Alaska Fall Foliage 2026
High country above 4500 feet turns by the first week of August, while valleys hold color into late August. Interior Alaska typically peaks in early September, with the southcentral coast following in late September. Paper birch and quaking aspen dominate the palette, often accompanied by fresh snow on alpine peaks.
When Alaska peaks
Sep 3 – Sep 11
Centered on Sep 7. Interior Alaska peaks in the first half of September; the southcentral coast in late September.
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
- quaking aspen
- paper birch
- balsam poplar
- willow
Yellows show up every year. Reds need sunny days and cool, frost-free nights. A bad year takes those first.
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 7Typical color progression for Alaska. No change from Jul 31 to Aug 17. First color from Aug 17 to Aug 26. Approaching peak from Aug 26 to Sep 3. Peak from Sep 3 to Sep 11. Past peak from Sep 11 to Sep 21. Bare from Sep 21 to Oct 5.
Alaska is typically at no change on this date.
Peak by elevation
15 days between the ridges and the valleys. County maps average this away, which is how you miss peak at the right place.
| Elevation band | Approx. elevation | Typical peak | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| High ridges & passes | 4,500 ft | Aug 30 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 2,000 ft | Sep 7 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 0 ft | Sep 14 | No change |
Foliage stages
- No change 0–10%
- First color 10–25%
- Approaching peak 25–60%
- Peak 60–90%
- Past peak 40–70%, dropping
- Bare <20%
Light at peak
Alaska on September 7, the day it typically peaks. Knowing when color arrives is one thing. Knowing where the sun will be is another.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:07 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ENE · 75° | 6:56 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 62 min of low, warm light | 7:59 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:53 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 62 min before sunset | 7:47 PM |
| Sunset Sets WNW · 285° | 8:49 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 9:38 PM |
Times in America/Anchorage · day length 13h 52m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises ENE, sets WNW.
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 Alaska
2 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Hatcher Pass No change
Talkeetna Mountains · 3,830 ft · peaks Sep 1
Tundra turns red and orange across open alpine bowls above the Little Susitna River, with the road switchbacking through the color. Nothing grows tall at this elevation, so the ridgelines stack cleanly behind each other.
- Savage River No change
Denali Park Road · 2,573 ft · peaks Sep 5
Dwarf birch and willow turn the tundra red on both banks of the braided Savage River, under the gray scree of Healy Ridge. Late August into the first week of September is the window, weeks ahead of the Lower 48.
Recent reports from Alaska
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Alaska?
- Alaska typically peaks Sep 3 – Sep 11, centered on Sep 7. Interior Alaska peaks in the first half of September; the southcentral coast in late September. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model, not a live reading of this year's canopy.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Alaska?
- Yes, by about 15 days. High ground around 4,500 ft peaks near Aug 30, while valleys near 0 ft wait until Sep 14. Peak moves roughly 3.5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb, so if you miss it low you can often drive up and find it.
- Where are the best places to see fall color in Alaska?
- We track 2 verified locations in Alaska, including Hatcher Pass, Savage River. Hatcher Pass turns first, around Sep 1, and Savage River is last, around Sep 5. Each has real coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Alaska?
- Mainly quaking aspen, paper birch, balsam poplar, willow. 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.