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Fall Photo Guide

Alabama Fall Foliage 2026

No change 0–10% Typical peak in 41 days

For 2026 planning, Alabama’s typical peak window is October 24 through November 1. High ground around 1,750 feet peaks near October 27, while 650-foot valleys follow near October 31, with oak, hickory, sweetgum and red maple leading the show. The Northeast corner typically peaks in early November, while the Gulf Coast effectively has no fall season.

Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .

When Alabama peaks

Oct 24 – Nov 1

Centered on Oct 28. Northeast corner peaks early November; the Gulf Coast effectively has no season.

low confidence. Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.

Where peak usually lands. Drought or an early freeze moves it by a few days. Method

What turns here

  • oak
  • hickory
  • sweetgum
  • red maple

Yellows show up every year. Reds need sunny days and cool, frost-free nights. A bad year takes those first.

Color progression

Typical peak Oct 28

Typical color progression for Alabama. No change from Sep 20 to Oct 7. First color from Oct 7 to Oct 16. Approaching peak from Oct 16 to Oct 24. Peak from Oct 24 to Nov 1. Past peak from Nov 1 to Nov 11. Bare from Nov 11 to Nov 25.

typical peak

Color starts around Oct 7.

Alabama by county

15 days from Jackson County to Mobile County.

Typical fall foliage stage by county in Alabama on September 17 Each county is shaded by its typical foliage stage. Peak runs from Oct 28 in Jackson County to Nov 12 in Mobile County. Every county, its stage and its typical peak date are listed as text below the map. Autauga County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 6 Baldwin County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 12 Barbour County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 8 Bibb County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 5 Blount County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 2 Bullock County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 7 Butler County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 9 Calhoun County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 2 Chambers County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 4 Cherokee County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 1 Chilton County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 5 Choctaw County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 8 Clarke County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 9 Clay County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 2 Cleburne County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 1 Coffee County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 10 Colbert County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 31 Conecuh County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 9 Coosa County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 5 Covington County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 10 Crenshaw County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 9 Cullman County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 1 Dale County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 9 Dallas County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 8 DeKalb County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 30 Elmore County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 6 Escambia County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 10 Etowah County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 2 Fayette County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 3 Franklin County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 1 Geneva County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 11 Greene County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 6 Hale County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 6 Henry County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 9 Houston County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 10 Jackson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Jefferson County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 3 Lamar County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 3 Lauderdale County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 30 Lawrence County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 31 Lee County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 5 Limestone County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 31 Lowndes County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 8 Macon County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 7 Madison County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 30 Marengo County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 8 Marion County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 1 Marshall County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 31 Mobile County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 12 Monroe County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 9 Montgomery County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 8 Morgan County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 1 Perry County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 6 Pickens County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 5 Pike County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 8 Randolph County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 3 Russell County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 7 Shelby County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 4 St. Clair County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 2 Sumter County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 7 Talladega County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 4 Tallapoosa County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 5 Tuscaloosa County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 5 Walker County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 3 Washington County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 10 Wilcox County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 8 Winston County: No change today, typically peaks Nov 1 Bald Rock Overlook, Cheaha State Park Little River Falls Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge

Tap a location marker for coordinates and light times. Where peak usually lands. Boundaries: US Census, 2023. Elevation: USGS 3DEP + SRTM. Method

Every county, as text
County Typical peak Stage today Median elev. Spread
Autauga County Nov 2 – Nov 10 No change 371 ft 1 days
Baldwin County Nov 8 – Nov 16 No change 113 ft 0 days
Barbour County Nov 4 – Nov 12 No change 325 ft 2 days
Bibb County Nov 1 – Nov 9 No change 446 ft 0 days
Blount County Oct 29 – Nov 6 No change 713 ft 1 days
Bullock County Nov 3 – Nov 11 No change 447 ft 1 days
Butler County Nov 5 – Nov 13 No change 285 ft 1 days
Calhoun County Oct 29 – Nov 6 No change 661 ft 2 days
Chambers County Oct 31 – Nov 8 No change 729 ft 0 days
Cherokee County Oct 28 – Nov 5 No change 713 ft 2 days
Chilton County Nov 1 – Nov 9 No change 543 ft 0 days
Choctaw County Nov 4 – Nov 12 No change 230 ft 1 days
Clarke County Nov 5 – Nov 13 No change 170 ft 1 days
Clay County Oct 29 – Nov 6 No change 970 ft 1 days
Cleburne County Oct 28 – Nov 5 No change 1,042 ft 1 days
Coffee County Nov 6 – Nov 14 No change 248 ft 1 days
Colbert County Oct 27 – Nov 4 No change 539 ft 1 days
Conecuh County Nov 5 – Nov 13 No change 320 ft 1 days
Coosa County Nov 1 – Nov 9 No change 612 ft 1 days
Covington County Nov 6 – Nov 14 No change 260 ft 0 days
Crenshaw County Nov 5 – Nov 13 No change 331 ft 1 days
Cullman County Oct 28 – Nov 5 No change 763 ft 2 days
Dale County Nov 5 – Nov 13 No change 308 ft 0 days
Dallas County Nov 4 – Nov 12 No change 156 ft 1 days
DeKalb County Oct 26 – Nov 3 No change 1,195 ft 2 days
Elmore County Nov 2 – Nov 10 No change 361 ft 1 days
Escambia County Nov 6 – Nov 14 No change 238 ft 1 days
Etowah County Oct 29 – Nov 6 No change 664 ft 2 days
Fayette County Oct 30 – Nov 7 No change 467 ft 1 days
Franklin County Oct 28 – Nov 5 No change 714 ft 1 days
Geneva County Nov 7 – Nov 15 No change 208 ft 1 days
Greene County Nov 2 – Nov 10 No change 178 ft 0 days
Hale County Nov 2 – Nov 10 No change 169 ft 1 days
Henry County Nov 5 – Nov 13 No change 332 ft 1 days
Houston County Nov 6 – Nov 14 No change 197 ft 1 days
Jackson County Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 1,325 ft 3 days
Jefferson County Oct 30 – Nov 7 No change 549 ft 2 days
Lamar County Oct 30 – Nov 7 No change 361 ft 1 days
Lauderdale County Oct 26 – Nov 3 No change 647 ft 1 days
Lawrence County Oct 27 – Nov 4 No change 743 ft 1 days
Lee County Nov 1 – Nov 9 No change 592 ft 1 days
Limestone County Oct 27 – Nov 4 No change 658 ft 1 days
Lowndes County Nov 4 – Nov 12 No change 241 ft 1 days
Macon County Nov 3 – Nov 11 No change 318 ft 0 days
Madison County Oct 26 – Nov 3 No change 764 ft 1 days
Marengo County Nov 4 – Nov 12 No change 181 ft 1 days
Marion County Oct 28 – Nov 5 No change 669 ft 1 days
Marshall County Oct 27 – Nov 4 No change 953 ft 2 days
Mobile County Nov 8 – Nov 16 No change 121 ft 1 days
Monroe County Nov 5 – Nov 13 No change 250 ft 1 days
Montgomery County Nov 4 – Nov 12 No change 203 ft 1 days
Morgan County Oct 28 – Nov 5 No change 652 ft 1 days
Perry County Nov 2 – Nov 10 No change 243 ft 1 days
Pickens County Nov 1 – Nov 9 No change 201 ft 0 days
Pike County Nov 4 – Nov 12 No change 385 ft 0 days
Randolph County Oct 30 – Nov 7 No change 856 ft 1 days
Russell County Nov 3 – Nov 11 No change 295 ft 1 days
Shelby County Oct 31 – Nov 8 No change 556 ft 1 days
St. Clair County Oct 29 – Nov 6 No change 639 ft 2 days
Sumter County Nov 3 – Nov 11 No change 162 ft 0 days
Talladega County Oct 31 – Nov 8 No change 557 ft 1 days
Tallapoosa County Nov 1 – Nov 9 No change 654 ft 1 days
Tuscaloosa County Nov 1 – Nov 9 No change 296 ft 1 days
Walker County Oct 30 – Nov 7 No change 446 ft 1 days
Washington County Nov 6 – Nov 14 No change 130 ft 0 days
Wilcox County Nov 4 – Nov 12 No change 193 ft 1 days
Winston County Oct 28 – Nov 5 No change 684 ft 1 days

Peak by elevation

4 days between the ridges and the valleys below them. The county map above averages that away.

Elevation band Approx. elevation Typical peak Today
High ridges & passes 1,750 ft Oct 27 No change
Mid elevation 1,500 ft Oct 28 No change
Valleys & lowlands 650 ft Oct 31 No change

Foliage stages

  1. No change 0–10%
  2. First color 10–25%
  3. Approaching peak 25–60%
  4. Peak 60–90%
  5. Past peak 40–70%, dropping
  6. Bare <20%

Light at peak

Alabama on October 28, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Alabama on October 28
EventTime
First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon 6:33 AM
Sunrise Rises ESE · 105° 6:59 AM
Morning golden hour ends 35 min of low, warm light 7:34 AM
Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light 12:26 PM
Evening golden hour starts 35 min before sunset 5:18 PM
Sunset Sets WSW · 254° 5:53 PM
Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon 6:19 PM

Times in America/Chicago · day length 10h 54m · computed from NOAA solar equations

Which way to point the camera

Sun rises ESE, sets WSW.

Aim within 45° of those and the canopy glows translucent. Turn your back to them for flat, accurate color.

Location pages name the light directly.

Where to shoot in Alabama

3 researched locations, earliest peak first.

Recent reports from Alabama

Report what you saw
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Common questions

When do the leaves change in Alabama?
Alabama typically peaks Oct 24 – Nov 1, centered on Oct 28. Northeast corner peaks early November; the Gulf Coast effectively has no season. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Alabama?
Yes, by about 4 days. High ground around 1,750 ft peaks near Oct 27, while valleys near 650 ft wait until Oct 31. Peak moves roughly 3.5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb. Try lower valleys after high ground has passed peak, or higher ground while valleys are still green.
Where are the best places to see fall color in Alabama?
The guide includes 3 researched locations in Alabama, including Bald Rock Overlook, Cheaha State Park, Little River Falls, Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. Bald Rock Overlook, Cheaha State Park turns first, around Oct 28, and Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Nov 1. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
What trees turn color in Alabama?
Mainly oak, hickory, sweetgum, red maple. Yellows and oranges come from carotenoids that are already in the leaf, so they show up every year. Reds are made fresh each autumn and need warm sunny days with cool, frost-free nights, which is why a dry summer or a warm September produces a duller year.

Nearby states