Indiana Fall Foliage 2026
Northern counties hit peak in mid-October, while the Ohio River valley follows in late October. Brown County State Park offers the steepest terrain and densest forest canopy in the state during the third week of October. The twelve-day elevation spread from high ground at 3,300 feet to river valleys means you can follow color south as sugar maple, oak and hickory turn.
When Indiana peaks
Oct 15 – Oct 23
Centered on Oct 19. Northern counties peak in mid-October, the Ohio River valley in late October.
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
- 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 19Typical color progression for Indiana. No change from Sep 11 to Sep 28. First color from Sep 28 to Oct 7. Approaching peak from Oct 7 to Oct 15. Peak from Oct 15 to Oct 23. Past peak from Oct 23 to Nov 2. Bare from Nov 2 to Nov 16.
Color starts around Sep 28.
Peak by elevation
12 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 | 3,300 ft | Oct 10 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 800 ft | Oct 19 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 0 ft | Oct 22 | 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
Indiana on October 19, 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 | 7:31 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
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 Indiana
2 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Sunset Point, Turkey Run No change
Sugar Creek · 552 ft · peaks Oct 18
A sandstone bluff above Sugar Creek where white sycamore trunks line the water and hemlock leans off the far bank. Late light runs down the creek corridor and lights the opposite bluff while the near side goes to shadow.
- Hesitation Point No change
Brown County Hills · 1,004 ft · peaks Oct 19
The highest pull-off in Brown County State Park looks across ridge after ridge of maple and tulip poplar with no roofs or towers in the frame. Valley fog holds for an hour past sunrise and separates the ridge lines into bands.
Recent reports from Indiana
Report what you sawCommon 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, not a live reading of this year's canopy.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Indiana?
- Yes, by about 12 days. High ground around 3,300 ft peaks near Oct 10, while valleys near 0 ft wait until Oct 22. 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 Indiana?
- We track 2 verified locations in Indiana, including Sunset Point, Turkey Run, Hesitation Point. Sunset Point, Turkey Run turns first, around Oct 18, and Hesitation Point is last, around Oct 19. Each has real 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.