Typical Timing of Canyon de Chelly Fall Color?

<p>What is the typical timing of peak color among the Chinle Wash

cottonwoods in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona - late October? early

November?</p>

 

<p>I searched here on photo.net and saw Bill Proud's thread from a

couple of years back (<a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-

fetch-msg?msg_id=003yYH">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-

msg?msg_id=003yYH</a> - very nice photograph Bill) which seems to

suggest the last week of October and first week of November, at

least that year (2002), but I don't know if this is typical. I also

found this: <a href="http://www.apogeephoto.com/mag1-3/mag1-

3rh.shtml">http://www.apogeephoto.com/mag1-3/mag1-3rh.shtml</a> from

1996, which suggests the same timing. But I thought I'd check with

other photographers here who might know the area pretty well.</p>

 

<p>BTW I phoned the visitor center for Canyon de Chelly National

Monument today and asked the same question. I was told: "end of

September into early October". I can't believe that - I know from

personal experience that is when the aspens on the North Rim of

Grand Canyon peak, about 3000 feet higher in elevation than Canyon

de Chelly! But if the people in the Canyon do Chelly visitor center

live there and pay attention to the seasons (I know, that's a

big 'if' for many non-photography types :-) then they should

know.</p>

 

<p>Hoping you can help clear up the confusion,</p>

 

<p>Thanks,</p>

 

<p>Scott</p>

Scott,

 

I will be in the Southwest this fall. Catching the peak fall color is priority #1 for us, so we may are planning to adjust our schedule accordingly to the information at the time. Currently, we are planning Capitol Reef -> stop over in Cedar Mesa area -> Canyon de Chelly -> Page area -> Zion for 2 days. We plan to be in the area for 2 weeks.

 

Keeping my fingers crossed,

Kosta

Hi Scott, here's what the cottonwoods looked like on Oct. 19, 2003. Whether they were at their absolute peak or not, I couldn't say, but they were pretty good.<div></div>

My experience with <a href = "http://www.terragalleria.com/america/arizona/canyon-cheilly/">

Canyon de Chelly</a> would point out to begining of November.

I visited Canyon de Chelly over Veterans Day weekend (11 November 2003) and the cottonwoods in the canyon were right around their peak. Weather was decent, if a bit cloudy. Check <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-photos?include=all&user_id=16529">my portfolio</a> (single photos) or <a href="http://members.aol.com/torgophile/photo.html">my site</a> (Cliff dwellings #2) for results; lighting wasn't spectacular that weekend, but you'll get a feel for how the trees looked.