Arkansas Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Oct 20 – Oct 28
Centered on Oct 24 at reference elevation.
moderate confidence in typical timing.
The Ozark highlands peak in late October; the Delta lowlands in early-to-mid November.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
The typical peak is Oct. 24, within the Oct. 20–28 window; high ground around 2,300 feet peaks near Oct. 22, and valleys around 1,000 feet near Oct. 27. The Ozark highlands and Ouachitas are late-October targets, while Delta lowlands typically peak in early to mid-November.
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.
Arkansas is typically at past peak on Nov 1, 2026.
Arkansas by county
13 days from Carroll County to Ashley County.
62 of 75 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
A county is still an average. Crawford County spans 4 days on its own, ridge to valley.
Every county, as text
| County | Typical peak | Stage on Nov 1, 2026 | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 185 ft | 0 days |
| Ashley County | Nov 2 – Nov 10 | Approaching peak | 131 ft | 1 days |
| Baxter County | Oct 23 – Oct 31 | Past peak | 785 ft | 1 days |
| Benton County | Oct 21 – Oct 29 | Past peak | 1,220 ft | 1 days |
| Boone County | Oct 21 – Oct 29 | Past peak | 1,209 ft | 1 days |
| Bradley County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 188 ft | 0 days |
| Calhoun County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 158 ft | 1 days |
| Carroll County | Oct 20 – Oct 28 | Past peak | 1,348 ft | 2 days |
| Chicot County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 125 ft | 0 days |
| Clark County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 293 ft | 1 days |
| Clay County | Oct 24 – Nov 1 | Peak | 289 ft | 0 days |
| Cleburne County | Oct 25 – Nov 2 | Peak | 712 ft | 2 days |
| Cleveland County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 205 ft | 1 days |
| Columbia County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 269 ft | 0 days |
| Conway County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 422 ft | 2 days |
| Craighead County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 237 ft | 1 days |
| Crawford County | Oct 24 – Nov 1 | Peak | 797 ft | 4 days |
| Crittenden County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 211 ft | 0 days |
| Cross County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 220 ft | 0 days |
| Dallas County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 284 ft | 1 days |
| Desha County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 142 ft | 0 days |
| Drew County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 169 ft | 1 days |
| Faulkner County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 339 ft | 1 days |
| Franklin County | Oct 25 – Nov 2 | Peak | 624 ft | 3 days |
| Fulton County | Oct 22 – Oct 30 | Past peak | 764 ft | 1 days |
| Garland County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 707 ft | 1 days |
| Grant County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 269 ft | 1 days |
| Greene County | Oct 25 – Nov 2 | Peak | 285 ft | 1 days |
| Hempstead County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 318 ft | 1 days |
| Hot Spring County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 441 ft | 1 days |
| Howard County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 569 ft | 2 days |
| Independence County | Oct 25 – Nov 2 | Peak | 438 ft | 2 days |
| Izard County | Oct 23 – Oct 31 | Past peak | 684 ft | 1 days |
| Jackson County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 233 ft | 1 days |
| Jefferson County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 216 ft | 1 days |
| Johnson County | Oct 25 – Nov 2 | Peak | 732 ft | 4 days |
| Lafayette County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 251 ft | 0 days |
| Lawrence County | Oct 25 – Nov 2 | Peak | 272 ft | 1 days |
| Lee County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 198 ft | 0 days |
| Lincoln County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 184 ft | 1 days |
| Little River County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 298 ft | 0 days |
| Logan County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 534 ft | 1 days |
| Lonoke County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 224 ft | 0 days |
| Madison County | Oct 20 – Oct 28 | Past peak | 1,610 ft | 2 days |
| Marion County | Oct 22 – Oct 30 | Past peak | 908 ft | 2 days |
| Miller County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 250 ft | 0 days |
| Mississippi County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 234 ft | 0 days |
| Monroe County | Oct 29 – Nov 6 | Peak | 181 ft | 0 days |
| Montgomery County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 732 ft | 2 days |
| Nevada County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 333 ft | 0 days |
| Newton County | Oct 20 – Oct 28 | Past peak | 1,732 ft | 3 days |
| Ouachita County | Oct 31 – Nov 8 | Peak | 182 ft | 1 days |
| Perry County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 641 ft | 3 days |
| Phillips County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 168 ft | 1 days |
| Pike County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 627 ft | 1 days |
| Poinsett County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 225 ft | 0 days |
| Polk County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 1,113 ft | 4 days |
| Pope County | Oct 25 – Nov 2 | Peak | 729 ft | 4 days |
| Prairie County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 203 ft | 0 days |
| Pulaski County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 276 ft | 0 days |
| Randolph County | Oct 24 – Nov 1 | Peak | 447 ft | 1 days |
| Saline County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 523 ft | 2 days |
| Scott County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 836 ft | 3 days |
| Searcy County | Oct 22 – Oct 30 | Past peak | 1,238 ft | 3 days |
| Sebastian County | Oct 26 – Nov 3 | Peak | 568 ft | 3 days |
| Sevier County | Oct 30 – Nov 7 | Peak | 377 ft | 1 days |
| Sharp County | Oct 24 – Nov 1 | Peak | 570 ft | 1 days |
| St. Francis County | Oct 28 – Nov 5 | Peak | 203 ft | 0 days |
| Stone County | Oct 23 – Oct 31 | Past peak | 921 ft | 2 days |
| Union County | Nov 1 – Nov 9 | Peak | 189 ft | 1 days |
| Van Buren County | Oct 24 – Nov 1 | Peak | 834 ft | 2 days |
| Washington County | Oct 22 – Oct 30 | Past peak | 1,278 ft | 1 days |
| White County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 225 ft | 0 days |
| Woodruff County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 196 ft | 0 days |
| Yell County | Oct 27 – Nov 4 | Peak | 512 ft | 2 days |
Peak by elevation
5 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 | 2,300 ft | Oct 22 | Past peak |
| Mid elevation | 1,800 ft | Oct 24 | Past peak |
| Valleys & lowlands | 1,000 ft | Oct 27 | Past 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
Arkansas on October 24, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| 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.
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 Arkansas
3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Whitaker Point (Hawksbill Crag) Past peak
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 Past peak
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 Peak
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; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Arkansas?
- Yes, by about 5 days. High ground around 2,300 ft peaks near Oct 22, while valleys near 1,000 ft wait until Oct 27. 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 Arkansas?
- The guide includes 3 researched 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 includes 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.