Best Places to See Fall Colors in Loveland & NoCo

It’s that time of year where Coloradans and tourists alike are flocking to the mountains to see the fall colors! And while in a perfect world you’d get a chance to go to Vail or Steamboat or somewhere amazing like that, it’s not always in the schedule or budget! The good news is, you can still see plenty of fall colors without having to go too far at all. Here are the best places to see fall colors in Loveland and NoCo.

The Big Thompson Canyon

The Big Thompson Canyon and Estes Park aren’t just for tourists, as you well know. You can make your trip up the canyon as simple as a picnic at Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park or as elaborate as a day hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. The Big Thompson Canyon has a few iconic touristy stops along the way, like the Colorado Cherry Company, so you can grab a sweet treat too!

The Poudre Canyon

Like the Big Thompson Canyon, you can make a trip up the Poudre Canyon a lunchtime picnic at Picnic Rock or a whole weekend affair over in Walden. The great thing about the Poudre Canyon is you really don’t have to go too far to get lots of access to fall hikes (try Greyrock), or you can even go to the Mishawaka for an outdoor meal in the canyon. 

Red Feather Lakes

Red Feather Lakes is about an hour from Old Town Fort Collins and is a perfect little getaway for fall colors. The Mount Margaret Trail is an easy out-and-back trail, so you can just go for as long as you’d like or make it to the summit for a 7.2-mile total hike. Red Feather is also a good launching point for exploring Roosevelt National Forest, which has excellent camping and hiking.

Northern Colorado is an ideal spot to soak in the fall colors, and we are so thankful we get to do so! If you want to learn more about some of my favorite NoCo hikes, all of which would be good for spotting some brilliant aspens, check out my past “Best Hikes in Loveland and NoCo” blog.