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The golden aspens of September give way to cooler mornings, shorter days and the possibility of the season's first real snow. But winter is no longer something far off on the horizon. At YMCA of the Rockies, October is a month for enjoying the final weeks of fall while beginning to look ahead to everything the snowy season brings.

At both Estes Park Center and Snow Mountain Ranch, September and October bring golden aspens, cooler mornings, changing wildlife activity and the first signs that winter is on its way. If you're planning a fall mountain getaway, the best approach is to come prepared for a little bit of everything.

At Snow Mountain Ranch, fall is also a great time to start preparing for Nordic skiing season. Mountain biking offers a fun way to build endurance, strength and confidence on the same kind of varied mountain terrain that makes Nordic skiing such a rewarding winter activity. Located about an hour and a half from Denver, Snow Mountain Ranch makes it easy to turn a fall weekend into an active mountain getaway.

Elk are one of the most iconic parts of the Estes Park experience, and fall is one of the best times to see them. As summer gives way to autumn, elk move toward lower elevations and begin gathering for their annual mating season, known as the rut. In Colorado and Estes Park, the rut typically begins around mid-September and continues into October, bringing both increased elk activity and a greater need for visitors to give these animals plenty of space.

Whether you're visiting for a weekend, planning a fall getaway, or simply looking for a quieter mountain escape, September offers a little bit of everything.