Canyons are brimming with color

When it comes to putting on a soul-stirring show featuring a huge cast against a vast backdrop, Mother Nature still takes the prize.

And the ticket price is minimal — the cost of a gallon or so of gasoline and the $3 entrance fee to the Uinta National Forest.

With brilliant hues of red, orange and yellow accented liberally with bright greens and dark forest pines, Mother Nature prods even the hardest heart to take a look and suck in a startled breath.

Maples and oaks are turning ahead of the aspens by about two weeks, Clark said. The color show should last about four weeks.

This year, with a wet summer in the mountains putting extra sugar into the leaves, the sights are unusually spectacular, said Mark Eubank, KSL-TV's resident meteorologist.

"The leaves turn for three reasons," Eubank said. "Number one, the changing length of day. The trees and the leaves have built in clocks and they know it. That's the first signal. The cooler weather — it's cooler than normal. And drought, — to save themselves, they turn early. This year there is no drought so it's been the length of day and the cooler temperatures."

Loyal Clark, spokeswoman for the forest organization, said 500,000 visitors get in their vehicles each year and tour the Alpine Loop to feast their eyes on the changing colors.

More than 300,000 travel the Mount Nebo Scenic Loop.

Both drives are listed on the state's Web site: www.travel.utah.gov/fall_colors.html, among the 31 most popular scenic drives in Utah.

Because so many motorists turn out to see the show, officials are urging people to take extra care and plan on a leisurely drive rather than a quick turn through the canyon.

"It is one of our heaviest-use seasons. We see an increased volume of traffic, which can be a problem on the narrow roads, especially with a lot of people who want to stop and look. To be safe, I'd recommend people go mid-week and avoid Sunday afternoons," Clark said.

Clark said the changing leaves have caught everyone by surprise this year because they're already well into the cycle but about a month earlier than usual.

"It's caught us by surprise," she said.

Originally, forest officials were hoping to re-open the lower section of the Cascade Springs site in time for the fall colors tours, but Mother Nature sets the timetable, Clark said.