October 6-9, 2025

By Tim Briese

My daughter Emily asked if I would like to join her on a trip to the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado to see and photograph the fall colors and I jumped at the chance. It is one of my favorite parts of the state, especially in the fall, and I had not been there in quite a while. She drove out from her place northwest of Denver and we met in Montrose on a sunny October afternoon. We headed south to Ridgway and drove up the West Dallas Creek road into the national forest at the base of the Sneffels range. Late that afternoon we went on a short hike to see the grand scenery before truck camping in the national forest that night.

on our late afternoon hike

The next morning we drove back down the road out of the national forest. 

nice colors greeted us the next morning

We returned to Ridgway and headed down scenic US 550 to Silverton and Molas Pass.

view of the needle mountains near molas pass

we drove up to explore a high basin northeast of silverton

a view along us 550

another view along the highway

Later in the day we returned north and headed to Telluride. The drive south of Telluride on CO 145 is one of the most spectacular drives in the San Juans in my opinion.

a view south of telluride

We truck camped again near Lizard Head Pass that night, with the temperature dropping overnight into the 20’s. The next day we headed back up CO 145 to Telluride. 

wilson peak from the highway

We went back through Ridgway again and took the scenic drive over Owl Creek Pass into the Cimarron Valley. This valley is also one of the most picturesque places in the San Juans.

on the owl creek pass road

chimney rock

cimarron ridge

That afternoon we went on a short hike on the Clear Lake Trail.

a forest road we walked on our hike

That evening we truck camped once again in a panoramic meadow with great views of the flaming aspens and rocky pinnacles.

a view from our camp

After more photos the next morning we packed up and headed for home.

a colorful view from camp the next morning

The next week Teresa and I headed to UT and AZ for more scenic photography. We were going to go through Durango on our way but historic rainfall temporarily closed US 160, so we took an alternate route through Ridgway and Telluride, giving me a chance to see that beautiful area twice in one week!

mt. sneffels the evening we arrived

beautiful yellow colors in ridgway

an ethereal view of mt. sneffels the next morning

a view south of telluride