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.

Kentucky Fall Foliage 2026

Q: 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.

Past peak 40–70%, dropping Typical peak was 11 days ago

Typical peak window

Oct 17 – Oct 25

Centered on Oct 21 at reference elevation.

moderate confidence in typical timing.

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

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

Seasonal timing

Kentucky typically peaks around Oct. 21, within an Oct. 17–25 window; high ground near 1,300 feet peaks around Oct. 21, and valleys near 700 feet around Oct. 23. Eastern mountains typically peak in mid-to-late October, while the western Purchase region reaches peak in early November.

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 peak Nov 1, 2026

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

Kentucky by county

8 days from Boone County to Fulton County.

1 of 120 counties are typically at peak on Nov 1, 2026. 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 on Nov 1, 2026	Median elev.	Spread
Adair County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	868 ft	1 days
Allen County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	756 ft	1 days
Anderson County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	793 ft	0 days
Ballard County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	341 ft	0 days
Barren County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	713 ft	1 days
Bath County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	868 ft	1 days
Bell County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,721 ft	4 days
Boone County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	790 ft	0 days
Bourbon County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	894 ft	1 days
Boyd County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	735 ft	1 days
Boyle County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	917 ft	0 days
Bracken County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	818 ft	1 days
Breathitt County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,054 ft	1 days
Breckinridge County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	655 ft	1 days
Bullitt County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	514 ft	1 days
Butler County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	537 ft	1 days
Caldwell County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	502 ft	1 days
Calloway County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	497 ft	1 days
Campbell County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	717 ft	1 days
Carlisle County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	389 ft	1 days
Carroll County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	559 ft	2 days
Carter County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	853 ft	1 days
Casey County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,048 ft	0 days
Christian County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	558 ft	0 days
Clark County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	827 ft	0 days
Clay County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,099 ft	2 days
Clinton County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	943 ft	0 days
Crittenden County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	500 ft	0 days
Cumberland County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	814 ft	1 days
Daviess County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	400 ft	0 days
Edmonson County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	624 ft	1 days
Elliott County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	1,006 ft	0 days
Estill County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,087 ft	1 days
Fayette County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	941 ft	0 days
Fleming County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	855 ft	0 days
Floyd County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,014 ft	1 days
Franklin County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	794 ft	1 days
Fulton County	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	296 ft	1 days
Gallatin County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	685 ft	1 days
Garrard County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	956 ft	1 days
Grant County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	836 ft	1 days
Graves County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	502 ft	0 days
Grayson County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	619 ft	0 days
Green County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	727 ft	1 days
Greenup County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	679 ft	1 days
Hancock County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	475 ft	1 days
Hardin County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	757 ft	0 days
Harlan County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	1,909 ft	6 days
Harrison County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	790 ft	0 days
Hart County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	694 ft	1 days
Henderson County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	408 ft	0 days
Henry County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	823 ft	0 days
Hickman County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	344 ft	0 days
Hopkins County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	456 ft	1 days
Jackson County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,307 ft	1 days
Jefferson County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	517 ft	1 days
Jessamine County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	910 ft	0 days
Johnson County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	880 ft	1 days
Kenton County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	857 ft	1 days
Knott County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,354 ft	1 days
Knox County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,124 ft	1 days
Larue County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	801 ft	0 days
Laurel County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,159 ft	1 days
Lawrence County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	844 ft	1 days
Lee County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,056 ft	2 days
Leslie County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,437 ft	3 days
Letcher County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	1,815 ft	3 days
Lewis County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	1,001 ft	1 days
Lincoln County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,120 ft	1 days
Livingston County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	438 ft	1 days
Logan County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	590 ft	1 days
Lyon County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	390 ft	0 days
Madison County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	932 ft	1 days
Magoffin County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,130 ft	1 days
Marion County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	778 ft	1 days
Marshall County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	394 ft	1 days
Martin County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	874 ft	2 days
Mason County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	834 ft	1 days
McCracken County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	365 ft	0 days
McCreary County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,240 ft	2 days
McLean County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	386 ft	1 days
Meade County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	627 ft	0 days
Menifee County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	1,119 ft	1 days
Mercer County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	862 ft	1 days
Metcalfe County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	835 ft	1 days
Monroe County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	858 ft	1 days
Montgomery County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	899 ft	1 days
Morgan County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,009 ft	1 days
Muhlenberg County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	479 ft	0 days
Nelson County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	696 ft	1 days
Nicholas County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	823 ft	0 days
Ohio County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	503 ft	1 days
Oldham County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	737 ft	1 days
Owen County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	777 ft	1 days
Owsley County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,023 ft	1 days
Pendleton County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	738 ft	1 days
Perry County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,263 ft	1 days
Pike County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,286 ft	3 days
Powell County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	762 ft	2 days
Pulaski County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,031 ft	0 days
Robertson County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	759 ft	0 days
Rockcastle County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,211 ft	1 days
Rowan County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	987 ft	1 days
Russell County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	809 ft	1 days
Scott County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	859 ft	1 days
Shelby County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	815 ft	1 days
Simpson County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	673 ft	0 days
Spencer County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	663 ft	1 days
Taylor County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	848 ft	1 days
Todd County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	617 ft	1 days
Trigg County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	517 ft	1 days
Trimble County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	788 ft	2 days
Union County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	364 ft	1 days
Warren County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	562 ft	1 days
Washington County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	766 ft	0 days
Wayne County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	973 ft	1 days
Webster County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	423 ft	1 days
Whitley County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,155 ft	1 days
Wolfe County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,022 ft	1 days
Woodford County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	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	Past peak
Mid elevation	1,200 ft	Oct 21	Past peak
Valleys & lowlands	700 ft	Oct 23	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

Kentucky on October 21, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Kentucky on October 21, 2026
Event	Time
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.

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 Kentucky

3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations

Recent reports from Kentucky

Report what you saw

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.