Mother Nature has a rhythm all her own. Night brings day. The moon follows the sun. Summer gives way to fall.
Her language this time of year is subtle. She speaks with the rippling of a gently flowing stream and the rustling of golden aspens.That means it's time for residents of the Beehive State to once again observe that annual rite of passage: a fall foliage drive.
Utah's everlasting hills put on as good a show as any in our neighboring states. Favorite routes include Mount Nebo Loop between Payson and Nephi.
Guardsman Pass takes you from Brighton, at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, over the mountain to Park City. If conditions are right, the area is awash in gold this time of year.
The Alpine Loop linking Provo and American Fork canyons can resemble rush hour on I-15 on a sunny autumn weekend. Traffic might be bumper-to-bumper.
U-12 between Boulder and Torrey, also known as the Boulder Mountain Highway, is among southern Utah's top draws. And in Zion National Park, trees in the canyon floor change into brilliant hues that complement the area's rust-colored rock formations.
Some Utahns go farther afield in their search for gold. The Intermountain mountain region, in fact, could be considered a gold mine for leaf peepers.
Here are some of the top draws in neighboring states, listed roughly in order of their proximity to the Wasatch Front. Pull out your road atlas and follow along. Keep in mind that conditions depend on the whims of Mother Nature. If there's too little rain or the nights too cold, colors will not unfold in all their glory. We therefore suggest you call before you go.
IDAHO
Palisades Reservoir/Grand Teton/Mesa Falls: This route runs from Palisades Reservoir on the Idaho/Wyoming border and goes north along the west side of the Tetons (a k a the Teton scenic byway) through the towns of Victor, Driggs and Tetonia to Ashton. It continues along the Mesa Falls scenic byway (Idaho 47) through the town of Warm River. You'll meet up with U.S. 20 near Island Park.
Directions: Begin at the southeast corner of Palisades Reservoir at the junction of U.S. 89 and U.S. 26. Follow U.S. 26 to Swan Valley. Turn north on Idaho 31 to Victor; continue on Idaho 33 to Driggs and Tetonia. Take Idaho 32 to Ashton. Follow Idaho 47 to Warm River.
Miles: 100. Drive time: two to four hours. Peak season: late September, early October. Vegetation: cottonwoods, aspens, willows, alders and oaks. Call Yellowstone-Teton Territory Travel Committee: 1-800-634-3246; or Targhee National Forest, 1-208-624-3151.
Cache Canyon: For northern Utahns, this route isn't much more than a border crossing. It takes you through Preston, Mink Creek, Ovid and south along the west shore of Bear Lake.
Directions: Follow Idaho 36 from Preston to Ovid and U.S. 89, which continues through the Idaho Mormon pioneer towns of St. Charles and Paris.
Miles: 60. Drive time: two hours. Peak season: late September, early October. Vegetation: cottonwoods, aspens, willows, alders and oaks. Call Southeastern Idaho Travel Association, 1-800-423-8597.
NEVADA
Mount Charleston roadways: The Mount Charleston wilderness area is about an hour's drive from the neon signs of Las Vegas. The 11,918-foot peak rising from the southern Nevada landscape is not a mirage. It is terra firma that provides a weekend getaway for many a Las Vegan. Three roads give you access to the mountain: Lee Canyon Road (Nevada 156), Charleston Park Road (Nevada 157) in Kyle Canyon and Deer Creek Road (Nevada 158), which connects the other two. All three are designated Nevada scenic byways. Stay at Forest Service campgrounds ($13 a night for a single site) or at Mount Charleston Lodge (1-702-872-5408) or Mount Charleston Hotel (1-702-872-5500). As of last week, the color change had started near the summit but hadn't reached the lodge, which has an elevation of 7,700 feet. "There's no sign of it," said a spokeswoman. "The colors usually change by mid-September, but last year they didn't change until the middle of October."
Directions: Take U.S. 95 north out of Las Vegas and turn left onto Nevada 157 or Nevada 156.
Miles: 35 from downtown Las Vegas. Drive time: one hour from Las Vegas. Vegetation: Joshua trees, pinions and junipers. Call the U.S. Forest Service office in Las Vegas at 1-702-873-8800.
Great Basin National Park: Aspens dominate the autumn palette on Wheeler Peak. Inside Lehman Caves, a highlight of the park, the seasons never change. The 90-minute tour costs $6 for adults; $3 for children. The 60-minute tour costs $4, adults; $2, children.
Directions: Take U.S. 6 and 50 west from Delta to just across the Nevada border. Follow the signs to Lehman Caves. Visitor center hours are 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Entrance into the park is free. Camp sites are $7 a night. A road reaches a 10,000-elevation level on Wheeler Peak, which is 13,063 feet high.
Miles: Approximately 150 from Delta, Utah. Drive time: an hour and a half. Vegetation: Aspens are the only deciduous trees. The aspens usually peak in October. Call the park at 1-775-234-7331, or visit the Web at www.nps.gov/grba.
MONTANA
The Pintler Scenic Route: Montana 1 is a scenic drive over mountain passes to mining and ghost towns. It takes you through Philipsburg and Anaconda and along the shores of Georgetown Lake. The peaks of the Anaconda-Pintler wilderness are the backdrop for this 62-mile trip. The willows and deciduous trees create a memorable fall palette. "It's extremely beautiful if it happens," said Harry L. Helton, executive secretary of the Powell County Deer Lodge Chamber of Commerce. "Any time now we could get a big freeze, and the leaves will crinkle up and fall off the trees," he cautioned.
Directions: Follow I-15 and I-90 north from Dillon. Turn off to Anaconda on Montana 1, which later rejoins I-90. The route between Anaconda and Georgetown Lake has the best potential for fall foliage. Beyond that the vegetation is primarily conifer forest.
Miles: 62. Drive time: one hour. Vegetation: cottonwoods, mountain ash, birch, aspens, diamond willows, water willows, red willows and golden willows. Peak season: usually the second week of October. Call the chamber at 1-406-846-2094; or check with the Deer Lodge County (Anaconda) Chamber of Commerce by calling 1-406-563-2400.
Glacier National Park's Going-To-The-Sun Road: This highway crosses the Continental Divide at 6,600-foot Logan Pass, passing through some of the most magnificent scenery in the Rocky Mountains. Given the right conditions, fall colors can be spectacular, especially on the east side of the divide where there are a lot of aspen. Some campgrounds and accommodations remain open into October. Sprague Creek campground, for example, will close Sept. 27. Apgar campground will close Oct. 18. Going-To-The-Sun Road is scheduled to close to vehicles Oct. 18. An early snowstorm could pre-empt that date, however. Lake McDonald Lodge and Glacier Park Lodge will close Sept. 27. Prince of Wales Hotel, on the Canadian side, will close in mid-October. Call Glacier Park Inc. for reservations, 1-602-207-6000. Or visit the Web at www.glacierparkinc.com.
Directions: Going-To-The-Sun Road runs between West Glacier on the west side of the park, and St. Mary, on the east side.
Miles: 52. Drive time: two hours. Admission into the park is $10 per vehicle. Camp sites cost $12 to $15. Vegetation: tamaracks, aspens, cottonwoods, birch, willows, huckleberry, fireweed and mountain ash. Peak colors: mid-to-late September. Call 1-406-888-7800 or visit the Web at www.nps.gov/glac.
Kings Hill Scenic Byway: This route passes through the Lewis and Clark National Forest and Little Belt Mountains near Great Falls.
Directions: The byway follows U.S. 89 between its junction with U.S. 87 south of Great Falls and U.S. 12 near the town of White Sulphur Springs. It takes you through winter range for elk with sagebrush and ponderosa pine and climbs to a 7,700-foot elevation. Towns along the way have a small-town feel but offer limited services, so plan accordingly. They include the historic mining towns of Monarch and Neihart. A mile-long hike to Memorial Falls (north of Showdown Ski Area) is a pleasant respite from sitting in the car.
Miles: 71. Drive time: two hours. Vegetation: aspens, willows and some brush maple. Peak foliage: mid-September through mid-October. Aspen and Jumping Creek campgrounds stay open through hunting season; $6 a night per site.
Call the Kings Hill Ranger District at 1-406-547-3361.
For information about other fall foliage drives in Montana, call 1-800-847-4868.
COLORADO
The Maroon Bells and Independence Pass: Both of these are legendary drives near Aspen. Independence Pass crosses the Continental Divide at 12,000 feet, which is in the shadow of 14,433-foot Mount Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado. The drive, from Aspen to Twin Lakes, appeals to everyone but acrophobics. The road to the Maroon Bells, a popular area with hikers, takes off from Aspen.
Directions: Independence Pass is on Colorado 82 southeast of Aspen. To complete the scenic route, follow U.S. 24 to Leadville and on into Vail. Or, continue south on U.S. 24 to Buena Vista, which is another Colorado area that gets high marks for fall colors.
Miles: 18. Drive time: one hour round trip from Aspen. Vegetation: aspens and an undergrowth of scrub oak. Call 1-970-925-1940.
Maroon Bells: Directions: follow Colorado 82 to the outskirts of town and turn south on Maroon Creek Road. On weekends through September you must take a bus to the Maroon Bells. Catch it at Rubey Park downtown. The cost is $5 per person round trip. On weekdays or after Oct. 1, you may drive your own vehicle.
Miles: 10. Drive time: Half an hour. Vegetation: aspen and scrub oak. Peak season: usually the first week of October, but some prognosticators believe the season will be earlier than normal because of recent rains.
Buena Vista: Chalk Creek road (County Road 162), between Salida and Buena Vista, takes you past Mount Princeton hot springs and through an old mining district complete with historic towns. Aspens line the valley. The road is paved to within four miles of St. Elmo, a historic mining town.
After St. Elmo, it's for 4x4s. Buena Vista is a postcard-picture town with lovely views of the Continental Divide. "The colors have begun to change, but it's a little slower," said Judy Hassell, director of the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce.
Directions: Turn west off U.S. 24 onto County Road 162 at Nathrop.
Miles: 20. Drive time from Buena Vista: 45 minutes. Vegetation: aspens and evergreens. Peak season: third week in September.
Another scenic drive is to 12,000-foot Cottonwood Pass west of Buena Vista. The prettiest aspens are on the east side of the pass, but you can continue over the pass to Crested Butte or Gunnison.
Directions: Turn west at the only stop light in Buena Vista. (The county has three stop lights.) Follow County Road 306 to the summit. The road is paved from Buena Vista to the summit. After that it's an improved dirt road.
Drive time from Buena Vista to the top of the pass: 35 minutes. Vegetation: aspens and evergreens.
Call the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce at 1-719-395-6612.
ARIZONA
Oak Creek Canyon: Oak Creek Canyon, between Flagstaff and Sedona, usually offers splendid fall colors.
Directions: Follow I-17 south from Flagstaff and turn off onto U.S. 89A. Miles: 26. Drive time: 45 minutes. Peak foliage: middle to late October. Vegetation: oaks, sycamores, aspens and sugar maples.
Call the Arizona Office of Tourism's toll-free information line at 1-888-520-3444.