September 10th Bill and I took a drive into the forest to Marble View and it was beginning to look like fall on the Kaibab.
For eight seasons I’ve been photographing the golden aspen and for the first six years the colors started about the third week in September.
Last year they started to turn the first week in September and this year the second week. What’s normal about weather?
But this year I’m seeing a lot of turn brown and fall down instead of the rows of brilliant color.
The 14th as I drove off the Kaibab I saw more trees turning but again not the usual bright yellows contrasting against the every green of the pines, firs and spruce.
The meadows are turning a golden brown that spreads far along the main road.
Where the bison hybrids graze.
Squirrels are stashing food like crazy. Does this mean we are in for an early and severe winter?
On the drive back to the North Rim the 18th I saw even more changing.
And my favorite little curved aspen by the North Rim’s entrance station has turned to gold.
Oh, and the view of the distant Vermilion Cliffs from Marble View.
Are the colors turning to fall where you are?
We saw this same thing on the drive back from Aspen to Crested Butte over Kebler Pass. The aspens seemed to be going straight from green to brown this year. A little yellow, but not much. Love your curved aspen! It’s determined to put on a show no matter what the big guys do. 😉
It’s gotten cold and now we have more rain coming. I love that little curvy aspen.
The best we’ve seen yet were up on Monarch Pass in southern Colorado. Yesterday we were on Wolf Creek Pass but the colors were not nearly as impressive. Depends on so many factors.
It is definitely feeling like fall in the air, though!
Definitely fall and starting to feel like winter up here.
I like that tree-hugger! Yes, our fall has been underway about 2 weeks. At my house and trails above 10,000′ it’s startlingly pretty. However, I walked to town (9, 600′) yesterday and not a lot of color there. Some of the aspens around here have a fungus that makes the leaves drop early before the full change to yellow. I’m hoping fall lasts into October this year. When is your last day at the Rim?
Thanks Barb, always nice to hug a tree. My last day is October 17.
Love the tall aspens and the golden hills. Sad to think the colors are being muted 🙁 The cottonwoods and birch are turning yellow in eastern Oregon at the higher elevations. Some amazing low growing bushes are the most amazing bright orange along the roadsides as well. Yay Autumn!!
Feels kind of like fall turning to winter here. I miss those blazing colors. Glad you’re getting that in OR.
It looks like fall here also. The Aspen are half gold and half brown. We kayaked the Williamson River above Chiloquin last week. Our favorite fall float. The pine trees, Aspen and the river were beautiful. Love your Aspen pictures.
Thanks. I’ll bet it’s gorgeous to see the fall colors from the river.
Heck no. It’s hotter than Haites here! Well today it’s raining non stop all day long. But the answer to your question. Yes, winter is going to be amazing this year. I think for us it will be wet. But at the Rim there will be lots of snow:)
That’s what happens when you live in the desert. Looking at some big rain heading our way tonight and tomorrow. Thank goodness I’m heading off the plateau today. Hope the rim does get a lot snow this winter.
It’s 95 degrees here so it won’t be fall for a while regardless of what the calendar might say.
I’m liking the sound of those temps as I don’t like cold weather.
Thank you for this fall color “report”. We’re in Yavapai County, and were thinking of coming up to the N.R. for the fall colors. Now, we may just stay closer to home and check out the aspens on the S.F. Peaks.
Once you’re settle back in Yarnell, it would be fun to meet you in person. Send us an email! Or, use RVillage to send a PM.
Thank you for the vicarious GC NR adventure this season!
I’ve seen brighter falls on the Kaibab. Hope the SFs give you a good showing.
Fall is making an appearance, even in the South. Highs for the next 7 days or so are to be in the eighties, with nights in the low sixties, or maybe fifties. Doesn’t get much better than that in September.
Sounds like the temps here in Kanab, UT.
LOVE that picture of you hugging the tree!! And the one of the little aspen that could. Fall has definitely started here. Leaves all over the ground and the reds are coming out. The “height” of color here in the Blue Ridge is usually mid October. Think it may be earlier than that this year. Although if it doesn’t stop raining, the trees may just turn their leaves brown and forgetaboutit.
Us tree huggers stick together. I need to keep up with your posts to see all those fall colors.
Tree hugger! Here in Maryland the leaves are turning yellow, seemingly overnight there is so much change. I love fall, it is my absolute favorite time of year and now that we’re living in Maryland I’m going to be surrounded by glorious fall colors in and around the Shenandoah Valley.
Oooooh….. so many familiar sights for me. And I love the one of you hugging the tree.
At least some of these sights should be familiar.
On my side of the world the colours are changing. But not in the leaves. Rather in the flowers. Spring is here and we’ve had good rains so everything is beautiful. After a wet winter we can’t wait for summer.