Arizona Republic (Sept 18, 2024) by Roger Naylor

Hope is restored. After yet another scorching summer, the relief of autumn is finally within sight. Cooler temperatures are on the way. Of course, shorter days also signal the start of one of nature’s most beloved seasonal displays — fall colors are coming to Arizona.

Unlike spring wildflowers, fall colors do not rely on Arizona’s fickle bouts of moisture. This fiesta of brilliant hues is in response to waning sunlight. Leaves are green during summer because of chlorophyll, the pigment that allows plants to make food from carbon dioxide and water.

With less sunlight, chlorophyll production decreases and leaves lose their green. Other pigments — already present in each leaf — take over and suddenly the forests from Sedona to Flagstaff to the White Mountains are filled with shades of gold, orange and red.

The best way to enjoy the show is on foot. Take a walk in the woods and see for yourself. Here are some of Arizona’s best fall color hikes.

Best time to see fall colors in Flagstaff

In Flagstaff the leaf peeping is concentrated, revolving around the San Francisco Peaks, the ragged remnants of a hulking stratovolcano. Take the paved Snowbowl Road to experience some of Arizona’s best fall foliage. Peak time to see the aspens is late September to mid-October.

Here are four of the best fall colors hikes in Flagstaff.

Aspen Corner: Get an early start and you may be able to snag a parking spot at Aspen Corner, about 5.5 miles up the Snowbowl Road.

This is one of the premier photo ops in autumn with a wall of brilliant aspens forming a magical backdrop. Follow the path as it meanders past golden groves and connects with a segment of the Arizona Trail continuing through pine trees and sloping green fields. If you hike to Bismarck Lake, it’s about 7 miles round trip.

 

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