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Fall Photo Guide

Kentucky Fall Foliage 2026

No change 0–10% Typical peak in 34 days

Typical peak falls October 17–25, with 1,300-foot ground around October 21 and 700-foot valleys around October 23. Eastern mountains peak in mid-to-late October, while the western Purchase region typically reaches peak in early November. Sugar maple, oak, hickory, and tulip poplar dominate, including the dense hardwood around Red River Gorge’s sandstone arches.

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

When Kentucky peaks

Oct 17 – Oct 25

Centered on Oct 21. Eastern mountains peak mid-to-late October; the western Purchase region in early November.

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

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 21

Typical color progression for Kentucky. No change from Sep 13 to Sep 30. First color from Sep 30 to Oct 9. Approaching peak from Oct 9 to Oct 17. Peak from Oct 17 to Oct 25. Past peak from Oct 25 to Nov 4. Bare from Nov 4 to Nov 18.

typical peak today

Kentucky is typically at no change on this date.

Kentucky by county

8 days from Boone County to Fulton County.

Typical fall foliage stage by county in Kentucky on September 17 Each county is shaded by its typical foliage stage. Peak runs from Oct 20 in Boone County to Oct 28 in Fulton 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 24 Allen County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Anderson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Ballard County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Barren County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Bath County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Bell County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Boone County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Bourbon County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Boyd County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Boyle County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Bracken County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Breathitt County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Breckinridge County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Bullitt County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Butler County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Caldwell County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Calloway County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Campbell County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Carlisle County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Carroll County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Carter County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Casey County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Christian County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Clark County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Clay County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Clinton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Crittenden County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Cumberland County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Daviess County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Edmonson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Elliott County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Estill County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Fayette County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Fleming County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Floyd County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Franklin County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Fulton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 28 Gallatin County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Garrard County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Grant County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Graves County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Grayson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Green County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Greenup County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Hancock County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Hardin County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Harlan County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Harrison County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Hart County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Henderson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Henry County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Hickman County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 27 Hopkins County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Jackson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Jefferson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Jessamine County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Johnson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Kenton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Knott County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Knox County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Larue County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Laurel County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Lawrence County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Lee County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Leslie County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Letcher County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Lewis County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 20 Lincoln County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Livingston County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Logan County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Lyon County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Madison County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Magoffin County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Marion County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Marshall County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Martin County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Mason County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 McCracken County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 McCreary County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 McLean County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Meade County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Menifee County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Mercer County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Metcalfe County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Monroe County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Montgomery County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Morgan County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Muhlenberg County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Nelson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Nicholas County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Ohio County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Oldham County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Owen County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Owsley County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Pendleton County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Perry County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Pike County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Powell County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Pulaski County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Robertson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Rockcastle County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Rowan County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Russell County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Scott County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Shelby County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Simpson County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Spencer County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Taylor County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Todd County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Trigg County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Trimble County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 21 Union County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Warren County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 26 Washington County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 23 Wayne County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Webster County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 25 Whitley County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 24 Wolfe County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Woodford County: No change today, typically peaks Oct 22 Chimney Top Rock Natural Bridge Arch Cumberland Falls

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. Harlan County spans 6 days on its own, ridge to valley.

Every county, as text
County Typical peak Stage today Median elev. Spread
Adair County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 868 ft 1 days
Allen County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 756 ft 1 days
Anderson County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 793 ft 0 days
Ballard County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 341 ft 0 days
Barren County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 713 ft 1 days
Bath County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 868 ft 1 days
Bell County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,721 ft 4 days
Boone County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 790 ft 0 days
Bourbon County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 894 ft 1 days
Boyd County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 735 ft 1 days
Boyle County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 917 ft 0 days
Bracken County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 818 ft 1 days
Breathitt County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,054 ft 1 days
Breckinridge County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 655 ft 1 days
Bullitt County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 514 ft 1 days
Butler County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 537 ft 1 days
Caldwell County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 502 ft 1 days
Calloway County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 497 ft 1 days
Campbell County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 717 ft 1 days
Carlisle County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 389 ft 1 days
Carroll County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 559 ft 2 days
Carter County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 853 ft 1 days
Casey County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,048 ft 0 days
Christian County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 558 ft 0 days
Clark County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 827 ft 0 days
Clay County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,099 ft 2 days
Clinton County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 943 ft 0 days
Crittenden County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 500 ft 0 days
Cumberland County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 814 ft 1 days
Daviess County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 400 ft 0 days
Edmonson County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 624 ft 1 days
Elliott County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 1,006 ft 0 days
Estill County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,087 ft 1 days
Fayette County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 941 ft 0 days
Fleming County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 855 ft 0 days
Floyd County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,014 ft 1 days
Franklin County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 794 ft 1 days
Fulton County Oct 24 – Nov 1 No change 296 ft 1 days
Gallatin County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 685 ft 1 days
Garrard County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 956 ft 1 days
Grant County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 836 ft 1 days
Graves County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 502 ft 0 days
Grayson County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 619 ft 0 days
Green County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 727 ft 1 days
Greenup County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 679 ft 1 days
Hancock County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 475 ft 1 days
Hardin County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 757 ft 0 days
Harlan County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 1,909 ft 6 days
Harrison County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 790 ft 0 days
Hart County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 694 ft 1 days
Henderson County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 408 ft 0 days
Henry County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 823 ft 0 days
Hickman County Oct 23 – Oct 31 No change 344 ft 0 days
Hopkins County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 456 ft 1 days
Jackson County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,307 ft 1 days
Jefferson County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 517 ft 1 days
Jessamine County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 910 ft 0 days
Johnson County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 880 ft 1 days
Kenton County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 857 ft 1 days
Knott County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,354 ft 1 days
Knox County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 1,124 ft 1 days
Larue County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 801 ft 0 days
Laurel County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,159 ft 1 days
Lawrence County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 844 ft 1 days
Lee County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,056 ft 2 days
Leslie County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,437 ft 3 days
Letcher County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 1,815 ft 3 days
Lewis County Oct 16 – Oct 24 No change 1,001 ft 1 days
Lincoln County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,120 ft 1 days
Livingston County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 438 ft 1 days
Logan County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 590 ft 1 days
Lyon County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 390 ft 0 days
Madison County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 932 ft 1 days
Magoffin County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,130 ft 1 days
Marion County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 778 ft 1 days
Marshall County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 394 ft 1 days
Martin County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 874 ft 2 days
Mason County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 834 ft 1 days
McCracken County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 365 ft 0 days
McCreary County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 1,240 ft 2 days
McLean County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 386 ft 1 days
Meade County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 627 ft 0 days
Menifee County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 1,119 ft 1 days
Mercer County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 862 ft 1 days
Metcalfe County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 835 ft 1 days
Monroe County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 858 ft 1 days
Montgomery County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 899 ft 1 days
Morgan County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,009 ft 1 days
Muhlenberg County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 479 ft 0 days
Nelson County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 696 ft 1 days
Nicholas County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 823 ft 0 days
Ohio County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 503 ft 1 days
Oldham County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 737 ft 1 days
Owen County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 777 ft 1 days
Owsley County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 1,023 ft 1 days
Pendleton County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 738 ft 1 days
Perry County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,263 ft 1 days
Pike County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,286 ft 3 days
Powell County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 762 ft 2 days
Pulaski County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 1,031 ft 0 days
Robertson County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 759 ft 0 days
Rockcastle County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,211 ft 1 days
Rowan County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 987 ft 1 days
Russell County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 809 ft 1 days
Scott County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 859 ft 1 days
Shelby County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 815 ft 1 days
Simpson County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 673 ft 0 days
Spencer County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 663 ft 1 days
Taylor County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 848 ft 1 days
Todd County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 617 ft 1 days
Trigg County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 517 ft 1 days
Trimble County Oct 17 – Oct 25 No change 788 ft 2 days
Union County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 364 ft 1 days
Warren County Oct 22 – Oct 30 No change 562 ft 1 days
Washington County Oct 19 – Oct 27 No change 766 ft 0 days
Wayne County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 973 ft 1 days
Webster County Oct 21 – Oct 29 No change 423 ft 1 days
Whitley County Oct 20 – Oct 28 No change 1,155 ft 1 days
Wolfe County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 1,022 ft 1 days
Woodford County Oct 18 – Oct 26 No change 859 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 1,300 ft Oct 21 No change
Mid elevation 1,200 ft Oct 21 No change
Valleys & lowlands 700 ft Oct 23 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

Kentucky on October 21, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Kentucky on October 21
EventTime
First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon 7:21 AM
Sunrise Rises ESE · 103° 7:48 AM
Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light 8:24 AM
Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light 1:19 PM
Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset 6:13 PM
Sunset Sets WSW · 257° 6:49 PM
Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon 7:16 PM

Times in America/New York · day length 11h 1m · 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 Kentucky

3 researched locations, earliest peak first.

Recent reports from Kentucky

Report what you saw
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Common questions

When do the leaves change in Kentucky?
Kentucky typically peaks Oct 17 – Oct 25, centered on Oct 21. Eastern mountains peak mid-to-late October; the western Purchase region in early November. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
Where are the best places to see fall color in Kentucky?
The guide includes 3 researched locations in Kentucky, including Chimney Top Rock, Natural Bridge Arch, Cumberland Falls. Chimney Top Rock turns first, around Oct 21, and Cumberland Falls is last, around Oct 25. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
What trees turn color in Kentucky?
Mainly sugar maple, oak, hickory, tulip poplar. 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