Autumn officially begins Sept. 22, and deciduous forests across the U.S. will soon burst into shades of gold, orange and red.
Where and when the foliage will be most colorful depends on location, altitude and weather. Leaves turn earlier in places with higher elevations and lower temperatures. The northernmost states and mountainous regions could peak as early as late September, while southern destinations may not peak until November.
No matter when you’re hoping to plan a trip this fall, there are plenty of options to take in the beautiful foliage. Here are the earliest foliage forecasts, plus some destination inspiration to help plan a fall foliage trip this year.
Related: Fall foliage cruises in New England, Canada and beyond
When and where can we see fall foliage at its peak?
Each fall, various forecast tools aim to predict the arrival of autumn foliage across the U.S. using precipitation and temperature statistics, historic trends for peak leaf peeping, local observations and model outputs from previous years. Our favorites include The Old Farmer’s Almanac and the Smoky Mountains Fall Foliage Prediction Map.
Plus, camping app Hipcamp launched an interactive map to help you find campgrounds for leaf-peeping trips.
Even with these tools, no one can guarantee exactly where and when foliage will peak — especially with unusual weather patterns on the rise.
“Of course, past results do not necessarily indicate what will happen this year, but it should give you a fairly good idea of how fall leaves typically progress,” an Old Farmer’s Almanac representative said.
Here, we’ll cover the country’s top destinations for leaf peeping, and when to visit each for your best chance at seeing spectacular fall colors.
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Best places in the U.S. to see fall foliage
New England and upstate New York
For travelers on the East Coast, the foliage in New England’s most popular leaf-peeping states — including Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire — is expected to peak around the first week of October.
However, the best fall color will come later in coastal regions such as Maine’s Acadia National Park, where peak foliage is generally Oct. 21-27, per Maine’s fall foliage data. While you’re there for the leaves, you could also see the sunrise as it first hits the U.S. from the 1,530-foot summit of Cadillac Mountain.
Vermont and New Hampshire are great destinations for leaf peeping, hiking, apple picking and snacking on cider doughnuts. Don’t forget about the fall foliage in the Berkshires, a mountainous region in western Massachusetts easily reachable from New York City and Boston. October is one of the best times to see the fall foliage in the Adirondack Mountains in New York, where visitors can benefit from one of the longest and most predictable leaf-peeping seasons.
Related: A long way from Sandals: My first all-inclusive experience at a super-luxe upstate New York resort
West
Typically, leaves change color in northwest Colorado, Wyoming and Montana in late September, with the cottonwood and aspen trees in Grand Teton National Park turning gold. While fall begins early in this region, it generally doesn’t peak until October.
This year, forecasters expect Colorado’s fall foliage season to peak in early October in the regions just west of Denver (including Aspen, Vail and Steamboat Springs), and the peak will shift east over the following weeks.
Utah’s national parks — including Arches, Zion and Bryce Canyon — may be best known for their sandstone cliffs and gravity-defying arches. Still, they’re also great places to enjoy the fall foliage of canyon maple, scrub oak and more come late October and early November. Plus, the autumnal light illuminates the red rocks spectacularly.
Related: The best red rock parks in Utah, without the crowds
On the West Coast, the area surrounding Portland, Oregon, is renowned for its scenery, and Oregon’s wild landscapes explode with bursts of color at every turn. This year, Portland’s foliage should peak in mid-October. Take a steamboat ride to admire the changing leaves from the river, or drive the Columbia River Highway, a stretch of interstate designed specifically for its scenic vistas.
Related: First look: Under Canvas Columbia River Gorge brings points travel to one of the Pacific Northwest’s natural wonders
Midwest
Due to the Great Lakes’ insulating effect, parts of Michigan enjoy a long leaf-peeping season, often stretching from late September to late October. Enjoy the colorful views from a ferry to Mackinac Island or a scenic drive along the M-22 highway around the shores of Lake Michigan near Traverse City.
Consider Kansas and parts of Missouri, such as Lake of the Ozarks, in your leaf-peeping plans this year, too. By Nov. 1, the maple, oak, hickory and ash trees along the 1,150 miles of the lake’s shoreline will be a riot of painterly hues. However, the American smoke tree, which turns an almost electric shade of pink, tends to peak much earlier.
Related: 5 stunning fall foliage road trips in the Midwest
Mid-Atlantic and Southeast
As late October approaches, travelers will want to turn their sights toward the mid-Atlantic states and the Southeast. The Smoky Mountains along the Tennessee-North Carolina border are one of the country’s most beautiful regions, and the eponymous national park is exactly where you will want to be this time of year.
For the best views, head to the observation deck at the peak of Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) or consider one of the iconic scenic drives in the area, such as Cades Cove Loop Road, the Blue Ridge Parkway or the Foothills Parkway.
For other parts of western North Carolina, check out the Appalachian State University biology department’s fall color map for estimated fall color peaks for places like Waynesville, Asheville, Grandfather Mountain and Boone.
Related: The ultimate Blue Ridge Parkway road trip guide
Virginia’s plentiful deciduous trees and varied landscape provide a long fall foliage season, with peak colors from Oct. 10 to 31. The Virginia Department of Forestry’s fall foliage report provides insight into when and where to visit for optimal fall color.
South
Although much of the U.S. will be past its leaf-peeping peak by November, the southernmost reaches of the country will still offer beautiful fall color late in the season. Travelers can head to the southern edges of Arizona and New Mexico, for example, where foliage should peak by mid-November this year.
In the southwestern corner of Texas, Big Bend National Park is home to the nation’s largest protected area of the Chihuahuan Desert, and November is a great month to camp, hike and backpack. Check out the Chimneys Trail, which winds through desert grassland, and the Santa Elena Canyon Trail, which snakes along the Rio Grande.
Another great place to see fall foliage in Texas in November is Guadalupe Mountains National Park, where bigtooth maple trees erupt in color across the McKittrick and Pine canyons.
Or, consider a trip to Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana. The area has more than 600,000 acres of woodland, and most of the state is generally at its prime fall foliage from mid- to late November.
Bottom line
Over the next few months, spectacular fall foliage will roll across the U.S., so now is a great time to start planning your leaf-peeping trip.
Though tools like The Old Farmer’s Almanac and the Smoky Mountains Fall Foliage Prediction Map can’t make any guarantees, they are useful guides for determining where and when to travel for optimal fall colors. This is especially true for the maps, which update based on real-world user data gathered as the season unfolds.
But remember, any weather changes over the coming weeks could adjust the predicted peak timing for any of these places, so try to be as flexible as possible with your plans. We recommend booking changeable flights and hotel stays whenever possible.
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