Maryland Fall Foliage 2026
Typical peak window
Oct 9 – Oct 17
Centered on Oct 13 at reference elevation.
moderate confidence in typical timing.
Western mountains peak in early-to-mid October; the Eastern Shore is a November event.
Seasonal model estimate. Timing remains uncertain; check recent reports before traveling. Source: seasonal timing model. Calculated .
Seasonal timing
Maryland’s typical peak is October 13, within an October 9–17 window. High ground around 3,350 feet typically peaks near October 10, while valleys around 1,500 feet peak near October 16; the Eastern Shore is typically a November event.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- red maple
- oak
- hickory
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 13Typical color progression for Maryland. No change from Sep 5 to Sep 22. First color from Sep 22 to Oct 1. Approaching peak from Oct 1 to Oct 9. Peak from Oct 9 to Oct 17. Past peak from Oct 17 to Oct 27. Bare from Oct 27 to Nov 10.
Maryland is typically at bare on Nov 1, 2026.
Maryland by county
13 days from Garrett County to Somerset County.
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. Allegany County spans 4 days on its own, ridge to valley.
Every county, as text
| County | Typical peak | Stage on Nov 1, 2026 | Median elev. | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County | Oct 13 – Oct 21 | Bare | 1,153 ft | 4 days |
| Anne Arundel County | Oct 18 – Oct 26 | Past peak | 100 ft | 0 days |
| Baltimore city | Oct 17 – Oct 25 | Past peak | 159 ft | 2 days |
| Baltimore County | Oct 16 – Oct 24 | Past peak | 450 ft | 2 days |
| Calvert County | Oct 19 – Oct 27 | Past peak | 92 ft | 0 days |
| Caroline County | Oct 19 – Oct 27 | Past peak | 50 ft | 0 days |
| Carroll County | Oct 15 – Oct 23 | Past peak | 597 ft | 1 days |
| Cecil County | Oct 17 – Oct 25 | Past peak | 83 ft | 1 days |
| Charles County | Oct 19 – Oct 27 | Past peak | 50 ft | 1 days |
| Dorchester County | Oct 20 – Oct 28 | Past peak | 1 ft | 0 days |
| Frederick County | Oct 15 – Oct 23 | Past peak | 565 ft | 3 days |
| Garrett County | Oct 8 – Oct 16 | Bare | 2,518 ft | 2 days |
| Harford County | Oct 16 – Oct 24 | Past peak | 306 ft | 2 days |
| Howard County | Oct 16 – Oct 24 | Past peak | 419 ft | 1 days |
| Kent County | Oct 18 – Oct 26 | Past peak | 36 ft | 0 days |
| Montgomery County | Oct 17 – Oct 25 | Past peak | 419 ft | 1 days |
| Prince George's County | Oct 18 – Oct 26 | Past peak | 148 ft | 1 days |
| Queen Anne's County | Oct 18 – Oct 26 | Past peak | 34 ft | 0 days |
| Somerset County | Oct 21 – Oct 29 | Past peak | 3 ft | 0 days |
| St. Mary's County | Oct 20 – Oct 28 | Past peak | 103 ft | 0 days |
| Talbot County | Oct 19 – Oct 27 | Past peak | 16 ft | 0 days |
| Washington County | Oct 15 – Oct 23 | Past peak | 517 ft | 0 days |
| Wicomico County | Oct 20 – Oct 28 | Past peak | 37 ft | 0 days |
| Worcester County | Oct 20 – Oct 28 | Past peak | 24 ft | 0 days |
Peak by elevation
6 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 | 3,350 ft | Oct 10 | Bare |
| Mid elevation | 2,500 ft | Oct 13 | Bare |
| Valleys & lowlands | 1,500 ft | Oct 16 | Bare |
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
Maryland on October 13, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:58 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 99° | 7:25 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light | 8:01 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 1:03 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset | 6:05 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 260° | 6:41 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:08 PM |
Times in America/New York · day length 11h 17m · 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 E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of the sun for translucent leaves. Turn your back to it for flat, accurate color.
Where to shoot in Maryland
3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations
- Muddy Creek Falls, Swallow Falls Bare
Youghiogheny Highlands · 2,319 ft · peaks Oct 13
Maryland's tallest free-falling waterfall drops 53 feet over a sandstone lip inside an old-growth hemlock and white pine stand. The dark conifers hold the edges of the frame while red maple and yellow birch supply the color along the creek.
- Chimney Rock, Catoctin Mountain Bare
Catoctin Mountain · 1,395 ft · peaks Oct 16
A quartzite outcrop on the east face of Catoctin Mountain looking down over Thurmont and the Monocacy Valley. Broken rock ledges give a hard foreground against the oak and maple color dropping away below.
- Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Past peak
Chesapeake Bay · 4 ft · peaks Oct 24
Tidal marsh on the Eastern Shore at four feet above sea level, more than two thousand feet below the state's mountain entries. The marsh goes bronze and the loblolly stands hold dark green behind it, which makes this a horizon and reflection problem rather than a canopy one.
Recent reports from Maryland
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Maryland?
- Maryland typically peaks Oct 9 – Oct 17, centered on Oct 13. Western mountains peak in early-to-mid October; the Eastern Shore is a November event. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.
- Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Maryland?
- Yes, by about 6 days. High ground around 3,350 ft peaks near Oct 10, while valleys near 1,500 ft wait until Oct 16. Peak moves roughly 3.5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb. Try lower valleys after high ground has passed peak, or higher ground while valleys are still green.
- Where are the best places to see fall color in Maryland?
- The guide includes 3 researched locations in Maryland, including Muddy Creek Falls, Swallow Falls, Chimney Rock, Catoctin Mountain, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Muddy Creek Falls, Swallow Falls turns first, around Oct 13, and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Oct 24. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Maryland?
- Mainly sugar maple, red maple, oak, hickory. 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.