The aspens are so bright, you’ll have to wear shades – but act fast.

“In two days, they’re probably going to be gone,” said Tina Raymond, assistant manager at the Cripple Creek District Museum.

At least, “two days” was the prognosis of visitors from Texas who stopped by the museum Wednesday after a tour of the area.

Click here to see the fall colors map.

“They came to Cripple Creek through Wilkerson Pass and they said that right now it’s peak and there are people everywhere pulled over, and you basically need sunglasses the gold is so vibrant,” she said.

The changing foliage cues a seasonal gold rush that brings thousands of “leaf-peepers” to the region each fall. An aspen tour hosted by Cripple Creek’s nonprofit Two Mile High Club and organized through the museum in the peak color weeks was booked solid for every trip.

“We had two buses running Saturday and Sunday the last two weekends of September, and every single bus was filled,” Raymond said. “They’re over now, though.”

The tours are done, but there’s still time to take in the aspen glory, especially if you know where to look.

“The drive up to Cripple Creek on (Colorado) 67 is absolutely gorgeous. I went down Sunday to Colorado Springs from here and you just have to pull over, the beauty is so breathtaking,” Raymond said. “The drive up Highway 24 to Wilkerson Pass will just take your breath away – and I live here.”

Even if your peeps technically occur post-peak, there’s still a show to be seen for a few more fleeting moments.

“If you head up into Teller County, you’re going to see colors. There’s no doubt about it,” said Debbie Miller, president of the Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce. “Whether you’re heading up to Woodland Park or Florissant or up to Cripple Creek, you’re certainly going to see beautiful colors.”

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Contact Stephanie Earls: 636-0364