Alabama Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Oct 24 – Nov 1
Centered on Oct 28 at reference elevation.
high confidence in typical timing.
Northeast corner peaks early November; the Gulf Coast effectively has no season.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
Alabama’s typical peak is October 28, within the October 24–November 1 window. High ground around 1,750 feet peaks near October 27, while valleys around 650 feet peak near October 31. The Northeast corner typically peaks in early November; Little River Canyon has a modest but real season, while the Gulf Coast effectively has no season.
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 28Typical 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.
Alabama is typically at peak on Nov 1, 2026.
Alabama by county
15 days from Jackson County to Mobile County.
35 of 67 counties are typically at peak on Nov 1, 2026. 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 on Nov 1, 2026 | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autauga County | Nov 2 – Nov 10 | Approaching peak | 371 ft | 1 days |
| Baldwin County | Nov 8 – Nov 16 | Approaching peak | 113 ft | 0 days |
| Barbour County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 325 ft | 2 days |
| Bibb County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 446 ft | 0 days |
| Blount County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 713 ft | 1 days |
| Bullock County | Nov 3 – Nov 11 | Approaching peak | 447 ft | 1 days |
| Butler County | Nov 5 – Nov 13 | Approaching peak | 285 ft | 1 days |
| Calhoun County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 661 ft | 2 days |
| Chambers County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 729 ft | 0 days |
| Cherokee County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 713 ft | 2 days |
| Chilton County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 543 ft | 0 days |
| Choctaw County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 230 ft | 1 days |
| Clarke County | Nov 5 – Nov 13 | Approaching peak | 170 ft | 1 days |
| Clay County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 970 ft | 1 days |
| Cleburne County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 1,042 ft | 1 days |
| Coffee County | Nov 6 – Nov 14 | Approaching peak | 248 ft | 1 days |
| Colbert County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 539 ft | 1 days |
| Conecuh County | Nov 5 – Nov 13 | Approaching peak | 320 ft | 1 days |
| Coosa County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 612 ft | 1 days |
| Covington County | Nov 6 – Nov 14 | Approaching peak | 260 ft | 0 days |
| Crenshaw County | Nov 5 – Nov 13 | Approaching peak | 331 ft | 1 days |
| Cullman County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 763 ft | 2 days |
| Dale County | Nov 5 – Nov 13 | Approaching peak | 308 ft | 0 days |
| Dallas County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 156 ft | 1 days |
| DeKalb County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 1,195 ft | 2 days |
| Elmore County | Nov 2 – Nov 10 | Approaching peak | 361 ft | 1 days |
| Escambia County | Nov 6 – Nov 14 | Approaching peak | 238 ft | 1 days |
| Etowah County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 664 ft | 2 days |
| Fayette County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 467 ft | 1 days |
| Franklin County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 714 ft | 1 days |
| Geneva County | Nov 7 – Nov 15 | Approaching peak | 208 ft | 1 days |
| Greene County | Nov 2 – Nov 10 | Approaching peak | 178 ft | 0 days |
| Hale County | Nov 2 – Nov 10 | Approaching peak | 169 ft | 1 days |
| Henry County | Nov 5 – Nov 13 | Approaching peak | 332 ft | 1 days |
| Houston County | Nov 6 – Nov 14 | Approaching peak | 197 ft | 1 days |
| Jackson County | Oct 24 – Nov 1 | Peak | 1,325 ft | 3 days |
| Jefferson County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 549 ft | 2 days |
| Lamar County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 361 ft | 1 days |
| Lauderdale County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 647 ft | 1 days |
| Lawrence County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 743 ft | 1 days |
| Lee County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 592 ft | 1 days |
| Limestone County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 658 ft | 1 days |
| Lowndes County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 241 ft | 1 days |
| Macon County | Nov 3 – Nov 11 | Approaching peak | 318 ft | 0 days |
| Madison County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 764 ft | 1 days |
| Marengo County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 181 ft | 1 days |
| Marion County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 669 ft | 1 days |
| Marshall County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 953 ft | 2 days |
| Mobile County | Nov 8 – Nov 16 | Approaching peak | 121 ft | 1 days |
| Monroe County | Nov 5 – Nov 13 | Approaching peak | 250 ft | 1 days |
| Montgomery County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 203 ft | 1 days |
| Morgan County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 652 ft | 1 days |
| Perry County | Nov 2 – Nov 10 | Approaching peak | 243 ft | 1 days |
| Pickens County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 201 ft | 0 days |
| Pike County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 385 ft | 0 days |
| Randolph County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 856 ft | 1 days |
| Russell County | Nov 3 – Nov 11 | Approaching peak | 295 ft | 1 days |
| Shelby County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 556 ft | 1 days |
| St. Clair County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 639 ft | 2 days |
| Sumter County | Nov 3 – Nov 11 | Approaching peak | 162 ft | 0 days |
| Talladega County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 557 ft | 1 days |
| Tallapoosa County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 654 ft | 1 days |
| Tuscaloosa County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 296 ft | 1 days |
| Walker County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 446 ft | 1 days |
| Washington County | Nov 6 – Nov 14 | Approaching peak | 130 ft | 0 days |
| Wilcox County | Nov 4 – Nov 12 | Approaching peak | 193 ft | 1 days |
| Winston County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 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 | Past peak |
| Mid elevation | 1,500 ft | Oct 28 | Peak |
| Valleys & lowlands | 650 ft | Oct 31 | Peak |
Foliage stages
- No change 0–10%
- First color 10–25%
- Approaching peak 25–60%
- Peak 60–90%
- Past peak 40–70%, dropping
- Bare <20%
Plan the light
Alabama on October 28, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| 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.
Local terrain can hide the sun; allow extra time to reach your viewpoint.
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises ESE, sets WSW.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
Where to shoot in Alabama
3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Bald Rock Overlook, Cheaha State Park Peak
Talladega Mountains · 2,283 ft · peaks Oct 28
A bare rock outcrop on the shoulder of Alabama's highest mountain, facing west over the Talladega Valley and national forest. The open ledge gives a foreground the low sun rakes across.
- Little River Falls Peak
Little River Canyon National Preserve · 1,171 ft · peaks Oct 30
A 45-foot cascade at the head of Little River Canyon, framed by sandstone ledges and hardwoods along the rim. Color runs late here, often holding into the first week of November.
- Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Peak
Tennessee River Valley · 565 ft · peaks Nov 1
Tupelo swamp and backwater embayment on the Tennessee River near Decatur, a thousand feet below the Talladega ridges and a wholly different fall. Standing water and still air early give the swamp a mirror the mountains cannot offer.
Recent reports from Alabama
Report what you sawCommon 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.