Autumn kicks off on September 22, and with it comes the annual scramble to time a leaf-peeping trip just right. The 2026 forecast across the US is shaping up to be a mixed bag: drought conditions are pushing some mountain regions into early color, while warm spells have delayed others. Here's where the color is expected to shine, region by region.
In New England, the classics remain the play. Stowe in Vermont, Massachusetts' Berkshires and Maine's Acadia National Park should hit maximum color from late September into early October, with lower-lying spots like the Hudson Valley and Bar Harbor peaking a bit later. Vermont's foliage dropped early last year thanks to a flash drought, though, so it's worth checking state foliage reports — Maine and the Poconos have already launched theirs for the season.
Out west, Colorado's aspens are turning ahead of schedule because of prolonged drought, with northern areas peaking from mid-September and the wave moving south. Aspen itself is the famous name, but Guanella Pass near Georgetown and Golden Gate Canyon State Park are closer-to-Denver alternatives. Utah's canyon maple and scrub oak add color to red-rock country in early-to-mid October, while Portland, Oregon is expected to peak in mid-to-late October — ideally admired from a steamboat or along the scenic Historic Columbia River Highway.
The Midwest gets one of the longest seasons thanks to the Great Lakes' buffering effect. Northern Michigan peaks in early October, spreading south through the month; the famous Tunnel of Trees (M-119) has reopened sections after this year's floods. Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri turns maple-and-oak brilliant by November 1, and Lexington, Kentucky offers paddling tours along the Kentucky River with color peaking in mid-November.
The Southeast stretches the season even longer. North Carolina's range of elevations means Great Smoky Mountains color in early October, reaching the coast by early November. Virginia's reports start updating weekly from late September. For fewer crowds, try Columbia, South Carolina in late October — or Congaree National Park nearby, home to some of the country's tallest deciduous trees.
The Deep South and Texas round things out: Louisiana's state parks glow from late October to mid-November, Lost Maples State Natural Area outside San Antonio turns on its bigtooth maples from late October, and Eureka Springs, Arkansas delivers blazing hillsides plus Victorian architecture and hot springs from mid-October through early November.
Because weather keeps rewriting the schedule, flexibility is the real pro move. Forecast tools like the Old Farmer's Almanac and the Smoky Mountains Fall Foliage Prediction Map update with live user data as the season unfolds, and they're your best bet for timing a trip. Book refundable rates where you can, sign up for local foliage newsletters, and keep plans loose — the perfect window can shift by a week in either direction.