Arkansas Fall Foliage 2026
The Ozark highlands reach peak color in late October, with sugar maples, oaks and hickories coloring ridges and river valleys. The Buffalo River corridor and Ozark National Forest offer the best concentrations of color, particularly above 2,000 feet. The Delta lowlands follow two weeks later in early November as sweetgums and oaks turn.
When Arkansas peaks
Oct 20 – Oct 28
Centered on Oct 24. The Ozark highlands peak in late October; the Delta lowlands in early-to-mid November.
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
- sugar maple
- oak
- hickory
- sweetgum
- dogwood
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 24Typical color progression for Arkansas. No change from Sep 16 to Oct 3. First color from Oct 3 to Oct 12. Approaching peak from Oct 12 to Oct 20. Peak from Oct 20 to Oct 28. Past peak from Oct 28 to Nov 7. Bare from Nov 7 to Nov 21.
Color starts around Oct 3.
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 | 4,300 ft | Oct 15 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 1,800 ft | Oct 24 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 0 ft | Oct 30 | 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
Arkansas on October 24, 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 | 7:02 AM |
| Sunrise Rises ESE · 104° | 7:28 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 35 min of low, warm light | 8:03 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:57 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 35 min before sunset | 5:52 PM |
| Sunset Sets WSW · 256° | 6:27 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:53 PM |
Times in America/Chicago · day length 10h 59m · 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 Arkansas
3 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag) No change
Buffalo National River · 1,915 ft · peaks Oct 24
A thin sandstone beak juts off the rim above the Whitaker Creek hollow with layered Ozark ridges behind it in oak and red maple. A person standing on the crag sets the scale, and fog fills the hollow below on cool mornings.
- Steel Creek and Roark Bluff No change
Buffalo National River · 1,078 ft · peaks Oct 26
Roark Bluff runs about 200 feet up across the Buffalo River from the Steel Creek gravel bar, with old sycamores along the water line. Late light warms the bluff face while the river below holds the reflection.
- Cedar Falls Overlook No change
Arkansas River Valley · 865 ft · peaks Oct 29
A railed rim platform looks across the canyon at a 95-foot fall dropping into Cedar Creek, with oak and red maple on both walls. Overcast holds detail in the white water and keeps the wet sandstone from going flat.
Recent reports from Arkansas
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Arkansas?
- Arkansas typically peaks Oct 20 – Oct 28, centered on Oct 24. The Ozark highlands peak in late October; the Delta lowlands in early-to-mid November. 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 Arkansas?
- Yes, by about 15 days. High ground around 4,300 ft peaks near Oct 15, while valleys near 0 ft wait until Oct 30. 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 Arkansas?
- We track 3 verified locations in Arkansas, including Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag), Steel Creek and Roark Bluff, Cedar Falls Overlook. Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag) turns first, around Oct 24, and Cedar Falls Overlook is last, around Oct 29. Each has real coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Arkansas?
- Mainly sugar maple, oak, hickory, sweetgum, dogwood. 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.