Aspen Trees, Maroon Creek, Elk Mountains, Colorado

The aspen forests of the Elk Mountains above the town of Aspen are truly legendary. Vast aspen groves carpet thousands of acres of mountainside along Castle Creek and Maroon Creek just south of town. Here along West Maroon Creek, the displays during the last week of September are breathtaking. The 9,000-foot elevation provides ideal growing conditions for this tree. Nourished by dependable summer monsoon rains, the aspen trees here can reach diameters larger than 30 inches. A cool summer with moderate precipitation provides the best conditions for a vivid display of color in autumn. 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.