The East Gate of Yellowstone National Park show is surrounded by colorful fall leaves. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate - click to enlarge)
The East Gate of Yellowstone National Park show is surrounded by colorful fall leaves. (Ruffin Prevost/Yellowstone Gate - click to enlarge)

Autumn comes earlier to the high country around Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks than in most other places around the country. By early October this year, many trees around the region are displaying dramatic blazes of fall color, while some trees have already shed their leaves altogether.

Fall is a quieter time in the parks, with the summer throngs long gone and cooler weather taking hold. For those who haven’t had the opportunity to tour the parks and surrounding areas, we’ve put together a photo gallery showing off some of nature’s glory as seen during the first week of October.

If you have a favorite fall photo from the area, send it to us at [email protected] and we’ll share it with readers.

[flickr-gallery mode=”photoset” photoset=”72157631714390433″]

Ruffin Prevost is founding editor of Yellowstone Gate, an independent, online news service about Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks and their gateway communities. He lives in Cody, Wyo., where he also works...