Arizona Fall Foliage 2026
In a typical season, high ground around 11,500 feet peaks near September 22, while the Flagstaff aspen belt usually peaks in early October. Statewide peak timing centers on October 2, with a September 28 to October 6 window; valleys around 4,350 feet peak near October 17, while Sedona and Oak Creek typically run from late October into early November.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
When Arizona peaks
Sep 28 – Oct 6
Centered on Oct 2. The Flagstaff aspen belt peaks early October; Sedona and Oak Creek in late October to early November.
moderate confidence. A few weeks out. Expect this to move by several days.
Where peak usually lands. Drought or an early freeze moves it by a few days. Method
What turns here
- quaking aspen
- bigtooth maple
- cottonwood
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 2Typical color progression for Arizona. No change from Aug 25 to Sep 11. First color from Sep 11 to Sep 20. Approaching peak from Sep 20 to Sep 28. Peak from Sep 28 to Oct 6. Past peak from Oct 6 to Oct 16. Bare from Oct 16 to Oct 30.
Arizona is typically at first color on this date.
Arizona by county
26 days from Apache County to Yuma County.
Tap a location marker for coordinates and light times. Where peak usually lands. Boundaries: US Census, 2023. Elevation: USGS 3DEP + SRTM. Method
A county is still an average. Mohave County spans 17 days on its own, ridge to valley.
Every county, as text
| County | Typical peak | Stage today | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache County | Oct 5 – Oct 13 | No change | 6,488 ft | 6 days |
| Cochise County | Oct 22 – Oct 30 | No change | 4,358 ft | 5 days |
| Coconino County | Oct 6 – Oct 14 | No change | 6,117 ft | 7 days |
| Gila County | Oct 15 – Oct 23 | No change | 4,823 ft | 12 days |
| Graham County | Oct 17 – Oct 25 | No change | 4,838 ft | 9 days |
| Greenlee County | Oct 14 – Oct 22 | No change | 5,381 ft | 11 days |
| La Paz County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | No change | 1,267 ft | 4 days |
| Maricopa County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | No change | 1,155 ft | 6 days |
| Mohave County | Oct 13 – Oct 21 | No change | 4,004 ft | 17 days |
| Navajo County | Oct 7 – Oct 15 | No change | 5,711 ft | 5 days |
| Pima County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | No change | 2,520 ft | 5 days |
| Pinal County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | No change | 1,988 ft | 7 days |
| Santa Cruz County | Oct 22 – Oct 30 | No change | 4,397 ft | 5 days |
| Yavapai County | Oct 14 – Oct 22 | No change | 4,345 ft | 10 days |
| Yuma County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | No change | 762 ft | 5 days |
Peak by elevation
25 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 | 11,500 ft | Sep 22 | Approaching peak |
| Mid elevation | 8,500 ft | Oct 2 | First color |
| Valleys & lowlands | 4,350 ft | Oct 17 | 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
Arizona on October 2, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 5:57 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 94° | 6:22 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 34 min of low, warm light | 6:56 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:16 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 34 min before sunset | 5:36 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 266° | 6:09 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:35 PM |
Times in America/Phoenix · day length 11h 47m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
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 Arizona
3 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Lockett Meadow First color
San Francisco Peaks · 8,571 ft · peaks Oct 2
A ring of aspen encloses a meadow at the mouth of the Inner Basin, with Humphreys and Agassiz Peaks standing over the west side. The trunks are dense enough to shoot straight into the grove and leave the sky out.
- West Fork of Oak Creek No change
Oak Creek Canyon · 5,331 ft · peaks Oct 14
Bigtooth maple and Arizona sycamore fill a canyon barely 200 feet wide, with red Coconino sandstone rising straight off the creek. Shade or overcast keeps the walls from blowing out against the yellow canopy.
- Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge No change
Lower Colorado River · 486 ft · peaks Nov 2
One of the last naturally regenerated cottonwood-willow stands on the lower Colorado, eight thousand feet below the aspen on the San Francisco Peaks. Green gallery forest in a bare desert canyon is the whole picture, and it goes gold against red rock rather than against more forest.
Recent reports from Arizona
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Arizona?
- Arizona typically peaks Sep 28 – Oct 6, centered on Oct 2. The Flagstaff aspen belt peaks early October; Sedona and Oak Creek in late October to early November. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Arizona?
- Yes, by about 25 days. High ground around 11,500 ft peaks near Sep 22, while valleys near 4,350 ft wait until Oct 17. 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 Arizona?
- The guide includes 3 researched locations in Arizona, including Lockett Meadow, West Fork of Oak Creek, Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge. Lockett Meadow turns first, around Oct 2, and Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Nov 2. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Arizona?
- Mainly quaking aspen, bigtooth maple, cottonwood. 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.