Photographs of San Juan Mountain Fall Landscapes

Here are photographs of San Juan Mountain fall landscapes. In autumn these Colorado mountains are full of color, from both fall leaves and colorful geology.

Portfolio of fall landscapes in the San Juans

Here is our collection of San Juan Mountain fall landscapes for your enjoyment.

A view back along Governor's Basin Road toward Yankee Boy Basin, with Lower Twin Falls in the distance.

A zig-zag log fence leads your eye up to the Cimarron Mountains on CR 861 near Silver Jack Reservoir, near Cimarron, Colorado.

A Lone tree stands in a field of autumn-colored grasses, fenced in by a barb-wire fence.

A forest of aspens awaits the coming of fall.

View autumn color below the Sneffles Range near the Dallas Divide on Colorado Highway 62 near Ridgeway, Colorado.

Red afternoon light tinges the storm clouds looming over the Sneffels Range near Ridgeway, Colorado.

A view of a mountain stream taken after a dusting of snow along the Million Dollar Highway outside Ouray, Colorado.

Snowy Red Mountain and autumn aspens are reflected in Crystal Lake, located on US 550 near Ironton, Colorado.

Aspens and oaks are flected in Crystal Lake near Ironton, Colorado, off US 550.

The afternoon sun illumunates the yellow aspens along Owl Creek Pass Road between Ridgway, colorado, and Cimarron, Colorado.

A grove of aspen along a mountain road is luminous with the noonday sun.

A brilliant yellow narrow-leaf cottonwood stands along the East Fork of the Cimarron River with snowy mountains in the distance, as seen from Forest Road 858 near Silver Jack Reservoir.

The last light o the days washes the Cimarron Mountains in orange and pink light as seen from Ridgway State Park outside Ridgway, Colorado.

Autumn aspens are reflected in a large puddle on CR 5 near Ridgway, Colorado.

Canyon along CR 9 Colored by Gambel Oaks and Aspen Trees

CR 9 near Ridgway, Colorado, winds through the foothills of Mt. Sneffels through aspens and gambel oaks near Ridgway, Colorado.

A panoramic view along CR 7, looking toward the Snellels Wilderness showing the autumn colors of aspen, gambel oak, and cottonwoods

A mountain pasture is surrounded by autumn-colored Gambel oaks and aspens as seen from Ouray CR 14a near Ouray, Colorado, off US 550.

The highly mineralized rocks of the San Juan Mountains contrast with the bright fall colors of the Gambel oaks and aspen trees.

An orange Oreas Comma clings to an aspen bole in an aspen grove in autumn.

A white aspen bole stands out among its siblings in a Colorado aspen grove in autumn.

Yellow aspens are reflected in a pond as sunlight illuminates aspen boles in the foreground, on Last Dollar Road near Ridgway, Colorado.

Late afternoon light illuminates Mt. Sneffels and causes the orange Gambel oaks and yellow aspens to glow, as seen from CR 7 near Ridgway, Colorado.

Flaming aspens and a log fence border Owl Creek Pass Road, heading toward the Cimarron Mountains near Silver Jack Reservoir between Ridgway and Cimarron, Colorado.

Russet oaks and golden aspens lead the eye up to the Cimarron Mountains as seen from Owl Creek Pass Road near Ridgway, Colorado.

Brilliant Gambel oaksand yellow aspens contrast with the brooding clouds over Ridgway, Colorado, as seen from Owl Creek Pass Road.

Newly-cut hay in round bales sits in a mountain pasture close to Ridgway, Colorado, along Highway 62, with the snowy Sneffels Wilderness in the background.

Newly fallen snow graces the flanks of Mt. Sneffels with brilliant red Gambel oaks and snowy pine trees in the foreground as seen from CR 7 near Ridgway, Colorado.

Colorful aspens and Gambel oaks treat the eye along CR 7 near Ridgway, Colorado, with the snow-capped mountains of the Sneffels Wilderness in the distance.

Colorful aspens and russet oaks treat the eye along CR 7 near Ridgway, Colorado, with the snow-capped mountains of the Sneffels Wilderness in the distance under retreating storm clouds.

Russet oaks and golden aspens lead the eye up to the snowy Cimarron Mountains as seen from Owl Creek Pass Road near Ridgway, Colorado.

Green, yellow, orange, and red aspens march up the mountainsides above Silver Jack Reservoir on Owl Creek Pass Road near Ridgway, Colorado.

View of Governor’s Basin Road from CR 26.

Camp Bird Road takes you to the old Camp Bird mining complex. This route is more famous for its ramshackle mining buildings and summer wild flowers. In the fall, though, colorful aspens, deep green confifers, and a the rushing water of Canyon Creek present photographers with varied and lovely views less than 10 miles from Ouray.

Looking up from Amphitheater Campground Road above Ouray, Colorado.

Along Yankee Boy Basin Road, across from the parking for Twin Falls, eroded volcanic tuff creates interesting rock formations.

View down Canyon Creek along Yankee Boy Basin Road near Ouray, Colorado.

View along Yankee Boy Basin Road, near Ouray, Colorado.

Sunset colors reflect on the water remaining in the reservoir at Ridgway State Park in Ridgway, Colorado. In the distance you can see the Sneffles Range.

The Uncompahgre River is a beautiful green color as it heads from Ouray, Colorado, to join the Gunnison River near Delta, Colorado. Fall foliage lines the banks near Ridgway State Park on Highway 550.

A firey red sunset is reflected by the Cimarron Mountains, as seen from Ridgeway State Park, Colorado.

Virga over the Cimarron mountains catches the light of the setting sun, as seen from Ridgeway State Park, Colorado.

Here a reenacter is practicing for the famous scene from the Jon Wayne version of True Grit in Katie's Meadow along Owl Creek Pass Road between Ridgway and Cimarron, Colorado.

A zig-zag fence leads the eye up to a forest of brilliant scrub oaks that grow on a rise that partly conceals a yellow aspen forest in the distance.

Deep woods and a fallen tree are reflected in the almost still waters of Woods Lake, at the end of Fall Creek Road, near Telluride, Colorado.

A farm building is just visible along the Last Dollar Road between Telluride and Ridgway, Colorado.

Trout Lake Trestle is one of the last surviving wooden trestle bridges constructed by the Rio Grande Southern Railway.

A view north up the valley of the Uncompahgre River as it flows alongside US 550 as it heads to Ouray, Colorado.. Notice: No guardrails!

A view along Ophir Pass road as it heads up to the pass toward Ophir, Colorado, near Telluride.

Brooding clouds wreath the mountain tops along Ophir Pass Road.

A colorful view awaits as you crest Ophit Pass. Notice the green talus next to the road. Some of it is green because of mineralization and som eis green because of lichen and moss. In the distance are colorful aspen trees and scrub oaks.

The rust and tan rocks contrast with the golden aspens along Ophir Pass Road, between US 550 and Telluride, Colorado.

A view down the Howard Fork Valley to Ophir from high up Ophir Pass Road that runs between Highway 550 and Telluride, Colorado.

Aspen leaves float on the surface of Woods Lake, at the end of Fall Creek Road, near Telluride, Colorado.

Colorful aspen trees are reflected on the surface of Woods Lake, at the end of Fall Creek Road, near Telluride, Colorado.

This footbridge crosses Red Mountain Creek and is located near the Ironton Townsite off Highway 550 between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado.

Colorful oaks and aspens on the opposite mountainside reflect in the puddles of a recent rain on CR 31, below the Yankee Girl Mine near Ouray, Colorado.

A view of Silverton,. Colorado, taken from an overview south of town on Highway 550.

This is one of several barriers built along Old Lime Creek road by the Civilian Conservation Corp. This road winds along Lime Creek and takes you through breathtaking fall scenery.

A view of a mountain lake with rabbitbrush in the foreground, looking toward Mt. Sneffels from CR 7 near Ridgeway, Colorado.

Cattle graze along a forest service road close to Silver Jack Reservoir, near Cimarron, Colorado

A simple house is nestled in the pine woods surrounded by autumn aspens and Gambel oaks on CR 5.

Late afternoon light tinges the Cimarron Mountains highlighting the red and orange Gambel oak and the yellow and orange aspen as seen from Vista Point off Owl Creek Road near Ridgway, Colorado.

Morning light and golden aspens highlight the view of Courthouse Rock as seen from the Owl Creek Pass Road between Ridgway and Cimarron, Colorado.

A barbed-wire fence along Owl Creek Pass Road with autumn-colored Gambel Oaks and green grass.

Early snow highlights autumn aspens which frame a rustic zig-zag fence off CR 5 near Ridgway, Colorado.

The Schmidt Ranch, a Colorado Centennial farm sourrounded by brilliant autumn aspens and snow-capped mountains, is on Wilson Mesa off Silver Pick Road near Telluride, Colorado.

Areas covered by these photos

We used Ridgway State Park, on the outskirts of Ridgway, as our base camp. From there, we explored the mountains around Ridgway, Our, Silverton, Telluride, and Ophir. Here are some Google maps with some of the best photo locations listed.

Ridgway area:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zxytoCjVKsz0.kJcTn2u-C5-0&usp=sharing

Ouray and Silverton area: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zxytoCjVKsz0.kyP7NFKPBlQ4&usp=sharing

And, here is a blog post, along with a PDF guide, to help you find the best places to photograph fall landscapes in the San Juan Mountains.

Other photographs taken in the San Juan Mountains

Here is a list of posts containing more photographs of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado:

Purchasing our photographs

If you would like to license out photographs or purchase a print, please contact us using the form to the right. We will do our best to meet your needs. Here is some pricing information about our fine art prints.

Fall Landscapes of the San Juan Mountains

Portfolio of fall landscapes in the San Juans

Areas covered by these photos

Other photographs taken in the San Juan Mountains

Purchasing our photographs

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