What an unforgettable time we had on this year’s San Juans Fall Color Tour! The scenery, the company, the perfect weather—we couldn’t have asked for more. Let me take you through our adventure-packed 4 days exploring some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Colorado.
Day 1 started with an auto tour from Ouray to Silverton, hitting all the best stops along the way—overlooks, historic mines, and rugged mountain views that stretch as far as the eye can see. We were hopping in and out of the vehicles, snapping shots and making sure we didn’t miss a single thing. But the night wasn’t over yet! We wrapped things up by shooting the Milky Way over Crystal Lake. Even though the lake is being drained for dam maintenance, the stars aligned just right (literally), and we still caught some amazing reflections.
Day 2 kicked off with a stunning sunrise over the Molas Cabin and Molas Lake. There’s something special about seeing the first light hit the water, especially when it’s reflected by those glowing fall colors. But the highlight of the day? A scenic steam train ride from Durango to Silverton through the Animas River Canyon! We maxed out SD cards and drained batteries because every turn brought more jaw-dropping views. After an epic morning, we grabbed lunch at the best BBQ joint around—because a tour like this deserves some killer local food! We ended the day riding back into Durango as the sun set behind us, the perfect close to a perfect day.
Day 3 didn’t hold back either. We started bright and early at a scenic overlook where the Ophir Needles and Sunshine Mountain gave us the most beautiful alpenglow. That soft light hitting the peaks? Unreal. Then, we headed over to Telluride and took the gondola up for 360-degree views of the San Juans. The colors were popping in every direction, and the whole group was loving it. From there, we journeyed to the basin of Wilson Peak, one of Colorado’s iconic 14ers featured on the Coor’s Beer Can, to capture scenic ranches and sprawling views of the aspens in all their glory.
The afternoon had a twist—an editing course focused on Lightroom and Milky Way stacking, which was just what we needed to polish our shots before heading out for our sunset session at Bear Creek Falls. We even witnessed an elopement right there! Talk about a surprise—one of those magical moments that happens when you’re in the right place at the right time. To top things off, we dabbled in some car trail photography before calling it a night.
On our final morning, we caught the sunrise at Dallas Divide with the sun sneaking over the horizon to light up Mt. Sneffels. It was the perfect way to end the trip—watching the landscape we’d come to love glow in that golden morning light. Afterward, we gathered back at the hotel for a hot breakfast, where we tackled any last-minute editing questions and just enjoyed each other’s company one last time before heading home.
This tour was such a success that I’m already planning for 2025—and guess what? I’m posting TWO dates (one date is already posted!!) to make sure everyone has a chance to join in on the fun. Stay tuned for the official announcement of the second date, and thank you to everyone who made this trip so incredible. The memories we made and the photos we captured are something I’ll be looking back on for a long time.
