Where are the best places to see fall color in Missouri?

The guide includes 3 researched locations in Missouri, including Ha Ha Tonka Castle Bluff, Alley Spring Mill, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. Ha Ha Tonka Castle Bluff turns first, around Oct 22, and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Oct 26. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.

What trees turn color in Missouri?

Mainly sugar maple, oak, hickory, sassafras, dogwood. 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.

Missouri Fall Foliage 2026

Q: When do the leaves change in Missouri?

Missouri typically peaks Oct 19 – Oct 27, centered on Oct 23. Northern Missouri peaks mid-October; the southern Ozarks late October into early November. These are typical dates from a latitude and elevation model; current conditions may differ.

Past peak 40–70%, dropping Typical peak was 9 days ago

Typical peak window

Oct 19 – Oct 27

Centered on Oct 23 at reference elevation.

moderate confidence in typical timing.

Northern Missouri peaks mid-October; the southern Ozarks late October into early November.

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

Seasonal timing

In a typical season, Missouri peaks around Oct. 23, within the Oct. 19–27 window; high ground near 1,350 feet peaks around Oct. 22, and valleys near 650 feet around Oct. 25. Northern Missouri usually peaks in mid-October, while the southern Ozarks tend to peak in late October into early November, with sugar maple, oak, hickory, sassafras, and dogwood in the mix.

What turns here

sugar maple
oak
hickory
sassafras
dogwood

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 23

typical peak Nov 1, 2026

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

Missouri by county

14 days from Atchison County to Pemiscot County.

3 of 115 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

Every county, as text

County	Typical peak	Stage on Nov 1, 2026	Median elev.	Spread
Adair County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	925 ft	1 days
Andrew County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	1,002 ft	1 days
Atchison County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	1,021 ft	1 days
Audrain County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	812 ft	0 days
Barry County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,350 ft	2 days
Barton County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	973 ft	0 days
Bates County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	823 ft	1 days
Benton County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	870 ft	1 days
Bollinger County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	579 ft	1 days
Boone County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	734 ft	0 days
Buchanan County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	984 ft	1 days
Butler County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	319 ft	1 days
Caldwell County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	878 ft	0 days
Callaway County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	734 ft	1 days
Camden County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	842 ft	2 days
Cape Girardeau County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	474 ft	0 days
Carroll County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	752 ft	0 days
Carter County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	761 ft	0 days
Cass County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	920 ft	1 days
Cedar County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	941 ft	1 days
Chariton County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	688 ft	0 days
Christian County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,215 ft	1 days
Clark County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	664 ft	0 days
Clay County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	899 ft	1 days
Clinton County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	970 ft	1 days
Cole County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	681 ft	1 days
Cooper County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	749 ft	0 days
Crawford County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	964 ft	1 days
Dade County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,045 ft	1 days
Dallas County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,087 ft	0 days
Daviess County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	884 ft	1 days
DeKalb County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	966 ft	0 days
Dent County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,214 ft	0 days
Douglas County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,148 ft	1 days
Dunklin County	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	254 ft	1 days
Franklin County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	750 ft	1 days
Gasconade County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	806 ft	1 days
Gentry County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	953 ft	0 days
Greene County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,273 ft	1 days
Grundy County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	828 ft	0 days
Harrison County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	945 ft	0 days
Henry County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	798 ft	1 days
Hickory County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	987 ft	1 days
Holt County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	930 ft	1 days
Howard County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	733 ft	1 days
Howell County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	1,021 ft	1 days
Iron County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,239 ft	2 days
Jackson County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	944 ft	1 days
Jasper County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,017 ft	1 days
Jefferson County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	578 ft	1 days
Johnson County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	862 ft	1 days
Knox County	Oct 13 – Oct 21	Bare	765 ft	0 days
Laclede County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,165 ft	1 days
Lafayette County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	808 ft	1 days
Lawrence County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,279 ft	2 days
Lewis County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	629 ft	1 days
Lincoln County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	643 ft	1 days
Linn County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	797 ft	1 days
Livingston County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	781 ft	1 days
Macon County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	837 ft	1 days
Madison County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	734 ft	1 days
Maries County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	836 ft	1 days
Marion County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	672 ft	0 days
McDonald County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	1,125 ft	1 days
Mercer County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	937 ft	1 days
Miller County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	735 ft	1 days
Mississippi County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	305 ft	0 days
Moniteau County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	818 ft	1 days
Monroe County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	738 ft	0 days
Montgomery County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	756 ft	1 days
Morgan County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	949 ft	2 days
New Madrid County	Oct 24 – Nov 1	Peak	282 ft	1 days
Newton County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,129 ft	1 days
Nodaway County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	1,066 ft	1 days
Oregon County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	840 ft	1 days
Osage County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	727 ft	1 days
Ozark County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	849 ft	1 days
Pemiscot County	Oct 25 – Nov 2	Peak	262 ft	0 days
Perry County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	512 ft	1 days
Pettis County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	881 ft	1 days
Phelps County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,032 ft	1 days
Pike County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	724 ft	1 days
Platte County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	908 ft	1 days
Polk County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,062 ft	1 days
Pulaski County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,021 ft	0 days
Putnam County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	1,000 ft	1 days
Ralls County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	665 ft	0 days
Randolph County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	797 ft	1 days
Ray County	Oct 15 – Oct 23	Past peak	864 ft	1 days
Reynolds County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	1,012 ft	2 days
Ripley County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	548 ft	1 days
Saline County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	714 ft	1 days
Schuyler County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	934 ft	1 days
Scotland County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	727 ft	1 days
Scott County	Oct 22 – Oct 30	Past peak	325 ft	0 days
Shannon County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	992 ft	1 days
Shelby County	Oct 14 – Oct 22	Past peak	771 ft	0 days
St. Charles County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	532 ft	1 days
St. Clair County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	846 ft	0 days
St. Francois County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	902 ft	2 days
St. Louis city	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	501 ft	0 days
St. Louis County	Oct 17 – Oct 25	Past peak	580 ft	1 days
Ste. Genevieve County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	638 ft	1 days
Stoddard County	Oct 23 – Oct 31	Past peak	321 ft	0 days
Stone County	Oct 20 – Oct 28	Past peak	1,221 ft	2 days
Sullivan County	Oct 12 – Oct 20	Bare	895 ft	1 days
Taney County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	864 ft	2 days
Texas County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,233 ft	1 days
Vernon County	Oct 19 – Oct 27	Past peak	820 ft	1 days
Warren County	Oct 16 – Oct 24	Past peak	829 ft	1 days
Washington County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	967 ft	1 days
Wayne County	Oct 21 – Oct 29	Past peak	632 ft	0 days
Webster County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,451 ft	0 days
Worth County	Oct 11 – Oct 19	Bare	1,019 ft	1 days
Wright County	Oct 18 – Oct 26	Past peak	1,424 ft	0 days

Peak by elevation

3 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	1,350 ft	Oct 22	Past peak
Mid elevation	1,100 ft	Oct 23	Past peak
Valleys & lowlands	650 ft	Oct 25	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

Missouri on October 23, 2026, the center of its typical peak window.

Solar event times for Missouri on October 23, 2026
Event	Time
First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	6:53 AM
Sunrise Rises ESE · 104°	7:20 AM
Morning golden hour ends 36 min of low, warm light	7:56 AM
Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light	12:49 PM
Evening golden hour starts 36 min before sunset	5:42 PM
Sunset Sets WSW · 256°	6:18 PM
Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon	6:44 PM

Times in America/Chicago · day length 10h 58m · 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 Missouri

3 researched locations, earliest peak first. Filter these locations

Recent reports from Missouri

Report what you saw

Common questions

When do the leaves change in Missouri?: Missouri typically peaks Oct 19 – Oct 27, centered on Oct 23. Northern Missouri peaks mid-October; the southern Ozarks late October into 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 Missouri?: The guide includes 3 researched locations in Missouri, including Ha Ha Tonka Castle Bluff, Alley Spring Mill, Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. Ha Ha Tonka Castle Bluff turns first, around Oct 22, and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge is last, around Oct 26. Each includes coordinates, elevation and sunrise light times.
What trees turn color in Missouri?: Mainly sugar maple, oak, hickory, sassafras, dogwood. 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.