This article originally appeared online in 2018; it was most recently updated on August 27, 2026, to include current information.
Planning a fall foliage trip to coincide perfectly with peak colors can be tricky. If you go too early, you’ll see more green than orange and red. Too late? You risk being greeted by a forest full of brown leaves.
To help avoid disappointment, SmokyMountains.com just released its 2026 fall foliage prediction map, which uses historical data and forecast information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to predict the timing of peak fall foliage for the continental United States each year.
While no weather prediction tool is 100 percent accurate, this interactive fall color map shows you the best opportunities for when and where leaves will be near peak, at peak, and past peak in 2026, as you move the slider at the bottom of the map between weeks throughout the season. You can use this online tool to help map out your fall road trip, whether you plan on seeing the sugar maples turn red in Tennessee or the aspens go for gold in Colorado.
What regions will have the best fall foliage this year?
According to AccuWeather’s 2026 fall foliage forecast, New England and upstate New York are gearing up for a promising 2026 season for fall colors due to a wet spring and summer with drier conditions heading into fall.
The Midwest could also see some vibrant colors, as could the Sierra Nevada mountains in California.
When will fall foliage peak this year?
Central and northern areas of the country will begin experiencing peak fall colors by the end of September.
Courtesy of SmokyMoutains.com
By September 29, the map shows that parts of Washington, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and areas throughout the Northeast will be at peak fall foliage.
By October 6, much of the rest of Michigan, New York, and Connecticut, along with all of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts, will peak. Parts of California and the southeastern states of Arizona and New Mexico will start seeing some prime colors in early October, too.
But by October 20, the leaves in many parts of those prime autumn leaf states will be past their prime—a reminder that timing is everything.
Much of the northern part of the country will be past its peak fall colors by October 20, 2026.
Courtesy of SmokyMountains.com
Where to go to see fall colors
On the East Coast, head out for a weekend trip to New York’s Hudson River Valley or Catskill Mountains, where peak fall foliage is expected around the week of October 13. Check into the Eastwind Oliverea Valley in the Catskills or Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resort Collection in the Hudson Valley for unique stays with rooms that offer great leaf views. Or spend some time exploring a charming New England small town, like Williamstown, Massachusetts (known for its arts and academics), or Conway, New Hampshire, where you can view autumn’s kaleidoscope of colors from the Conway Scenic Railroad’s Mountaineer train ride.
Plan a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip for ultimate views of colorful trees.
Photo by Nathan Anderson/Unsplash
For those looking to head to western North Carolina for Blue Ridge Parkway landscapes bursting in warm hues, it looks like the weeks of October 13 and 20 are your best bet. Make Asheville your home base and be treated to an impressive culinary scene that is getting James Beard nods left and right (including chef Taylor Montgomery of Montgomery Sky Farm, which hosts community harvest dinners, who received the 2026 James Beard Award for best chef in the Southeast). Rest your head at one of Afar’s favorite Asheville hotels like the design-forward Blind Tiger Asheville or the hunting lodge–themed Grand Bohemian.
Related: Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip: The Perfect 4-Day Itinerary
Or consider autumn leaves in California wine country. The week of October 27 is when the grapevines should be at or near peak in Sonoma County, timed perfectly to the fall harvest season when wineries and hotels often host special events and menus to celebrate the season’s bounty. Some of the best hotels in the area, including Appellation Healdsburg, Montage Healdsburg, and the Madrona, offer stunning vineyard views—and their on-site dining venues are among the best in the region.
To see when the fall foliage near you—or your favorite autumn destination—will change this year, and to book a trip accordingly, visit the map at SmokyMountains.com.
