Aspen grove, Marshall Pass, Colorado.

Autumn is by far my favorite nature photography season.  I take more pictures in the fall than any other season of the year.

Initially posted November 18, 2025. Most recent update: October 12, 2025.

Several years ago I looked at my “most favorite photos” folder and counted the number of nature photography photos taken in each season of the year.  Here are the results.

Winter – 7%
Spring – 19%
Summer – 27%
Fall – 47%

“River of Sky”, maple trees, roadside park south of Germfask Michigan.

Early this fall I got the idea of tracking the fall season by choosing my favorite fall photos for each date. I was going to start September 23 in Colorado and end on November 17 in Iowa. Or so I thought. Then I remembered my fall in Alaska photos which began August 28 and I found fall photos in Ohio as late as December 18.

Aspen, Ohio Pass, Colorado

The best of the fall color season, at least in my photographs, overlaps in some of these states, and it varies from year to year.  I went to the folder with my “most important photos” and looked for the first and last date I have a favorite fall photo for each of these states. Colorado, Michigan, and Ohio are based on years of photography.  I have less experience for Iowa.  Alaska and Acadia are based on just one trip. Vermont and California are based on just one day.

Alaska:  August 28 – September 1
Colorado:  September 23 – October 29
Michigan:  October 8 – October 27
Acadia in Maine:  October 18 – October 22
Vermont: October 23
California: October 25
Ohio: October 30 – December 18
Iowa: November 4 – November 16

Cut River Bridge in the Fall, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The whole fall photo series is in the posts below this one, and a few above this one.