One of my main motivations for moving to Utah from Tucson was to experience the feeling of four distinct seasons again. I love winter, and I love fall even more! I have found Utah fall colors all over the state, even in unexpected places like the desert. If you happen to visit Utah between September and November, be sure to check out these leaf-peeping spots.

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Of course these scenic byways in Utah are great spots for leaf peeping!

Best Time to See Fall Colors in Utah

The hardest part about seeing Utah’s fall foliage is the timing. Just like anywhere, the quality and duration of fall colors can vary quite a bit from year to year. Sometimes an early frost comes along and the leaves drop before they even turn. It’s kind of a crap shoot. Luckily, there are so many great Utah National Parks and Monuments that even if you miss the fall color, you’ll still enjoy beautiful scenic drives.

I live in Park City, and we are starting to see some reds in the 2nd and 3rd week of September; it’s been a pretty warm late summer so far, so the Aspens are not yet turning. Late September/early October seems to be the best time to see fall colors in Utah. You don’t want to come too late, as we usually get our first snow in the mountains in mid-October, and that tends to kill the leaf peeping season pretty quickly! If you are in the desert, push that out by a few weeks. The photo below was taken on October 23, kicking off what was to be a record-breaking snow season. This was the beginning of 600+ inches of snow! (900 in the Cottonwood Canyons!)

Pando

Did you know that Utah is home to the largest aspen forest on the planet? Because aspen trees are one large connected organism, Pando is technically the largest “tree” in the world, covering 108 acres. It is located in Fishlake National Forest in Central Utah.

If you can time it right, the fall colors in Pando are spectacular! I was lucky enough to visit the first weekend of October in 2021, and I was blown away! The yellow in the trees was so bright it was almost blinding. In 2023, we also visited the first weekend of October, and they had already peaked. I’m probably heading that way again soon, so we’ll see what the 2026 fall colors in Pando look like!

The drawback, or advantage for us Utah locals, is the location of Pando. It’s kind of in the middle of nowhere. It is exactly halfway between Richfield and Torrey, Utah. Both are about a 45 minute drive by car. Richfield is a decent-sized town with your typical chain hotels like Hampton Inn and Fairfield, however, they are often fairly expensive for what you get. Torrey is the gateway town to Capitol Reef National Park; there are no chain hotels, but there are plenty of mom-and-pop lodges and cabins.

Wasatch Mountains

The Wasatch Mountain Range is the range that looms over Salt Lake Valley from the East. The range runs from the Idaho border in the north, down through Central Utah. The Wasatch Front is the Salt Lake Valley, and the Wasatch Back is the backside of the range, which includes Park City and the surrounding Heber Valley. There are many places to see fall colors in the Wasatch Mountains. Many of the passes and roads mentioned here close in October for the winter season, so always check ahead to see if the roads are still open!

Experience the magic of Christmas in Park City!

Deer Valley

Deer Valley Resort runs its chairlifts on weekends through September, which is a great time to catch the leaves changing. If you catch a warm fall day, take the Silver Lake Express up to Silver Lake Village for a birds-eye view of the changing leaves. All of the major Deer Valley hotels (St. Regis, Stein Eriksen, Goldener Hirsch, and the Montage) have beautiful patios where you can enjoy a glass of wine and take in the view. Check out my local guide to Deer Valley.

Guardsman Pass & Big Cottonwood Canyon

From Deer Valley, you can climb up over Guardsman Pass and down into Big Cottonwood Canyon. This is where you’ll find Brighton and Solitude ski resorts. If you have extra time to get from Park City to Salt Lake City, this is the scenic route to take, and there are lots of amazing views and hiking trails along the way. As you descend from Empire Pass and just before you climb up to Guardsman Pass, there’s a fork in the road. Left will take you to Midway, and right will take you to Brighton, Solitude, and Salt Lake City. Right at this fork, there is a huge aspen stand that is gorgeous in any season, but especially in autumn.

(Dogs are allowed only up to Guardsman Pass; they are not allowed in Big Cottonwood Canyon!)

Sundance Mountain Resort

Robert Redford has great taste! Sundance Mountain Resort is one of my favorite places to visit in the Wasatch Mountains; it’s a beautiful property set at the base of Mount Timpanogos. I had the chance to go horseback riding at Sundance last fall, and I could not believe the color explosion! Yellows, reds, oranges…it was overwhelming! If you’re not up for horseback riding, you can also take a scenic chairlift ride or hike to Stewart Falls.

The base area of Sundance has several restaurants, outfitters where you can rent bikes, and a takeout deli with outdoor seating. There’s a creek running right through the middle, and it’s just so beautiful and peaceful.

From Sundance, you can take the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway into American Fork or back through Cascade Springs and into Midway. The Cascade Springs Loop was stunning in 2022!

Uinta Mountains

The Uinta Mountain range is unique in that the mountains run from East to West, not North-South like most mountain ranges. The best place to access the Uinta Mountains from the West is along the Mirror Lake Highway. There are hundreds of lakes along this route, and plenty of places to stop for a hike or overnight camp. The highway reaches elevations over 10,000 feet so it can be cold in the fall. The other end of the Uintas is near Vernal, Utah, and the Ashley National Forest. You can also see huge aspen groves along Highway 40 near Daniel’s Summit.

Be prepared for high elevation in the Utah mountains!

Moab

I visit Moab at least once a year and always try to visit in the off-season to avoid peak-season crowds. Every time I go, I find new things to do in Moab. My last trip was in mid-November, and I was pleasantly surprised by the fall color in the cottonwood trees along the Colorado River. It makes for such a pretty contrast against the red rocks. The photo below was taken on November 14, so you can see that the Utah fall colors in the desert are about a month behind the alpine areas.

Grand Staircase Escalante

A few years back, my mom and I took a mid-October road trip from Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef along Utah’s Scenic Highway 12 and found some beautiful fall colors along the way. I visited this area again in the spring, and I’m sure the Cottonwood trees along the Escalante River are just beautiful in the fall!

As we drove higher into the forest near Boulder Mountain, we drove through a huge aspen stand. I was sure it was the largest aspen forest I’ve ever seen. We were a bit late for fall color at this elevation, but this led me to Google “largest aspen stand in the world,” and that’s how I found out about Pando! So, this isn’t the largest, but it’s still pretty impressive if you can time it right.

St. George

Last year, I spent Thanksgiving in St. George. Again, lots of cottonwood trees along rivers, but I was a bit late for peak fall colors. Early to mid-November would probably be best for this southern part of Utah.

Dixie National Forest

Dixie National Forest is in Southern Utah and includes most of the area between Cedar City and Bryce Canyon National Park. Last fall, I had a weekend getaway in Duck Creek Village for my birthday. I was a bit too early for autumn foliage, but I loved the area and look forward to coming back. There are some great things to see in Cedar City, too, and Dixie National Forest is just a quick day trip away!

Between Utah’s fall color, alpine summers, dark skies, and the greatest snow on earth, can you blame me for being totally obsessed with travel in Utah? It’s amazing, no matter what season you decide to visit Utah!