Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Minnesota?

Yes, by about 6 days. High ground around 2,300 ft peaks near Sep 23, while valleys near 600 ft wait until Sep 29. 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 Minnesota?

The guide includes 4 researched 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 includes 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.

Minnesota Fall Foliage 2026

Q: 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; current conditions may differ.

Bare <20% Typical peak was 36 days ago

Typical peak window

Sep 22 – Sep 30

Centered on Sep 26 at reference elevation.

low confidence in typical timing.

The Arrowhead peaks in the last week of September; the Twin Cities and south in mid-October.

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

Seasonal timing

Typical peak is around Sep 26, within the Sep 22–30 window. High ground near 2,300 feet peaks around Sep 23 and valleys near 600 feet around Sep 29; the Arrowhead typically peaks in the last week of September, while the Twin Cities and points south peak in mid-October.

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 26

typical peak

Leaves are typically down on Nov 1, 2026. Color starts around Sep 5.

Minnesota by county

13 days from Cook County to Martin County.

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 on Nov 1, 2026	Median elev.	Spread
Aitkin County	Sep 25 – Oct 3	Bare	1,271 ft	0 days
Anoka County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	899 ft	0 days
Becker County	Sep 24 – Oct 2	Bare	1,452 ft	1 days
Beltrami County	Sep 22 – Sep 30	Bare	1,212 ft	1 days
Benton County	Sep 28 – Oct 6	Bare	1,114 ft	0 days
Big Stone County	Sep 28 – Oct 6	Bare	1,110 ft	1 days
Blue Earth County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	999 ft	1 days
Brown County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,023 ft	0 days
Carlton County	Sep 26 – Oct 4	Bare	1,159 ft	1 days
Carver County	Oct 1 – Oct 9	Bare	972 ft	0 days
Cass County	Sep 24 – Oct 2	Bare	1,320 ft	1 days
Chippewa County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	1,030 ft	0 days
Chisago County	Sep 29 – Oct 7	Bare	920 ft	0 days
Clay County	Sep 26 – Oct 4	Bare	952 ft	1 days
Clearwater County	Sep 22 – Sep 30	Bare	1,432 ft	2 days
Cook County	Sep 20 – Sep 28	Bare	1,738 ft	1 days
Cottonwood County	Oct 1 – Oct 9	Bare	1,355 ft	0 days
Crow Wing County	Sep 26 – Oct 4	Bare	1,240 ft	1 days
Dakota County	Oct 1 – Oct 9	Bare	942 ft	0 days
Dodge County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,269 ft	1 days
Douglas County	Sep 26 – Oct 4	Bare	1,379 ft	1 days
Faribault County	Oct 3 – Oct 11	Bare	1,119 ft	0 days
Fillmore County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,282 ft	1 days
Freeborn County	Oct 3 – Oct 11	Bare	1,248 ft	1 days
Goodhue County	Oct 1 – Oct 9	Bare	1,078 ft	1 days
Grant County	Sep 27 – Oct 5	Bare	1,144 ft	1 days
Hennepin County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	917 ft	1 days
Houston County	Oct 3 – Oct 11	Bare	1,071 ft	1 days
Hubbard County	Sep 24 – Oct 2	Bare	1,422 ft	1 days
Isanti County	Sep 29 – Oct 7	Bare	944 ft	0 days
Itasca County	Sep 22 – Sep 30	Bare	1,337 ft	1 days
Jackson County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,415 ft	0 days
Kanabec County	Sep 28 – Oct 6	Bare	1,045 ft	1 days
Kandiyohi County	Sep 29 – Oct 7	Bare	1,126 ft	0 days
Kittson County	Sep 21 – Sep 29	Bare	907 ft	0 days
Koochiching County	Sep 21 – Sep 29	Bare	1,198 ft	0 days
Lac qui Parle County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	1,068 ft	0 days
Lake County	Sep 22 – Sep 30	Bare	1,529 ft	2 days
Lake of the Woods County	Sep 20 – Sep 28	Bare	1,144 ft	0 days
Le Sueur County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,017 ft	1 days
Lincoln County	Sep 29 – Oct 7	Bare	1,758 ft	0 days
Lyon County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	1,452 ft	2 days
Mahnomen County	Sep 23 – Oct 1	Bare	1,317 ft	1 days
Marshall County	Sep 21 – Sep 29	Bare	1,083 ft	1 days
Martin County	Oct 3 – Oct 11	Bare	1,194 ft	1 days
McLeod County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	1,047 ft	0 days
Meeker County	Sep 29 – Oct 7	Bare	1,112 ft	0 days
Mille Lacs County	Sep 27 – Oct 5	Bare	1,201 ft	1 days
Morrison County	Sep 27 – Oct 5	Bare	1,236 ft	1 days
Mower County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,299 ft	1 days
Murray County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	1,611 ft	1 days
Nicollet County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	980 ft	0 days
Nobles County	Oct 1 – Oct 9	Bare	1,571 ft	1 days
Norman County	Sep 25 – Oct 3	Bare	926 ft	1 days
Olmsted County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,161 ft	0 days
Otter Tail County	Sep 26 – Oct 4	Bare	1,351 ft	1 days
Pennington County	Sep 22 – Sep 30	Bare	1,135 ft	0 days
Pine County	Sep 27 – Oct 5	Bare	1,053 ft	0 days
Pipestone County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	1,688 ft	0 days
Polk County	Sep 23 – Oct 1	Bare	889 ft	2 days
Pope County	Sep 28 – Oct 6	Bare	1,181 ft	1 days
Ramsey County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	917 ft	0 days
Red Lake County	Sep 22 – Sep 30	Bare	1,094 ft	1 days
Redwood County	Oct 1 – Oct 9	Bare	1,085 ft	0 days
Renville County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	1,066 ft	1 days
Rice County	Oct 1 – Oct 9	Bare	1,065 ft	1 days
Rock County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,498 ft	1 days
Roseau County	Sep 20 – Sep 28	Bare	1,081 ft	0 days
Scott County	Oct 1 – Oct 9	Bare	964 ft	0 days
Sherburne County	Sep 29 – Oct 7	Bare	982 ft	0 days
Sibley County	Oct 1 – Oct 9	Bare	1,010 ft	0 days
St. Louis County	Sep 23 – Oct 1	Bare	1,353 ft	1 days
Stearns County	Sep 28 – Oct 6	Bare	1,221 ft	0 days
Steele County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,231 ft	0 days
Stevens County	Sep 28 – Oct 6	Bare	1,111 ft	0 days
Swift County	Sep 29 – Oct 7	Bare	1,041 ft	0 days
Todd County	Sep 26 – Oct 4	Bare	1,322 ft	1 days
Traverse County	Sep 28 – Oct 6	Bare	1,056 ft	0 days
Wabasha County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,069 ft	2 days
Wadena County	Sep 25 – Oct 3	Bare	1,348 ft	0 days
Waseca County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,129 ft	0 days
Washington County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	936 ft	1 days
Watonwan County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,102 ft	0 days
Wilkin County	Sep 27 – Oct 5	Bare	979 ft	0 days
Winona County	Oct 2 – Oct 10	Bare	1,162 ft	1 days
Wright County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	1,000 ft	1 days
Yellow Medicine County	Sep 30 – Oct 8	Bare	1,071 ft	2 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	2,300 ft	Sep 23	Bare
Mid elevation	1,400 ft	Sep 26	Bare
Valleys & lowlands	600 ft	Sep 29	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

Minnesota on September 26, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Minnesota on September 26, 2026
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.

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 Minnesota

4 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations

Recent reports from Minnesota

Report what you saw

Common 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; current conditions may differ.
Does elevation change when fall color peaks in Minnesota?: Yes, by about 6 days. High ground around 2,300 ft peaks near Sep 23, while valleys near 600 ft wait until Sep 29. 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 Minnesota?: The guide includes 4 researched 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 includes 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.