can make for a difficult journey compared to the Pueblo River Trail System, the Carhart Trail and other trails in Pueblo Mountain Park, McHenry said.
However, the trail's difficulty comes with a reward. Along the way, hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders may look west to see the 12,757-foot Mount Otto, the 13,101-foot Bushnell Peak and plenty of highly elevated aspen trees.
"In terms of fall color and what may be the classic Colorado picture of what fall looks like, the Rainbow Trail in Westcliffe is a good place," McHenry said.
Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached by email at JBartolo@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Check out these best hikes near Pueblo to see Colorado fall foliage
