Photography and 'Leaf Peeping' Locations Around the City
Colorado Springs transforms into a spectacular canvas of fall colors each autumn. While some leaves are already beginning to drop, I'm excited to share my favorite local spots for capturing the vibrant fall foliage in the Pikes Peak region.
During the autumn months, I typically spend a lot of time in the mountains of Colorado. However, Colorado Springs has some nice areas to catch fall colors. These spots are perfect not only for landscape photography but also for anyone wanting to enjoy fall colors or capture family portraits.
North Cheyenne Cañon Park
One of my favorite areas in Colorado Springs and first on the list is North Cheyenne Cañon Park, 2120 S Cheyenne Canon Rd. This park hosts a web of hiking trails, North Cheyenne Creek, historic mining roads, including tunnels and bridges, and many areas of fall colors.
Located just west of the Broadmoor Resort, the park's main entrance offers convenient parking. Just beyond the visitor center, you'll find one of the park's photogenic highlights: a historic bridge overlooking North Cheyenne Creek.
As you wander a bit further up the trail, there are groves of scrub oak under the fir trees.
Continuing up the trail, there are multiple access points to the creek that present you with photo opportunities. I love long exposure photography and will usually stop at any spot with fall water :)
This is a canyon of course, so lighting can be difficult. I find mornings and afternoons to have the best light. Just don't wait until sunset, because the canyon loses a lot of light after the sun crests over the mountains.
This photo was captured just after sunrise in the middle of the canyon.
Helen Hunt Falls is a few miles up the canyon. There is a small parking area, and the waterfall is near the old visitor center building, 3440 N Cheyenne Canon Rd. The leaves in this area turn colors a little earlier than they do in lower elevations of the canyon, so an early fall visit up here is a good idea.
Rock Ledge Ranch
Rock Ledge Ranch, 3105 Gateway Rd. A historic living history museum, is located adjacent to Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs. Rock Ledge Ranch offers numerous spots for capturing fall colors and multiple nice subjects for landscape and nature photos.
One highlight is a small pond bordered by large trees. During my visit last fall, I discovered this perfect reflection scene while exploring the grounds. Though other photographers were present, patience yielded the shot I wanted. The mirror-like water created stunning reflections, and by positioning my camera low to the water's surface while carefully composing to eliminate distractions at the edges, I captured this serene autumn scene.
Just a bit north of the pond is this white barn. I found that there are lots of distractions around the barn. So, it was best to photograph through the trees on a nearby trail.
Continuing on the trail you can find this reconstructed cabin. Near the cabin there is a livestock corral, an outhouse and a dirt oven (not sure if that is the correct terminology).
Garden of the Gods Park
While you are at the ranch, you might as well wander into Garden of the Gods Park, 1805 N 30th St. There are multiple walking trails that connect to the park.
There are not a lot of deciduous trees in the park, but you can find enough to capture some nice photos.
Manitou Springs
Just north of Garden of the Gods Park is the small town of Manitou Springs. There are no large forests here, but you can still find some nice parks with fall colors.
This is a late afternoon view of Fountain Creek.
Bear Creek Nature Park
This park has many grass fields, a community garden, a dog park, and walking trails through forested areas. There is also a small creek, that if you time it right, could yield some interesting views. Address: 245 Bear Creek Road
America the Beautiful Park
America the Beautiful Park is in Downtown Colorado Springs. It is a small park, but it has a nice view of Pikes Peak from the park. Address: 126 Cimino Dr.
Broadmoor and Lake Avenue
There are multiple areas around the Broadmoor Resort, 1 Lake Avenue. One that I really like is on Lake Avenue, there is a long line of trees with nice fall colors that lead right to the main hotel.
Upper Gold Camp Road - AKA, the long back road to Victor & Cripple Creek
This road is mostly an old gravel mining road. The road can be rough at times, there are hills and many turns. It can take a few hours to drive it, and that is without stopping for photos. There are a few nice scenic spots, so be ready to pull over when you see a good shot.
I hope you've enjoyed this tour of Colorado Springs' best fall color destinations. While I've shared my favorite spots, our city offers many more locations to experience autumn's splendor, including:
Quail Lake
Monument Valley Park
Cottonwood Creek Recreation Area
Memorial Park
Cheyenne Mountain State Park
Pro tip: Peak fall colors typically occur between mid to late October in Colorado Springs, with higher elevations changing first. Remember to check local weather forecasts and park websites before visiting, as conditions can vary year to year.
Have a favorite fall spot I didn't mention? Share your experiences in the comments below! Happy leaf peeping!"
Fine more of my Colorado Springs photos in my galley here:
Want to improve your fall photography skills? As a Colorado Springs photography mentor, I offer one-on-one sessions where we can visit these locations together and master techniques like capturing reflections, working with golden-hour lighting, and composing stunning autumn landscapes. Learn more about my photography mentoring services here. Or book an online session with me with the links below.
All content on this page was created by Daniel Forster - All rights reserved - Copyright 2024
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