Skip to content
Fall Photo Guide

Iowa Fall Foliage 2026

No change 0–10% Typical peak in 23 days

Iowa typically reaches peak color around Saturday, October 10, 2026, within a broader window from Tuesday, October 6, through Wednesday, October 14. High ground near 1,100 feet typically peaks Friday, October 9, while valleys near 600 feet peak Sunday, October 11. The Driftless Area’s northeast bluffs typically peak in mid-October, with southern Iowa about a week later.

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

When Iowa peaks

Oct 6 – Oct 14

Centered on Oct 10. Northeast bluffs peak in mid-October; southern Iowa about a week later.

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
  • cottonwood

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 10

Typical color progression for Iowa. No change from Sep 2 to Sep 19. First color from Sep 19 to Sep 28. Approaching peak from Sep 28 to Oct 6. Peak from Oct 6 to Oct 14. Past peak from Oct 14 to Oct 24. Bare from Oct 24 to Nov 7.

typical peak today

Iowa is typically at no change on this date.

Iowa by county

10 days from Osceola County to Van Buren County.

Typical fall foliage stage by county in Iowa on September 17 Each county is shaded by its typical foliage stage. Peak runs from Oct 6 in Osceola County to Oct 16 in Van Buren County. Every county, its stage and its typical peak date are listed as text below the map. Adair County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Adams County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Allamakee County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Appanoose County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Audubon County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 11 Benton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Black Hawk County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 11 Boone County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 11 Bremer County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Buchanan County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 11 Buena Vista County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Butler County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Calhoun County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Carroll County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 11 Cass County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Cedar County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Cerro Gordo County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Cherokee County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Chickasaw County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Clarke County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Clay County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Clayton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Clinton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Crawford County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Dallas County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Davis County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Decatur County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Delaware County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 11 Des Moines County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Dickinson County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 7 Dubuque County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Emmet County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 7 Fayette County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Floyd County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Franklin County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Fremont County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Greene County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 11 Grundy County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Guthrie County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Hamilton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Hancock County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Hardin County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Harrison County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Henry County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Howard County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 7 Humboldt County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Ida County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Iowa County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Jackson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Jasper County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Jefferson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Johnson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Jones County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Keokuk County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Kossuth County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Lee County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 16 Linn County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Louisa County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Lucas County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Lyon County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 7 Madison County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Mahaska County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Marion County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Marshall County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Mills County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Mitchell County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Monona County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 11 Monroe County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Montgomery County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Muscatine County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 O'Brien County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 7 Osceola County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 6 Page County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Palo Alto County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Plymouth County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Pocahontas County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Polk County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Pottawattamie County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Poweshiek County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Ringgold County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Sac County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Scott County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Shelby County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 11 Sioux County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Story County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Tama County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 12 Taylor County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Union County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Van Buren County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 16 Wapello County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Warren County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 13 Washington County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 14 Wayne County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 15 Webster County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Winnebago County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 7 Winneshiek County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 8 Woodbury County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 10 Worth County: First color today, typically peaks Oct 7 Wright County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 9 Fire Point Pikes Peak State Park Overlook Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

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 today Median elev. Spread
Adair County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 1,278 ft 1 days
Adams County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 1,232 ft 0 days
Allamakee County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,044 ft 1 days
Appanoose County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 977 ft 0 days
Audubon County Oct 7 – Oct 15 No change 1,351 ft 0 days
Benton County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 871 ft 0 days
Black Hawk County Oct 7 – Oct 15 No change 908 ft 0 days
Boone County Oct 7 – Oct 15 No change 1,032 ft 1 days
Bremer County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 1,014 ft 1 days
Buchanan County Oct 7 – Oct 15 No change 949 ft 1 days
Buena Vista County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,326 ft 1 days
Butler County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 981 ft 0 days
Calhoun County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 1,187 ft 0 days
Carroll County Oct 7 – Oct 15 No change 1,292 ft 1 days
Cass County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 1,252 ft 1 days
Cedar County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 737 ft 0 days
Cerro Gordo County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,176 ft 1 days
Cherokee County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,376 ft 1 days
Chickasaw County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,132 ft 1 days
Clarke County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 1,115 ft 0 days
Clay County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,389 ft 1 days
Clayton County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,063 ft 1 days
Clinton County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 715 ft 0 days
Crawford County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 1,392 ft 1 days
Dallas County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 1,024 ft 1 days
Davis County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 831 ft 1 days
Decatur County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 1,083 ft 1 days
Delaware County Oct 7 – Oct 15 No change 968 ft 1 days
Des Moines County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 690 ft 1 days
Dickinson County Oct 3 – Oct 11 First color 1,450 ft 1 days
Dubuque County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 980 ft 1 days
Emmet County Oct 3 – Oct 11 First color 1,276 ft 0 days
Fayette County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,139 ft 0 days
Floyd County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,052 ft 0 days
Franklin County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,170 ft 1 days
Fremont County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 956 ft 1 days
Greene County Oct 7 – Oct 15 No change 1,074 ft 0 days
Grundy County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 1,033 ft 1 days
Guthrie County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 1,208 ft 1 days
Hamilton County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 1,105 ft 0 days
Hancock County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,212 ft 0 days
Hardin County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 1,096 ft 1 days
Harrison County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 1,168 ft 1 days
Henry County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 681 ft 0 days
Howard County Oct 3 – Oct 11 First color 1,235 ft 1 days
Humboldt County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,137 ft 0 days
Ida County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,364 ft 1 days
Iowa County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 809 ft 0 days
Jackson County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 745 ft 0 days
Jasper County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 867 ft 0 days
Jefferson County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 745 ft 0 days
Johnson County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 762 ft 1 days
Jones County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 857 ft 0 days
Keokuk County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 779 ft 0 days
Kossuth County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,158 ft 0 days
Lee County Oct 12 – Oct 20 No change 667 ft 0 days
Linn County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 833 ft 0 days
Louisa County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 658 ft 1 days
Lucas County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 1,008 ft 0 days
Lyon County Oct 3 – Oct 11 First color 1,411 ft 1 days
Madison County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 1,117 ft 0 days
Mahaska County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 795 ft 0 days
Marion County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 849 ft 0 days
Marshall County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 978 ft 1 days
Mills County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 1,082 ft 1 days
Mitchell County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,187 ft 1 days
Monona County Oct 7 – Oct 15 No change 1,077 ft 1 days
Monroe County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 898 ft 1 days
Montgomery County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 1,158 ft 1 days
Muscatine County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 676 ft 0 days
O'Brien County Oct 3 – Oct 11 First color 1,453 ft 1 days
Osceola County Oct 2 – Oct 10 First color 1,534 ft 1 days
Page County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 1,066 ft 1 days
Palo Alto County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,214 ft 0 days
Plymouth County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,350 ft 1 days
Pocahontas County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,233 ft 0 days
Polk County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 900 ft 0 days
Pottawattamie County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 1,144 ft 1 days
Poweshiek County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 884 ft 1 days
Ringgold County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 1,133 ft 1 days
Sac County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,296 ft 1 days
Scott County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 722 ft 1 days
Shelby County Oct 7 – Oct 15 No change 1,298 ft 0 days
Sioux County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,367 ft 1 days
Story County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 989 ft 1 days
Tama County Oct 8 – Oct 16 No change 920 ft 1 days
Taylor County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 1,175 ft 1 days
Union County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 1,210 ft 0 days
Van Buren County Oct 12 – Oct 20 No change 705 ft 0 days
Wapello County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 782 ft 0 days
Warren County Oct 9 – Oct 17 No change 953 ft 1 days
Washington County Oct 10 – Oct 18 No change 727 ft 0 days
Wayne County Oct 11 – Oct 19 No change 1,068 ft 1 days
Webster County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 1,121 ft 0 days
Winnebago County Oct 3 – Oct 11 First color 1,237 ft 0 days
Winneshiek County Oct 4 – Oct 12 First color 1,133 ft 0 days
Woodbury County Oct 6 – Oct 14 No change 1,272 ft 1 days
Worth County Oct 3 – Oct 11 First color 1,204 ft 1 days
Wright County Oct 5 – Oct 13 No change 1,154 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 1,100 ft Oct 9 No change
Mid elevation 1,000 ft Oct 10 No change
Valleys & lowlands 600 ft Oct 11 No change

Foliage stages

  1. No change 0–10%
  2. First color 10–25%
  3. Approaching peak 25–60%
  4. Peak 60–90%
  5. Past peak 40–70%, dropping
  6. Bare <20%

Light at peak

Iowa on October 10, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Iowa on October 10
EventTime
First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon 6:44 AM
Sunrise Rises E · 98° 7:12 AM
Morning golden hour ends 38 min of low, warm light 7:51 AM
Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light 12:52 PM
Evening golden hour starts 38 min before sunset 5:54 PM
Sunset Sets W · 262° 6:32 PM
Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon 7:00 PM

Times in America/Chicago · day length 11h 19m · computed from NOAA solar equations

Which way to point the camera

Sun rises E, sets W.

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 Iowa

3 researched locations, earliest peak first.

Recent reports from Iowa

Report what you saw
Loading reports…

Common questions

When do the leaves change in Iowa?
Iowa typically peaks Oct 6 – Oct 14, centered on Oct 10. Northeast bluffs peak in mid-October; southern Iowa about a week later. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
Where are the best places to see fall color in Iowa?
The guide includes 3 researched locations in Iowa, including Fire Point, Pikes Peak State Park Overlook, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. Fire Point turns first, around Oct 9, and Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Oct 13. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
What trees turn color in Iowa?
Mainly sugar maple, oak, hickory, cottonwood. 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.

Nearby states