Aspen Trees, San Juan Mountains, Telluride, Colorado

This grove of aspen trees flourishes near the town of Telluride on Turkey Creek Mesa. The high-elevation mesas around Telluride provide ideal habitat for these beautiful trees which usually reach their peak of color during the last week of September and the first week of October. A cool summer with moderate precipitation seems to provide the best conditions for a vivid display of autumn color. Cooler nights in September coupled with fewer hours of sunlight cause the trees to draw down the green-colored chlorophyll in the leaves to reveal their true yellow color.