Natural Beauty – Aspens in the Fall

The aspens are a big Fall attraction here. I love how their rich golden hues color the hills and mountains around Santa Fe. The display here generally starts around the beginning of October and lasts for several weeks.

Here are some aspen facts that may interest you:

1. Aspen are medium sized trees that grow 20 to 80 feet tall.  
2. Aspens are the most widely distributed native North American tree species.  
3. The bark of the aspen tree is smooth and off-white to gray.
4. The aspen’s leaves are are thin and measure 1.5 to 3 inches diameter with a flattened stem that allows the leaves to tremble in the slightest breeze. They are pointed at the apex and rounded at the base. 
5. A grove of aspens has uniform color because each tree in the grove is identical, sprouting from the same root network with the same genetic heritage. Although individual trees may live as long as 150 years, the root network can live thousands of years.

The natural beauty of aspens in the Fall is undeniable. Every Fall the leaves turn a brilliant yellow, gold, orange, or slightly red and this Fall color draws a lot of visitors. A drive up the road to the ski slopes is a tourist favorite.

I believe that Fall 2020 is going to be a good time to visit Santa Fe to see the Fall color display. Due to the corona virus, many of our Fall events aren’t happening. I think that there will undoubtedly be fewer tourists visiting this year. The museums are open so there are a lot of other things to do, too, while you are here.