Fall welcomes frights, foliage, food and fun in Colorado

I know there are fall fanatics out there who are prepping their sweaters, leggings and boots for the season we just stepped into.

To help further pump you up for autumn, the Colorado Tourism Office has compiled places to see and things to do when leaves turn and the thermometer dips.

Below are a few ideas to inspire you to fall for fall in Colorado. For more information, visit www.Colorado.com.

For the adventurer:

Hike to Crater Lake, Aspen. The Maroon Bells in Aspen are known as the most photographed peaks in Colorado. All of the hikes near the Maroon Bells provide breathtaking views, but a local favorite is the hike to Crater Lake, especially during the fall as the trail wanders through a thick aspen forest where the changing leaves will not disappoint. The hike is 3.6 miles round trip and ends at Crater Lake.

Bike the Mineral Belt Trail in Leadville. Take a ride on the 11.6-mile Mineral Belt Trail that loops around the city of Leadville. Wildflower meadows, conifer forests and aspen groves lit up in fall colors make for a bike ride with plenty of photo ops. Also stop to see the many historical sites in Leadville along the way, which includes remnants of the city’s mining history.

For the family:

Explore a corn maze at the Frederika Fall Festival in Avondale. Through Oct. 31, the Frederika Fall Festival welcomes visitors to its 10-acre Colorado corn maze with 3.5 miles of trails. The maze is located on a 75-acre, multi-generation farm. Visit on Halloween for pumpkin decorating, a costume contest and trick-or-treating with the kids. Throughout the fall, you can launch pumpkins with a sling-shot for the pumpkin fling.

Pick a pumpkin at Tigges Farm in Greeley. This fall, head to Tigges Farm, a family run farm since 1935, and choose the perfect pumpkin to carve. From August through October the family friendly farm will also showcase some of the original equipment used to till the land at the Tigges Farm Equipment Museum. Check out the produce stand that offers Colorado fresh produce including roasted chilies, tomatoes, sweet corn, melons and onions.

For the foodie:

Savor the season at Lyons Farmette in Lyons. At the eastern edge of the town of Lyons, the Lyons Farmette offers many farm-to-table dinners throughout the season. The farm also offers classes and workshops on topics ranging from how to keep bees to how to brew beer or make cheese from chefs and agriculture experts from the Front Range community.

For the ghost hunter:

Get scared on Banjo Billy’s Ghost Tour in Boulder and Denver. The cities of Boulder and Denver are often known for the stunning mountain views and active beer scene, but most don’t know about the ghosts that haunt the streets of both places. Banjo Billy’s Bus Tours offer ghost tours beginning in October, with historians and legend-keepers who will share the haunting stories of the ghosts in the shadows. The bus passes by haunted mansions and streets where mysterious sights and sounds can often be heard.

Find frights in the Haunted Mines in Colorado Springs. Ever had to endure a death defying descent into the depths of a mine? At the Haunted Mines, this is just one of the ways to get spooked. Through Nov. 1, come to the one-of-a kind outdoor/indoor haunted house attraction on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Visitors will crawl for their lives to escape out of a vent shaft and explore their way through the maze of tunnels, wondering if they’ll ever get out. There is no shortage of spookiness at these mines.

For the leaf peeper:

Ride the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Antonito. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad is the highest and longest authentic steam-powered narrow-gauge railroad in the United States. With the amount of rainfall over the summer, the railroad is expecting this fall to be one of the best yet. The train starts out in terrain resembling the old west, and continues into the San Juan Mountains with lush aspen groves turned red, orange and gold.

Drive Kebler Pass in Crested Butte. One of the most famous drives for leaf peeping is the drive on Kebler Pass to Marble and the Crystal River Valley as the drive is home to the largest aspen grove in the United States. Head north on Whiterock Avenue out of Crested Butte and continue on this road as it turns into County Road 12. One of the best places to stop and take in the views is across from Horse Ranch Park. This stop offers breathtaking views of the scenic landscapes of the Anthracite Mountain Range.