Every year is a little different. I live about 50 miles west of Durango and I tell my friends who want to see the color they can't go wrong on the first week of October.
Willows have been going in the flat tops and Routt the last couple weeks. Aspens just barely starting. A few more nights in the high 30s out to do it, but it's still early yet.
Took a road trip to Ripple Creek Pass and then to Trappers Lake east of Meeker in the Flattops Wilderness area in the 10 to 11 thousand altitude range. The Aspen have just barely started to change, with a very few little patches of yellow and copper orange. With all the moisture this year and warm temps, my guess is the major change will be a little later this year.
We have delayed our color tour, the web cam in Sheep Creek is not showing much color change. Looks like it will be the first of oct. before the big change in the Conejos valley.
Took some friends from Arizona on the loop from Cortez to Rico, Telluride, Ouray, Silverton and Durango on Thursday. Not a lot on the Cortez, Dolores Rico side. Probably early next week. Ouray , Silverton to Durango was coming along pretty good. It should really be pretty this weekend. Had snow in the high country Thursday night. It will be cold this weekend.