You can see your breath and feel the crunch of the autumn leaves below your feet. The days are cooler and the nights longer. Fall is finally here. While this might have seemed like a pipe dream for the last couple of months, we’ve finally reached the time when fall is within reach. And whether you’re a portrait, wildlife, or outdoor photographer, the start of fall marks one of the most fruitful times of the year for photography. You might think Utah and fall photography don’t go well together, but in this article I hope to change that belief.
When most photographers think of fall photography, they think of some of the premier autumn destinations in the United States. Places like Colorado’s Crested Butte, Maine’s Acadia National Park, or Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains are often some of the most intriguing photography locations in September and October. But most photographers overlook one of the most diverse and scenic places to capture fall color: Utah.
Northern Utah offers photographers miles and miles of aspen groves, stretching as far as the eye can see, while Southern Utah offers stunning cottonwood trees, each unique with its own character. And if you know where to look, fall color can stretch from the middle of September through the end of November. As an avid outdoor photographer, guide, and Utah resident, I’ve been fortunate enough to capture the stunning fall season in Utah for years. In this guide, I’m going to share some of Utah’s best spots to capture fall color, including the best time to visit to catch the peak of the season.
Wasatch Mountains
Peak Timing: End of September thru Mid-October
Just outside of Salt Lake City lie hundreds of miles of aspen groves, maple trees, and scrub oaks that turn all shades of red, orange, and yellow. The best locations include Big Cottonwood Canyon, Guardsman Pass, Millcreek Canyon, and the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway. These locations are all within proximity to Salt Lake, so be sure to get out there early to avoid traffic. This is a great place to take portraits, landscapes, and even wildlife, with numerous moose sightings every year. Pack everything from an ultra-wide lens for capturing details within the trees to your telephoto lens to shoot the finer details in the landscape and the massive aspen groves.
Fish Lake National Forest
Peak Timing: End of September thru Mid-October
Fish Lake National Forest is home to the world’s largest tree by weight and landmass. This grove of aspen trees was identified to all have the same genetic markers, meaning each shoot is part of the same organism. Due to the sheer amount of aspens in this area, you’ll have plenty of photographic subjects to choose from. This is a great spot for portrait and landscape photography, and be sure to bring all focal lengths for the best variety!
Capitol Reef National Park
Peak Timing: Mid-October thru End of October
Capitol Reef is Utah’s least visited National Park, but it offers a stunning photo opportunity in late October. The Fremont River runs adjacent to the main highway that travels through the park, creating an opportunity for cottonwood trees to grow within the canyon. These trees turn a beautiful shade of yellow in the fall, and combined with the red rock backdrop, the images you can create are like no other. I like shooting with a telephoto lens to help cut out the clutter and focus in on individual trees in front of the massive red rock cliffs. Some of the trees with the most character lie just behind the visitor center and at many of the various pullouts off the highway as you drive through the park.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Peak Timing: Mid-October thru End of October
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is a hiking photographer’s dream near the end of October. While Southern Utah isn’t known for its waterfalls, Lower Calf Creek is one of the more photogenic falls in all of Utah. At the bottom of the falls is a huge forest of cottonwood trees, providing beautiful fall color if you visit at the right time. Additionally, finding any hike with a view of the Escalante River is going to provide great photo opportunities, as this major drainage offers a fantastic environment for cottonwood trees to thrive. Once again, I find a mid-range as well as a telephoto lens to be best for this area.
Zion National Park
Peak Timing: Start of November thru Mid-November
Southern Utah’s crown jewel of Zion National Park might not be a place you’d expect to have great fall color, but you can find great colors on nearly any of the park’s most popular hikes. The fall color here is much later than most places across the United States, so aim to visit in the month of November for the best chances at getting superb conditions. The Narrows is a photo op you can’t pass up if you’re in the park, if you can manage the hike.
While the trees within The Narrows are small, the sense of scale is incredible when you frame them with the rushing water of the Virgin River and the canyon walls thousands of feet above you. Other fan-favorite hikes include Angel’s Landing, which can provide great views of the fall color in the whole canyon, Emerald Pools, Canyon Overlook, and the Pa’rus Trail. Bring your wide-angle lens to Zion, as you’ll have numerous great opportunities to capture the grand landscape!
My opinion may be biased, but I think Utah is one of the premier destinations for fall color in the world. With opportunities to see fall color spanning from as early as September through the middle of November, you have over 10 weeks of great fall color. How many other places can offer that type of longevity in the fall season?!
You Decide
From the mountains of Northern Utah to the deserts of Southern Utah, you can’t go wrong when it comes to visiting the state in the fall season. Whether you aim to capture endless fields of aspens or the intricate details of cottonwood trees surrounded by red rocks, Utah is the place to be. Allow this article to serve as a guide, but don’t let it limit you. Utah has hundreds of additional locations that photograph well in the fall that can easily be tacked on to any trip, so ensure you do more research to find even more great spots. As always, happy shooting and best of luck out there!
