The Aspens are the most popular Rocky Mountain tree. They are one of the smaller Poplars and a member of the Willow family. It is called a Quaking Aspen because of the way its leaves shimmer and quake in the wind. The bark on young trees is a pale greenish white, becoming darker and rougher with age.
Often in the Park the bark of older trees is black with teeth shaped scars from the animals, such as elk and beaver. The Aspen is also a favorite of the beaver for building dams. The Aspen is a quick growing tree that often is the first to populate a burned slope. They usually grow to heights between 20 and 40 feet. The Aspens on a hillside are often thought of as a single plant, due to the sharing of its root system, which is its means of spreading and germinating.
Aspens in the winter are devoid of leaves, having fallen from the most beautiful golden yellow displays in Fall, usually by late October. However, in Winter they have a beauty all their own. stately and constrasted against the green conifers and white snow cover. Interestingly, different stands of Aspen will turn color at different times, often leaving a beautiful pattern on mountain slopes. A variety of very white barked Aspens mature about 2 weeks sooner than the rest, making them susceptible to early Spring freezes. When this occurs, they lose their leaves for the season prior to getting a real start. This causes them to lose branches, devoid of nourishment from the leaves, and you often see these Aspens as long poles with umbrella like tops.
One of the best places to see Aspens in the Park is along Bear Lake as you approach the Lake on Bierstadt Moraine. Unfortunately, the smooth white bark is a tempting invitation to many of the less thoughtful and respectful visitors to leave their initials. This eventually weakens the tree from infection and kills it. It also ruins a small part of the visit for those wanting to see nature in its wild and beautiful state.#
