Organize Your Autumn Escape With This Peak Foliage Forecast Map

Coordinating a leaf-watching adventure to align perfectly with peak fall colors can be tricky. Arrive too early, and you’ll encounter more green than fiery hues. Arrive too late? You might find only a canopy of browning leaves.

To help you steer clear of such letdowns, SmokyMountains.com has unveiled its 2024 fall foliage forecast map, which utilizes historical insights and predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to estimate the peak foliage times across the continental U.S. each year.

The National Weather Service predicts higher-than-average temperatures this fall nationwide, which may postpone the foliage season, making it crucial to plan ahead if you wish to witness the color transformation.

Although no weather prediction method can guarantee complete accuracy, this interactive autumn color map provides excellent insights into when and where leaves will be near peak, at peak, or past peak in 2024, allowing you to adjust the slider to explore different weeks throughout the season. Feel free to use this online resource to plan your autumn road trip, whether you want to see the sugar maples turn crimson in Tennessee or the aspens shimmering gold in Colorado.

When will the fall foliage reach its peak this year?

According to the map, by September 30, 2024, regions of Colorado, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Washington, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula will experience peak fall foliage, similar to last year’s timing in those areas.

By October 7, much of Michigan, New York, and Connecticut, along with all of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts, will reach their peak. However, by October 14, many areas in these prime leaf-viewing states will have passed their peak—a reminder that timing is crucial.

If you want to find the ideal time to pack your weekender bag and enjoy peak fall foliage in New York’s Hudson River Valley or Catskill Mountains, plan your trip for the week of October 14, when the map indicates that the southern part of the state will be at its peak. Consider staying at the Eastwind, Oliverea Valley in the Catskills or Wildflower Farms Resort in the Hudson Valley for unique accommodations with fantastic leaf-viewing opportunities. For those aiming to rent a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains during peak foliage in western North Carolina and Virginia, the weeks of October 14 and 21 are your best choices according to the map.

Planning a leaf-peeping trip in California’s wine country? Expect the fall colors to be at or near their peak in Sonoma County during the week of October 28, coinciding perfectly with the fall harvest season. Some of the top hotels in the area, including Montage Healdsburg, Lodge at Sonoma, and Harmon Guest House, still have openings that week.

To find out when the fall foliage near you (or your favorite autumn getaway) will change this year, check the map at SmokyMountains.com.

This article first appeared online in 2018 and was most recently updated on September 4, 2024, to reflect the latest information.