The Best Fall Foliage in America This Year, Region by Region 

Fall color moves across the country in waves, not on one fixed date. It starts in high elevations and northern latitudes in late September, then works its way lower and south through October and into November.

Elevation drives almost as much of the timing as latitude does, so the foliage in two towns just a few miles apart can peak two weeks apart if one sits in a valley and the other climbs into the mountains.

Here’s when the country’s major leaf-peeping regions are expected to be at their best this year, along with some tips to ensure your trip is a success.

How to Time Your Trip Perfectly 

The Old Farmer's Almanac fall foliage forecast comes out every year and is one of the better starting points for a “which week” guess months out from a trip. Closer to the season, state tourism boards and individual mountain towns usually do better, since many run their own color trackers with daily or weekly updates once the leaves start turning.

Vermont’s weekly Fall Foliage Report and Minnesota’s Fall Color Finder are two good examples of local trackers. Check one of those a week or two before departure rather than relying on a forecast made back in August.

The Northeast 

The Northeast is usually first into color and stays in play the longest, thanks to the combination of its northern mountains and southern coast. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont lead the way, with the highest terrain turning in late September, often before the calendar says fall has arrived. Color then moves south and downhill through October, and the coastline typically holds out until late October.

• Route 100, Green Mountains, Vermont — Peaks early to mid-October. Plan to stay in Stowe or Waitsfield and drive the full 180 miles over a few days rather than rushing it in one. 
• Kancamagus Highway, White Mountains, New Hampshire — Peaks in the first two weeks of October, with the higher passes turning up to two weeks earlier. Drive the full 34.5-mile route between Lincoln and Conway on a weekday if possible to avoid the crowds, with stops at Sabbaday Falls and Rocky Gorge.  

The Southeast 

Nowhere in the country shows off elevation banding as clearly as western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Color starts above 5,000 feet in late September, works through the 3,000-to-5,000-foot mid elevations from October 10 through October 22, and doesn’t reach the valley towns until the final two weeks of October. That five-week spread gives a trip more room to work with than almost anywhere else in the East.

• Blue Ridge Parkway, Waterrock Knob to Craggy Gardens, North Carolina — Mid-elevation forests peak October 10 through 22. Stay in Asheville or Blowing Rock and drive early in the morning to beat crowds on the overlooks. 
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee — High country peaks early October, lower elevations run through late October. There’s no park entrance fee, but a parking tag is required for any vehicle stopped longer than 15 minutes. 

The Midwest 

The Great Lakes region carries the Midwest’s best color. Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and northern Minnesota turn first, in late September, with northern Wisconsin a few days behind. Color then moves south through October, and the region’s larger cities usually don’t see their peak color until the last week of the month. Shoreline towns run five to ten days behind the inland forests nearby, since the lake moderates temperature swings.

• Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan — Peaks late September into early October. The Lake of the Clouds overlook in the Porcupine Mountains is the signature view. Book lodging in Copper Harbor or Houghton well ahead, since rooms fill fast. 
• North Shore, Minnesota — Peaks early to mid-October. Follow Highway 61 from Duluth to Grand Marais, with stops at Gooseberry Falls and Tettegouche State Parks, and check the DNR's Fall Color Finder before locking in dates. 

The Mountain West 

Colorado and Utah run on a different clock than the East. Aspen trees turn on elevation and cold snaps rather than a set calendar, and the whole show can be over in two weeks once it starts.

Colorado’s high country usually peaks in the last ten days of September, while Utah’s canyon maples turn deep red a little earlier, from mid to late September, before its aspens follow with gold from early to mid-October.

• Maroon Bells, Aspen, Colorado — Peaks in the last ten days of September. Reserve the shuttle or a parking window well ahead, since peak-weekend slots sell out fast. 
• Kebler Pass, Colorado — Peaks in late September. The dirt road between Crested Butte and Paonia is passable in a standard vehicle in dry conditions. Allow half a day for the full 30-mile route with stops. 
• Provo Canyon and the Alpine Loop, Utah — Bigtooth maples turn mid to late September, cottonwoods along the river hold gold into early October. Drive US-189 out of Provo. 

The Pacific Northwest 

Washington and Oregon aren’t classic leaf-peeping territory, and much of the surrounding forest is evergreen, so the color that does show up reads as pockets rather than a solid wall of red and gold. It also runs later than the rest of the West, often not peaking until late October into early November.

• Columbia River Gorge, Oregon — Peaks late October into early November. Drive the Historic Columbia River Highway and pair it with the Hood River Fruit Loop for orchards and cider stops along the way. 

Regardless of where you go, build a two- to three-day window into any leaf-peeping trip rather than pinning it to a single date. Peak color rarely holds for more than a week once it starts, and a hard frost or a windstorm can end a display overnight.

Which region is topping your list for this year’s color season? Is there one we missed? Share it in the comments.