Tracking Down the Nation's Fall Colors

Where to find a report on every state's fall colors from Alabama to Maine.

It’s always a bit sad to segue from summer to fall.

But, even as the days get a bit shorter and the mornings a tad more crisp, it brings the opportunity for watching an annual tradition—fall colors.

So, grab a sweater, your favorite fall coffee drink, and hop in the car to find your local area’s best fall colors. You can check a truncated version of this in a Tweet thread we’ll be publishing on our Twitter page.

This is part one of two, where we tackle Alabama to Maine. In our forthcoming issue, we’ll explore the remaining states from Maryland to Wyoming.

We’ve compiled a list of every single state including:

• Links to foliage reports or hotlines

• Expected peak dates for colors

• Top destinations locals visit to see colors

Alabama

Shortly after SEC football kicks-off, Alabama also gets a blast of beautiful fall colors—a patchwork quilt of scarlet, orange, and gold. Far south to stay temperate, cooler nighttime temperatures provide ample opportunity for color.

Expected Dates: In Alabama, colors appear in early October and peak from late October to early November.

Foliage Report: Check Alabama foliage reports by county here

Favorite Places:

• Locals love Oak Mountain State Park, especially the dominant lookout from Peavine Overlook and Peavine Falls. Continue onward using County 2 and see more colors at Horton Mill, Old Easley, and Swann covered bridges.

• De Soto State Park has 30-miles of hiking trails and views in all directions. Frame the perfect photo at the De Soto Falls, a signature 107-foot waterfall full of fall foliage. Colors here will range from red to yellow.

Alaska

America’s last Great Frontier is one of the most wild and rugged places in the United States. Difficult to reach, especially as the season gets closer to winter, there are more than 129 million acres of forest to explore. A bonus to exploring colors here is that the foliage season bumps against the arrival of the Northern Lights and the shoulder season brings cheaper prices for tourists.

Expected Dates: Fall colors arrive quickly and leave just as fast in Alaska. In the far north near the Arctic, they may peak by end the end of August while in the south, it can be later September.

Foliage Report: Travel Alaska lists their favorite spots and color reports as well as tips from local photographers.

Favorite Places:

• Towering mountains, blue skies, and tundra play contrast to the magical colors that fill the forests of Denali National Park, making it one of the premier stops for fall colors in Alaska.

Arizona

Known more for its temperate all-year weather and desert landscape, Arizona packs some secrets in the northern part of the state where reds and yellows fill mountain ranges. The deserts themselves also give a nice display of colors as well.

Expected Dates: Northern Arizona typically peaks mid to late October while the Sonoran Desert is late September to late October.

Foliage Report: Check the Arizona LEAFometer or call 1-866-275-5816

Favorite Places:

• Before the snow arrives to the high desert north of Flagstaff, the winter paradise of Snowbowl becomes one of the best places in the state to take in the fall colors. Their scenic gondola is open each weekend through mid-October to whisk you above it all to take in the firs, aspens, and beautiful amber and yellows.

• One of the perks of visiting Flagstaff is the peaks—the San Francisco Peaks are the local range that dominate the view and the Arboretum at Flagstaff is the perfect place to take them in and all the colors they offer.

Arkansas

The Natural State turns it on for fall from the mountains to the valleys. Fall is the perfect time for a weekend road trip or an extended vacation when temperatures dial down and the state’s many state parks and scenic byways allow the perfect chance to take in the colors. Yet, even in fall, while northern neighbors see cold temperatures and even snow, Arkansas remains temperate and enjoyable to do outdoor activities like hiking and biking.

Expected Dates: Fall colors begin to appear in the Ozarks and other northern sections of the state by the second week in October and continue slowly southward. Mid to late October generally provides peak fall color in the northern portions of Arkansas. October and November are two of the most popular months for visitors due to the beautiful fall colors and favorable weather.

Foliage Report: Check for updates at Arkansas.com

Favorite Places:

• Mount Magazine State Park is a solid convergence point for all the outdoor activities you need to see some of the state’s most beautiful colors. The signature, namesake peak of Mount Magazine is perched 2,753 high providing views of all the colors across the swath of Ozark-St. Francis National Forests. The Cameron Bluff Overlook Drive of the peak provides seven ample pullout and parking areas to take in colors. If you’re craving adventure, the park offers technical rock climbing and two launch points for hang gliders. The Lodge offers a restaurant and accommodations for the evening.

• Straddling both Arkansas and Oklahoma, the Talimena Scenic Byway is a must-drive route that allows drivers to take in some astounding colors. From Mena, the Talimena Scenic Drive/Arkansas State Highway 88 Scenic Byway travels northwest and quickly enters the Ouachita National Forest, climbing Rich Mountain, Arkansas's second highest peak at 2,681 feet, and passing through Queen Wilhelmina State Park on its way to the Oklahoma border 18 miles to the west. The drive then continues along the Rich and Winding Stair mountains all the way to Talihina, OK. The route offers mountain vistas unsurpassed in mid-America of forested peaks and valleys, lakes and streams. The drive is especially picturesque when the surrounding mountains are clad in spring and autumn foliage and when it sits above clouds and fog in the lower valleys.

California

Occupying distinct regions ranging from luscious rainforests to rolling foothills and snow-capped peaks, California has it all. You can explore across all 12 distinct regions and find your off-the-beaten-path place to sample colors all the way through the end of October and into November.

Expected Dates: Mid- to late October is the best time to view fall color, starting from the higher elevations in the Shasta Cascade region down to the foothills and coast.

Foliage Report: Check out the California Color Report map or call their hotline: 800-354-4595

Favorite Places:

• Yosemite gets a lot of attention, but surprisingly, not a lot of it comes during Autumn when the tour busses and crowds head back home. Home to big leaf maples, black oaks, and Pacific dogwoods, they represent a sea of yellow, orange, pink, and red.

• Nature’s autumnal fire burns bright on the eastern side of the Sierra, where glaciers have chiseled stream-fed canyons deep into the mountainsides. Starting in mid-September, drive any road heading west off U.S. 395 near June Lake and Mammoth Lakes to find dense groves of quaking aspens and willows. Each canyon has its own charms, but the blue-ribbon fall foliage drive is the June Lake Loop (Highway 158).

Colorado

Few states represent the treasured John Denver than “country roads take me home to the place I belong.” Here, gold and yellow dominate in the form of towering Aspens that slope across mountain valleys of snowcapped peaks and towering jagged peaks of the Rockies, San Juans, and others.

Expected Dates: Winter comes fast to the high country, so the month of September is ideal. In many places, the colors are peaking as we speak thanks in part of the summer conditions. You may be able to catch a glimpse of them into October as you head downhill to Denver and the Plains.

Foliage Report: Check out the Colorado State Forest Service prediction map for updates.

Favorite Places:

• Sure the Maroon Bells, Vail, and Aspen get all the press. But for some of the most spectacular fall colors, Kebler Pass cannot be beat. This is just one segment of the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway, but is a popular fall drive on its own. The 30-mile Kebler Pass road follows Coal Creek west from Crested Butte and climbs gradually past the old Keystone Mine. The graveled road follows the old Rio Grande Railroad grade toward Kebler Pass and the once booming mining camps of Irwin and Ruby, the lumber camp of Telco, and the coal mining town of Floresta. At the top of the pass, a road forks left toward Ohio Pass and Gunnison and right toward Kebler Pass. Kebler Pass heads into the Anthracite Creek drainage and through incredible Aspen groves, meeting Highway 133 at the Paonia Dam. This is a popular route linking Crested Butte to roadways that travel to Aspen, passing through the charming towns of Redstone and Carbondale along the way.

Connecticut

Connecticut is a local favorite for seeing astounding fall colors. And this year, experts predict a fantastic season. According to Christopher Martin, Director/State Forester, Division of Forestry, Bureau of Natural Resources, DEEP, “This year will be way different than last. Certainly no drought. And although there were pockets of gypsy moth defoliation in western Connecticut, sufficient rains have allowed the trees to releaf with less stress. Leaves will stay green longer this season and if overnight temperatures cooperate, dipping into the low 30’s overnight a few times toward later September, we should expect everything to come together all at once. Synchronized for a dazzling foliar display mid to late October. Later September/early October overnight temperatures will be the most influencing factor this year."

Expected Dates: Fall foliage season begins in mid- to late September and extends through early November. 

Foliage Report: Visit Connecticut has an excellent breakdown of regions and routes for exploring. They update their annual foliage report map here.

Favorite Places:

• At Talcott Mountain State Park, you can visit the historic 165-foot Heublein Tower and take in the panoramic views from its observation room. With windows at every corner of the room, you can get a 360 degree view of the vivid hardwood trees in their autumn splendor. If you can break your gaze away from the landscape, check out the observation room itself, which once served as the ballroom.

Delaware

Under a lush blanket of gold and crimson, the backroads of Delaware are bursting with color and history.

Expected Dates: The color and intensity change quickly, but your best bet to see peak colors is from mid-October to early November.

Foliage Report: Visit Delaware posts the most current updates.

Favorite Places:

• Blackbird State Forest, located on the border of New Castle and Kent Counties, is Delaware’s northernmost state forest and only a 30-minute commute from Wilmington and Newark. It has ten tracts totaling over 6,000 acres and contains a mixture of oaks, yellow-poplar, maple, gums, and hickories. Our northern regional office is located on the Tybout Tract on Blackbird Forest Road. Blackbird is a popular site for outdoor recreation. Its 40 miles of trails are used extensively for hiking, running, bicycling, horseback riding, and five primitive campgrounds offer a perfect weekend experience.

Florida

With ocean coast on three sides, most people think of Florida as a winter escape that holds lush green and palm trees year-round. The Sunshine State produces a wide-range of colors including yellows, oranges, reds, and even purple.

Expected Dates: Being farther south, leaves in Florida don't peak until early November.​

Foliage Report: Refer to the Smoky Mountains Prediction Map or call the hotline at 1-888-735-2872

Favorite Places:

• Home to the deepest freshwater springs in the world, Wakulla Springs State Park serves as a wondrous place to look upon the fall colors. Although you can enjoy this park by walking the nine miles of trails, the riverboat tour is where it’s at. The water is constantly 70-degrees, and you can hike and recreate where Mastodons once roamed. Old-growth trees bring out yellow, gold, red, and orange.

Georgia

The Peach State’s beautiful rolling hills and mountain valleys provide the perfect backdrop for fall colors. The state’s impressive state park system is the perfect place to take in a fall weekend of color, but there are a number of off-the-grid places that few locals also annually plan on visiting, too.

Expected Dates: Georgia is usually toward the end of October or early November.

Foliage Report: There are two places to keep updated on Georgia colors; Explore Georgia and Georgia State Parks Leaf Watch.

Favorite Places:

• What’s better than seeing colors from one state at a prominent point? How about seeing across seven states! That’s possible at Lookout Mountain, also known as Rock City that features gardens and the famous lookout, Lover’s Leap where the rumor is you can see many different states all at once. Take a ride on the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway to experience all the sights.

• Surrounded by rural countryside and the Chattahoochee National Forest, James H. Flood “Sloppy” Floyd State Park is a quiet park in northwest Georgia offers outstanding fishing on two stocked lakes. Visitors can hike along three miles of lake loop trails and relax in swings while watching for the many bluebirds that live in the park.

Hawaii

Ok, if you’re planning a trip to Hawaii to see colors, we want to go with you. But, with a tropical climate and warm weather, the colors here are reserved for beautiful tropical plants and less so the trees.

Idaho

Much like Colorado, the gem of the Northwest is known for the gold and yellow due to the towering stands of Aspens. Cottonwoods add to the flavor with those deeper yellows and red, orange, and gold comes from shrubbery. Also like Colorado, when the colors come, they arrive and then, they’re gone.

Expected Dates: Peak colors are usually in early October in northern, central, and eastern Idaho. By mid-October, colors in southern Idaho reach their height of color.

Foliage Report: Call the Idaho foliage hotline: 1-800-354-4595

Favorite Places:

• The Salmon River Scenic Byway takes you on the same route Lewis and Clark took through the Salmon-Challis National Forest. To recreate that trip in full, you’ll want to start on the Montana state line heading south on US 93 until you hit Challis. Then, the route takes you west on Idaho 75 to Stanley.

• Boise, nicknamed “The City of Trees”, is a hot spot for deciduous, non-native trees. Oaks, maples, and ash add variegated pops of color to the downtown area, local parks and the North End neighborhood. The Boise riverbanks and adjoining parks are luminous with mature trees adding brilliant oranges and deep reds to the landscape. Cottonwoods and aspens add gold to the palette, with native low-growing plants and shrubs adding shades of red. Slow down your fall foliage tour on the Boise Greenbelt with a walk or bike ride. The 25-mile path follows the picturesque Boise River and will put you in the heart of this multicolored cocktail.

Illinois

The Lincoln State can dazzle with color against a backdrop of rolling farmlands and forests.

Expected Dates: In northern and central Illinois, peak viewing time is mid-October. Southern Illinois peaks from late October to early November.

Foliage Report: Presented in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Enjoy Illinois foliage report provides a breakdown of regions and color reports so you can plan accordingly.

Favorite Places:

• Without a doubt, the state park to visit any time of year in Illinois is Starved Rock. This storied natural recreation area 100 miles southwest of the sprawling metropolis of Chicago is a delight in Autumn. As a bonus, you can book a stay at the Starved Rock Lodge for the perfect overlook.

• Chicago provides the perfect backdrop of towering skyscrapers, the blue-turquoise of Lake Michigan, and the stands of park trees changing color. Check out Millennium Park and the Cloud Gate.

• Morton Arboretum has lots of celebrations on tap for fall and with 1,700 acres, you’ll be sure to sample lots of color.

Indiana

The Hoosier state bleeds red for basketball and come Autumn, the state gets dressed in gold, orange, and just because it’s the perfect color—reds.

Expected Dates: Northern Indiana reaches peak color in early to mid-October, whereas the southern part of the state peaks in mid- to late October.

Foliage Report: Check the Smoky Mountains foliage prediction map or call the hotline at 1-800-289-6646

Favorite Places:

• Brown County is a hotspot for Autumn colors in Indiana. It’s also home to Brown County State Park which allows for taking in the colors by car, hiking, and across a number of scenic vista overlooks. You can camp for a weekend (or a less-busy weeknight), or stay at the Abe Martin Lodge. If you want to take a look at the colors in Brown County as they are now, you can peep them at their Leaf Cam.

Iowa

There’s more than corn in Iowa. It’s a surprisingly beautiful state that is known for thousands of miles of meandering country roads through farmland and rolling hills. There are two areas in the state that are worth pinpointing, the Northeastern corner that takes cues from Southwestern Wisconsin’s famous Driftless Region, and the Loess Hills which provide prairie beauty.

Expected Dates: Peak fall color occurs in northeast Iowa on the weekend closest to October 10, on average. Peak fall color occurs later in the more southern parts of the state.

Foliage Report: Travel Iowa provides weekly updates throughout the fall on where and when to see the best colors.

Favorite Places:

• One of the marquee places to see color in the fall is along the Mississippi River in northeast Iowa, between Lansing and Dubuque. In the bluffs above Marquette, Effigy Mounds National Monument is spectacular, and don't miss Pikes Peak State Park above McGregor.

• Loess Hills Scenic Byway provides mile after mile of open prairies set against tree-covered bluffs. Taking a drive down the Loess Hills Scenic Byway starting at Akron and you can settle in for a few miles or an entire day—200 miles all the way to Hamburg is good for about seven hours and provides ample places to stop and view local sights and natural beauty.

Kansas

Sandwiched between the Ozarks and the foothills of the Rockies, Kansas is located in close proximity to other state’s beautiful fall colors, but they hold their own, too. Kansas City was named one of the 15 best cities to view fall colors.

Expected Dates: Northern Kansas colors peak from early to mid-October. southern Kansas peaks mid- to late October.

Foliage Report: Visit Kansas City provides a great breakdown of places in and around the city to view colors. You can also check out the hotline at: 1-800-677-4082​

Favorite Places:

• It’s pretty tough to beat the view of the outstretched grassy plaza, flanked by trees, and culminating at the Liberty Memorial and the must-visit National World War I Museum.

• Stretching from Leavenworth to White Cloud, the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway takes you through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Kansas. On this 63-mile drive, you will cruise through the hills and valleys cut by the glaciers.

Kentucky

Bourbon, horses, and rolling countryside make Kentucky the perfect weekend getaway that pairs well with a dash of fall color. A little-known fact for non-Kentuckians: the state has 12 million acres of forested land, more than 47% of the state’s land area, making it one of the best and underrated fall color states.

Expected Dates: Peak fall color for the state occurs from late October to early November. 

Foliage Report: Check in with updates at Kentucky Tourism

Favorite Places:

• Book a ticket aboard Kentucky’s Big South Fork Scenic Railway to take in the colors.

• Eastern Kentucky is home to plenty of scenic drives in Daniel Boone National Forest, be sure to cap it off with a stop at the Red River Gorge.

Louisiana

Expected Dates: Late October to early November is when to expect fall colors in Louisiana.

Foliage Report: Check with the Smoky Prediction Map to get the latest.

Favorite Places:

• In the Kisatchie National Forest, you get old-growth pine sprinkled with all the orange, yellow, and reds across more than 600,000 acres of parkland with trails of varying lengths to explore.

Maine

Expected Dates: Color progresses from north to south. Generally northern Maine is at or near peak conditions the last week of September into the first week of October. Central, and western mountains of Maine are at or near peak Indigenous Peoples' Day week/weekend. Coastal and southern Maine generally reach peak or near peak conditions mid-to-last October.

Foliage Report: Check weekly updates at the Main Foliage Report

Favorite Places:

• This drive in southern Maine starts in coastal Brunswick and heads Downeast along Route 1. There are countless possibilities for detours down the "fingers" of coastline. One way takes visitors to Boothbay Harbor or head down to bucolic Pemaquid Point and its famous lighthouse. Visitors can amble down the back roads past saltwater farms to the scenic harbor at Friendship or to Wyeth country in Cushing. Back on Route 1, it's time to carry on through to Rockland, where the full range of the artistic genius of the Wyeth family can be seen at the Wyeth Center at the Farnsworth Museum. Finish the drive in Camden, and ascend to the 800-foot summit of Mount Battie at Camden Hills State Park, where spectacular views are enhanced by the foliage that runs right down to the harbor. 

Where is your favorite fall colors? Share them with us on Twitter. Stay tuned for the rest of the American states from Maryland to Wyoming in our next issue.