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Maroon Bells reflected in Maroon Lake with golden fall aspens

Best Colorado tours for fall and winter 2026

The best Colorado tours for fall and winter 2026 follow the season: gold aspens and the elk rut until mid-October, then ski, snowshoe and tubing days once the first ski areas open, usually in late October or early November. Each tour below comes from one of our comparison pages.

Updated October 21, 2026 · We may earn a commission

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Status update, October 21, 2026.

  • Ski season hasn't started yet. Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain, Keystone and Loveland were all making snow by mid-October (Denver Gazette). Keystone is selling lift tickets for Saturday, October 24, but told the Steamboat Pilot it had no official opening date. A-Basin's site says it will open as soon as it can (A-Basin), and Loveland is aiming for late October or early November (Loveland). Set dates so far: Breckenridge and Copper on November 6, Vail on November 13, Steamboat on November 21, Beaver Creek on November 25, and Aspen Mountain and Snowmass on November 26 (Vail Resorts, Colorado Ski Country USA).
  • Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park closed temporarily on October 13 for snow and ice between Rainbow Curve and Milner Pass (CBS Colorado). The road's average closing date for winter is October 23, and last year it closed on November 14 (NPS, NPS). Call the recorded status line at 970-586-1222 before you drive up. Timed entry is over for 2026, so you only need an entrance pass, and Bear Lake Road stays open all year (NPS, NPS).
  • The Maroon Bells shuttle stopped for the season on October 18. Through October 31 you need a parking reservation to drive in, but you no longer have to arrive before 8 a.m. From November 1 parking is first come, first served until Maroon Creek Road closes for winter, typically around November 10 (Visit Maroon Bells).
  • Halloween in Denver: Boo at the Zoo has nights left on October 23 to 25 and October 30, plus a sensory-friendly night on October 31, all from 4:30 to 9 p.m. (Denver Zoo). Glow at the Gardens, a path of hand-carved pumpkins at Denver Botanic Gardens on York Street, runs October 21 to 24 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. (Denver Botanic Gardens). Elitch Gardens runs Fright Fest through November 1; the kids' Booville area closes at 6 p.m. each night (Elitch Gardens).

All of this week's Colorado updates

Fall: mid-September to October

From mid-September to mid-October the aspens turn gold and the elk rut is on in Rocky Mountain National Park. Trail Ridge Road closed temporarily on October 13 for snow and ice, and it typically closes for the season in mid-to-late October; check the NPS status line at 970-586-1222. Park-wide timed entry ended October 12, and Bear Lake Road timed entry ended October 18. Mount Blue Sky (formerly Mount Evans) scenic highway is closed for the season as of October 5. Independence Pass usually closes late October to early November. Maroon Bells parking reservations continue through October 31, and the RFTA shuttle stopped for the season on October 18. In Denver, Halloween events run to the end of the month, including Boo at the Zoo, Glow at the Gardens and Fright Fest at Elitch Gardens (dates are in the update above).

Sources: NPS Trail Ridge, NPS timed entry, Denver Gazette seasonal roads, Aspen Snowmass Maroon Bells, Denver Zoo. Updated Oct 2026.

Winter: mid-November to April

Colorado's ski season generally runs from about mid-November to April. Confirmed 2026-27 openings include Breckenridge and Copper Mountain on November 6 and Vail on November 13 (Vail Resorts / resort sites). Keystone is targeting as soon as possible in October; Arapahoe Basin, Loveland and Winter Park still say ASAP or late October to early November without a firm calendar date. If you don't want to drive I-70 in snow, these day trips from Denver include transportation. Snowshoe and tubing tours depend on snow cover, so routes can change.

Opening dates: Vail Resorts newsroom, GoColorado roundup, Colorado Ski Country USA. Updated Oct 2026.

Prices were checked October 13, 2026 and change by date and holiday. The booking site shows the live price. See the full lists for winter tours and RMNP tours.

Frequently asked questions

When do the aspens turn in Colorado?

Usually from mid-September to mid-October, with higher elevations turning first.

When does Trail Ridge Road close?

It usually closes for the season in mid-to-late October, depending on snow, and reopens in late May. On October 13, 2026 it closed temporarily for snow and ice, and its average seasonal closing date is October 23, so expect it to be closed for winter soon. Always check NPS before you go.

Can I ski from Denver without a car?

Yes. Guided ski days from Denver include transportation, and some include lift tickets and rentals. One Copper Mountain day we found starts at $350.

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