Minnesota Fall Foliage 2026
The Arrowhead region along Lake Superior hits peak in the last week of September, making it one of the earliest shows in the lower 48. Sugar maple, aspen and birch dominate the canopy, with tamarack adding gold through November in wetlands. The Twin Cities and southern Minnesota peak two to three weeks later in mid-October, extending the Minnesota season across a full month.
When Minnesota peaks
Sep 22 – Sep 30
Centered on Sep 26. The Arrowhead peaks in the last week of September; the Twin Cities and south in mid-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
- aspen
- birch
- tamarack
Yellows show up every year. Reds need sunny days and cool, frost-free nights. A bad year takes those first.
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 26Typical color progression for Minnesota. No change from Aug 19 to Sep 5. First color from Sep 5 to Sep 14. Approaching peak from Sep 14 to Sep 22. Peak from Sep 22 to Sep 30. Past peak from Sep 30 to Oct 10. Bare from Oct 10 to Oct 24.
Color starts around Sep 5.
Peak by elevation
14 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 | 3,900 ft | Sep 17 | No change |
| Mid elevation | 1,400 ft | Sep 26 | No change |
| Valleys & lowlands | 0 ft | Oct 1 | 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
Minnesota on September 26, 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 | 6:24 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 91° | 6:54 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 41 min of low, warm light | 7:35 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:54 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 41 min before sunset | 6:12 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 269° | 6:53 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:23 PM |
Times in America/Chicago · day length 11h 59m · 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 Minnesota
4 researched locations, earliest peak first.
- Honeymoon Bluff No change
Gunflint Trail · 1,868 ft · peaks Sep 23
A rock ledge 150 feet above Hungry Jack Lake looking due west into the Boundary Waters, with birch and aspen stands broken by dark spruce ridgelines. Tamarack in the bogs turns gold a week or two after the birch drops, giving a late second window.
- Oberg Mountain No change
North Shore · 1,537 ft · peaks Sep 26
Nine overlooks ring the summit loop; the north-facing ones drop onto Oberg Lake with solid sugar maple running to the ridgeline behind it. The south side turns to face Lake Superior and Leveaux Mountain, so both directions work from one 2.2-mile loop.
- High Falls of the Baptism River No change
North Shore · 782 ft · peaks Sep 29
The tallest waterfall entirely inside Minnesota drops 60 feet into a basalt gorge, with cedar and birch leaning over both rims. A suspension footbridge upstream gives a second angle looking down the length of the gorge.
- Palisade Head No change
North Shore · 791 ft · peaks Sep 29
A 200-foot rhyolite cliff drops straight into Lake Superior, and the view northeast runs down the shoreline to Shovel Point with birch and aspen packed on the headlands between. First light hits the cliff faces directly and separates the rock from the water.
Recent reports from Minnesota
Report what you sawCommon questions
- When do the leaves change in Minnesota?
- Minnesota typically peaks Sep 22 – Sep 30, centered on Sep 26. The Arrowhead peaks in the last week of September; the Twin Cities and south in mid-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 Minnesota?
- Yes, by about 14 days. High ground around 3,900 ft peaks near Sep 17, while valleys near 0 ft wait until Oct 1. 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 Minnesota?
- We track 4 verified locations in Minnesota, including Honeymoon Bluff, Oberg Mountain, High Falls of the Baptism River. Honeymoon Bluff turns first, around Sep 23, and Palisade Head is last, around Sep 29. Each has real coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
- What trees turn color in Minnesota?
- Mainly sugar maple, aspen, birch, tamarack. 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.