Fall Colors come alive with the golden shimmer of aspen leaves. This is one of the most anticipated sights in the mountains of Western United States. Stands of quaking aspen trees cover from 15 to 35 percent of National Forests in Colorado and Utah. The reason that these trees are seen covering large areas is from the result of their unconventional way of reproduction. The mature root system sends up suckers, anywhere from 400,000 to a million shoots per acre. The new sprouts can grow as much as three feet the first year, getting a head start on competing plants and trees. The leaves and bark give a steady supply of accessible food for deer and elk. Black bear, rabbit, porcupine and smaller mammals feed on the bark, buds and foliage of the aspen, the most widely distributed tree in North America.