When do the leaves change in Indiana?

Indiana typically peaks Oct 15 – Oct 23, centered on Oct 19. Northern counties peak in mid-October, the Ohio River valley in late October. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.

Where are the best places to see fall color in Indiana?

The guide includes 3 researched locations in Indiana, including Sunset Point, Turkey Run, Hesitation Point, Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge. Sunset Point, Turkey Run turns first, around Oct 18, and Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Oct 21. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.

What trees turn color in Indiana?

Mainly sugar maple, oak, hickory, tulip poplar, sassafras. 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.

Indiana Fall Foliage 2026

Past peak 40–70%, dropping Typical peak was 13 days ago

Typical peak window

Oct 15 – Oct 23

Centered on Oct 19 at reference elevation.

moderate confidence in typical timing.

Northern counties peak in mid-October, the Ohio River valley in late October.

Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated Nov 1, 2026.

Seasonal timing

In a typical season, Indiana’s peak falls around Oct. 19, within an Oct. 15–23 window. Northern counties generally peak in mid-October, while the Ohio River valley peaks in late October; high ground around 1,050 feet typically turns near Oct. 18, about two days before valleys around 550 feet.

What turns here

sugar maple
oak
hickory
tulip poplar
sassafras

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 19

typical peak Nov 1, 2026

Indiana is typically at past peak on Nov 1, 2026.

Indiana by county

11 days from Elkhart County to Spencer County.

Tap a location marker for coordinates and light times. Where peak usually lands. Boundaries: US Census, 2023. Elevation: USGS 3DEP + SRTM. Method

Every county, as text

County	Typical peak	Stage on Nov 1, 2026	Median elev.	Spread
Adams County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	836 ft	0 days
Allen County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	802 ft	1 days
Bartholomew County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	644 ft	1 days
Benton County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	742 ft	0 days
Blackford County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	898 ft	0 days
Boone County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	933 ft	0 days
Brown County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	719 ft	1 days
Carroll County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	677 ft	0 days
Cass County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	728 ft	1 days
Clark County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	578 ft	1 days
Clay County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	627 ft	1 days
Clinton County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	846 ft	1 days
Crawford County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	680 ft	0 days
Daviess County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	485 ft	1 days
Dearborn County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	868 ft	1 days
Decatur County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	882 ft	1 days
DeKalb County	Oct 10 – Oct 18	Bare	860 ft	1 days
Delaware County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	950 ft	0 days
Dubois County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	475 ft	0 days
Elkhart County	Oct 9 – Oct 17	Bare	867 ft	0 days
Fayette County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	1,000 ft	1 days
Floyd County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	760 ft	1 days
Fountain County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	648 ft	1 days
Franklin County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	952 ft	1 days
Fulton County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	770 ft	0 days
Gibson County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	433 ft	0 days
Grant County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	869 ft	0 days
Greene County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	579 ft	1 days
Hamilton County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	815 ft	0 days
Hancock County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	872 ft	0 days
Harrison County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	698 ft	0 days
Hendricks County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	885 ft	1 days
Henry County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	1,058 ft	1 days
Howard County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	825 ft	0 days
Huntington County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	823 ft	0 days
Jackson County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	571 ft	1 days
Jasper County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	688 ft	0 days
Jay County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	943 ft	1 days
Jefferson County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	781 ft	1 days
Jennings County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	680 ft	0 days
Johnson County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	759 ft	1 days
Knox County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	459 ft	1 days
Kosciusko County	Oct 10 – Oct 18	Bare	846 ft	0 days
LaGrange County	Oct 9 – Oct 17	Bare	924 ft	0 days
Lake County	Oct 10 – Oct 18	Bare	660 ft	0 days
LaPorte County	Oct 10 – Oct 18	Bare	721 ft	1 days
Lawrence County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	619 ft	1 days
Madison County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	878 ft	0 days
Marion County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	777 ft	0 days
Marshall County	Oct 10 – Oct 18	Bare	801 ft	0 days
Martin County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	555 ft	1 days
Miami County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	799 ft	1 days
Monroe County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	723 ft	1 days
Montgomery County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	818 ft	0 days
Morgan County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	773 ft	1 days
Newton County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	670 ft	0 days
Noble County	Oct 9 – Oct 17	Bare	912 ft	1 days
Ohio County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	825 ft	0 days
Orange County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	715 ft	1 days
Owen County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	651 ft	1 days
Parke County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	641 ft	1 days
Perry County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	521 ft	0 days
Pike County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	488 ft	0 days
Porter County	Oct 10 – Oct 18	Bare	700 ft	0 days
Posey County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	397 ft	1 days
Pulaski County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	686 ft	0 days
Putnam County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	827 ft	0 days
Randolph County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	1,116 ft	0 days
Ripley County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	931 ft	0 days
Rush County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	978 ft	1 days
Scott County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	620 ft	0 days
Shelby County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	770 ft	1 days
Spencer County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	422 ft	1 days
St. Joseph County	Oct 9 – Oct 17	Bare	802 ft	1 days
Starke County	Oct 10 – Oct 18	Bare	707 ft	0 days
Steuben County	Oct 9 – Oct 17	Bare	994 ft	1 days
Sullivan County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	501 ft	1 days
Switzerland County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	832 ft	0 days
Tippecanoe County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	698 ft	0 days
Tipton County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	876 ft	0 days
Union County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	992 ft	1 days
Vanderburgh County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	414 ft	1 days
Vermillion County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	595 ft	1 days
Vigo County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	547 ft	1 days
Wabash County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	785 ft	0 days
Warren County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	690 ft	0 days
Warrick County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	442 ft	0 days
Washington County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	765 ft	0 days
Wayne County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	1,045 ft	0 days
Wells County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	842 ft	0 days
White County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	689 ft	0 days
Whitley County	Oct 10 – Oct 18	Bare	857 ft	0 days

Peak by elevation

2 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	1,050 ft	Oct 18	Past peak
Mid elevation	800 ft	Oct 19	Past peak
Valleys & lowlands	550 ft	Oct 20	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

Indiana on October 19, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Indiana on October 19, 2026
Event	Time
First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	7:31 AM
Sunrise Rises ESE · 102°	7:58 AM
Morning golden hour ends 37 min of low, warm light	8:35 AM
Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light	1:29 PM
Evening golden hour starts 37 min before sunset	6:24 PM
Sunset Sets WSW · 258°	7:01 PM
Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	7:28 PM

Times in America/Indiana/Indianapolis · day length 11h 3m · 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 Indiana

3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations

Recent reports from Indiana

Report what you saw

Common questions

When do the leaves change in Indiana?: Indiana typically peaks Oct 15 – Oct 23, centered on Oct 19. Northern counties peak in mid-October, the Ohio River valley in late October. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
Where are the best places to see fall color in Indiana?: The guide includes 3 researched locations in Indiana, including Sunset Point, Turkey Run, Hesitation Point, Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge. Sunset Point, Turkey Run turns first, around Oct 18, and Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Oct 21. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
What trees turn color in Indiana?: Mainly sugar maple, oak, hickory, tulip poplar, sassafras. 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.