October brings golden cottonwoods, crisp mornings, and a full calendar of reasons to explore Morgan County. Average highs sit near 65 degrees, and the average lows dip to around 33. It is also one of the busiest stretches on the local calendar. Spend October 3 in downtown Brush for Oktoberfest, with local food, vendors, music, and a full day of festivities. A corn maze opens outside Wiggins, a group of cyclists rides to a pumpkin patch after dark, and two downtowns hand out candy, one the night before Halloween and one on the day itself. Here is what to plan your weekends around.

Saturday, October 3: Brush Oktoberfest

Crowds filling the closed street at Brush Oktoberfest in downtown Brush, Colorado

Brush has thrown this party since 1982, and it takes over the downtown streets for a full day. Food comes from local trucks and tents, vendors set up craft and retail booths, and live music and themed entertainment run through the afternoon and into the evening. It is one of the biggest days on the Brush calendar, and it is an easy one to build a Saturday around.

When: Saturday, October 3, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Downtown Brush
Details: See the event listing or check with the Brush Area Chamber of Commerce.

Weekends Through November 1: Pope Farms Corn Maize and Pumpkin Patch

A tractor pulling a cow train ride through the corn at Pope Farms near Wiggins, Colorado

Just outside Wiggins, Pope Farms opens its corn maze and pumpkin patch every weekend from September 26 through November 1. Saturdays run 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with an 8 p.m. close during September, and Sundays run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Make an afternoon of Pope Farms: work your way through the corn maze, pick out a pumpkin, and stay for the evening atmosphere. Past seasons have added a cow train ride through the corn and fire pits lit after dark. Give yourself more time than you think you need.

Where: 19502 County Road 3, Wiggins
Details: See the event listing or visit popefarmscornmaize.com for hours and admission.

Saturday, October 24: The Halloween Pumpkin Patch Ride

The team at Bicycle Adventure in downtown Fort Morgan with a lineup of bikes

Bicycle Adventure in Fort Morgan closes out its October rides with the Halloween Pumpkin Patch Ride. Riders meet at Wiggins Supers at 6 p.m. and roll out together. Costumes are welcome and the pace stays social, so the ride suits families as much as regulars. Bring lights and a warm layer, since the group leaves right around sunset.

When: Saturday, October 24, 6 p.m.
Where: Meet at Wiggins Supers, 611 West Central Ave, Wiggins
Details: See the event listing, call the shop at 970-743-3400, or check the Bicycle Adventure ride schedule.

October 30 and 31: Trick or Treat Street in Brush and Fort Morgan

Families in costume walking a downtown sidewalk during Trick or Treat Street in Morgan County

Both downtowns turn their sidewalks over to trick or treaters at the end of the month, on back to back days. Brush goes first. On Friday, October 30, businesses along Clayton Street set up at their doors from 4 to 6 p.m., and the route stays short enough for the smallest ghosts and goblins to finish it. Fort Morgan takes Halloween itself, and it makes a morning of it first. The Cover Theatre opens its doors at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 31 for a free Halloween movie matinee sponsored by the City of Fort Morgan. When the movie lets out, businesses along the 200 and 300 blocks of Main Street hand out candy from noon to 2 p.m.

Brush: Friday, October 30, 4 to 6 p.m., Clayton Street. See the event listing.
Fort Morgan: Saturday, October 31. Free movie at the Cover Theatre at 10 a.m., then trick or treating on the 200 and 300 blocks of Main Street from noon to 2 p.m. See the event listing.

October Weather, and the Best Birding of the Year

Golden cottonwoods reflected in the South Platte River near Hillrose, Colorado
The South Platte near Hillrose. Photo by Dave Samples.

October here averages a high near 65 degrees and a low near 33, with about an inch of precipitation for the whole month. Mornings start cold and afternoons warm up quickly, so pack layers rather than a heavy coat. The light is long and low all month, which is part of why photographers like the river corridor this time of year.

Fall is also the best birding season in Morgan County. Jackson Lake State Park is a stop on the Colorado Birding Trail, and fall brings the widest variety of species of any season there. Warblers and vireos move through the cottonwood groves in the campgrounds. When the water is low, the dry lake margins are worth scanning for mountain plover and other shorebirds during early fall migration. Park at the outlet canal lot at the south end and walk the dam for a longer look. As the season turns, listen for great horned and long eared owls, and watch for bald eagles working the river.

A bald eagle in flight against a blue sky over Morgan County, Colorado

You do not have to leave town to bird well. Riverside Park in Fort Morgan has about six miles of trails along the South Platte, and the wildlife areas around Brush and Jackson Lake fill in the rest. Our guide to bird watching in Morgan County covers each site, what to expect there, and the access rules. A few of the state wildlife areas limit viewing by season and allow hunting, so read the rules before you go, and bring a state parks pass for Jackson Lake.

Make a Weekend of It

October weekends stack up well here. Come for an event, then stay to explore the downtowns, the South Platte, and the places that make Morgan County worth a return trip. See where to stay, browse local food, and find more things to do across the county.

Have an Event of Your Own?

If you are hosting something in Morgan County this fall, add it to the community events calendar so visitors can find it. We will see you out there this month.