Aspen Season in Summit County: Best Drives + Getting Your Home Ready for Winter

The aspens are turning, and up here — most of Summit County sits above 9,000 feet — that happens earlier than almost anywhere else in Colorado. The real peak is still a week or two out, but if you want a preview, or you're just looking for a good excuse to get in the car this weekend, here's where I'd point you.

Boreas Pass Road is the one I recommend most: the old railroad grade climbs out of Breckenridge through some of the county's best aspen groves, easy whether you're driving, biking, or walking. If you want a bigger view, Hoosier Pass — about ten miles south on Highway 9 — climbs to over 11,500 feet through a golden tunnel of aspens, with Mount Silverheels standing over the whole scene from the top. And if you're short on time, Swan Mountain Road between Dillon and Keystone is a quick, high-reward loop — the aspens reflect right off Lake Dillon, and it passes Sapphire Point Overlook if you want to get out and take it in properly.

The same shift that's turning the leaves is also the cue to start getting your property ready for what's next. A few things worth doing in the next couple of weeks if you haven't already: cut back your perennials once they've died back for the season — it's easier on the plants come spring, and easier on you than doing it in the cold. If you haven't blown out your sprinkler system yet, aim to get it done before mid-September; a hard freeze on a full line is one of the more expensive mistakes a homeowner can make up here. And a round of winter fertilizer on the lawn now gives the grass what it needs to come back strong next year, rather than trying to catch up in spring.

We usually get our first dusting of snow sometime in the middle to end of the month — it doesn't stick, but it's a good reminder that the window for outdoor projects is closing faster than it feels like it is. Whether you're getting your own place ready for winter or thinking about what a property needs before it goes on the market next spring, now's the time to get ahead of it.

If you're weighing any of that — timing a listing, prepping a second home before you head out for the season — I'm happy to talk through it. Otherwise, I hope you get out for at least one of those drives before the color's gone.