Connecticut Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Oct 9 – Oct 17
Centered on Oct 13 at reference elevation.
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Northwest hills peak roughly a week before the shoreline.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
In a typical season, peak falls around Oct 13, within the Oct 9–17 window. High ground near 1,700 feet peaks around Oct 10 and valleys near 550 feet around Oct 14; the Northwest Hills generally peak roughly a week before the shoreline.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- red maple
- oak
- hickory
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 13Typical color progression for Connecticut. No change from Sep 5 to Sep 22. First color from Sep 22 to Oct 1. Approaching peak from Oct 1 to Oct 9. Peak from Oct 9 to Oct 17. Past peak from Oct 17 to Oct 27. Bare from Oct 27 to Nov 10.
Connecticut is typically at bare on Nov 1, 2026.
Connecticut by county
3 days from Litchfield County to New London 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. Litchfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield County | Oct 12 – Oct 20 | Bare | 301 ft | 2 days |
| Hartford County | Oct 11 – Oct 19 | Bare | 175 ft | 2 days |
| Litchfield County | Oct 9 – Oct 17 | Bare | 834 ft | 4 days |
| Middlesex County | Oct 12 – Oct 20 | Bare | 237 ft | 1 days |
| New Haven County | Oct 12 – Oct 20 | Bare | 276 ft | 2 days |
| New London County | Oct 12 – Oct 20 | Bare | 208 ft | 2 days |
| Tolland County | Oct 9 – Oct 17 | Bare | 565 ft | 1 days |
| Windham County | Oct 10 – Oct 18 | Bare | 510 ft | 2 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 | 1,700 ft | Oct 10 | Bare |
| Mid elevation | 700 ft | Oct 13 | Bare |
| Valleys & lowlands | 550 ft | Oct 14 | Bare |
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
Connecticut on October 13, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:34 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 100° | 7:02 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light | 7:40 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:39 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset | 5:37 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 260° | 6:15 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:43 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 13m · 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 E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
Where to shoot in Connecticut
3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Lake Waramaug State Park Bare
Litchfield Hills · 713 ft · peaks Oct 13
The park holds the northwest tip of the lake and looks southeast down its full length toward the wooded hills above the vineyards. The bay off the picnic area stays flat before sunrise and returns a clean reflection of the far shore.
- Kent Falls Bare
Litchfield Hills · 387 ft · peaks Oct 14
Falls Brook drops 250 feet over a run of limestone ledges, and the covered bridge at the base gives a built foreground most Connecticut waterfalls lack. Sugar maple and beech hang directly over the lower cascade.
- Chapman Falls, Devil's Hopyard State Park Bare
Eightmile River · 194 ft · peaks Oct 16
More than sixty feet of stepped drops over Scotland Schist on the Wild and Scenic Eightmile River, in the oak half of Connecticut rather than the sugar maple hills in the northwest. The surround runs rust and bronze here, and the stepped ledges give the water structure that flat light keeps readable.
Recent reports from Connecticut
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Connecticut?
- Connecticut typically peaks Oct 9 – Oct 17, centered on Oct 13. Northwest hills peak roughly a week before the shoreline. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Connecticut?
- Yes, by about 4 days. High ground around 1,700 ft peaks near Oct 10, while valleys near 550 ft wait until Oct 14. 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 Connecticut?
- The guide includes 3 researched locations in Connecticut, including Lake Waramaug State Park, Kent Falls, Chapman Falls, Devil's Hopyard State Park. Lake Waramaug State Park turns first, around Oct 13, and Chapman Falls, Devil's Hopyard State Park is last, around Oct 16. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Connecticut?
- Mainly sugar maple, red maple, oak, hickory. 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.